A Symbiotic Relationship
Why I joined the BTV Accelerator.
The BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) accelerator is unlike anything I’ve ever known, and for someone involved in tech startups for over 20 years, that’s saying a great deal.
No, it’s not because it’s the first accelerator focused on broker-centric technology. No, it’s not because the startups also benefit from the four other operational towers which include media and capital opportunities.
It’s because the BTV accelerator focuses on something I have never seen put into practice before, but makes such incredible sense. The BTV accelerator focuses on the most critical factor of ensuring a startup’s success…people using their technology.
Yes, working capital is critical, but many companies are bootstrapped and succeed. Access to talent is also very important, but with remote work being so pervasive, location is becoming less relevant. But with no alphas/betas, pilots, feedback, and ultimately customers, your chances of success are almost nonexistent.
It’s because the BTV accelerator focuses on something I have never seen put into practice before, but makes such incredible sense. The BTV accelerator focuses on the most critical factor of ensuring a startup’s success…people using their technology.
The BTV accelerator’s mission is to connect forward-thinking brokers with cutting edge technology startups in a way that can only be described as symbiotic. Our agencies strive to find technologies that allow their businesses to be better, faster, more efficient, and easier to work with, and they realize that adoption of new technologies is the path forward. Likewise, we scour the globe to find new and innovative technology startups that need access to mentors, pilot participants, and customers.
Not only are these agencies potential mentors, pilot participants, and customers but they are also invested in your company. That means they have a real, tangible interest in the success of your company. As someone who has been through arguably one of the most successful technology accelerator programs in the world, Techstars Boulder, as a founder of my own startups and been involved with accelerators over the past 6 years, this dynamic is truly unique.
As I looked at BTV as an opportunity for my own personal growth, I viewed it through the lens of a founder and thought “this is exactly what every startup, every founder needs…real feedback from real users spread across many business configurations and geographic locations.”
I’m not saying that BTV is the silver bullet. You still have to work hard, listen, and move fast, but this is the closest thing I have seen in my extensive experience with startup communities. And I am happy to be a part of it!
John Jackovin is the executive director of the BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator.
