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 A Guide to Choosing the Best Accelerator for Your Tech Startup
 August 2012
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Table of Contents
IntroductionI. Location, Location, LocationII. FundingConvertible Debt NoteEquity III. Mentorship and AdviceIV. Networking: Investors, Press, and Other StartupsInvestorsPressDemo DaysStartup Alumni V. A Note on Incubators, Competitions, and Hybrid ModelsIncubatorsCompetitionsHybrid ModelsConclusion Appendix: List of Accelerators by State
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Introduction
In August 2012, the second edition of the
U.S. Seed Accelerator Rankings
named the 15 beststartup accelerators in the United States. The list was topped by  Y Combinator,TechStars Boulder, andKicklabs. The ranking was developed by Professor Yael Hochberg and MBA student Kristen Kamath of theNorthwestern Kellogg School of Management, in conjunction withTech Cocktailas a mediapartner. These rankings were based on three components: follow-on funding, success of graduating startups, and accelerator characteristics (i.e., money received, equity taken, alumni base, etc.). Additionally, rankings were supplemented by interviews with VCs to betterunderstand the perception and reputation of the various accelerator programs in the industry.Here are the top 15:1. Y Combinator2.TechStars Boulder 3.K icklabs4.i/o Ventures5.Excelerate Labs6. AngelPad7.TechStars NYC8.TechStars Boston9.Launchpad LA 10.500 Startups11. DreamIt Ventures 12.TechStars Seattle 13.NYC SeedStart 14.Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator 15.The Brandery  As mentioned in the Accelerator Companion report, which explains the methodology in moredetail, newer programs take a hit in the rankings due to their smaller alumni size. The reportnotes a few new programs that venture capitalists believe could be destined for success:“The VCs interviewed in this study mentioned a number of notable new programs thatthey believe will ultimately become successful. These include TechStars Cloud in San Antonio, Launch Pad Ignition, and The Microsoft Accelerator for Kinect.”These accelerators are among over 100 programs that have sprung up in the past few years as alaunchpad for startups. They offer entrepreneurs a chance to spend several months intensely  focused on their product and business - fueled by funding and mentorship, andoften in shared office space - before pitching in front of investors at “demo day.”But choosing an accelerator is more than a question of rankings. At Tech Cocktail, we’ve usedour years of experience interviewing entrepreneurs, connecting with startups, and coveringaccelerators to compile this report. Beyond the basics, we look into the murkier factors that gointo choosing an accelerator: Does location matter? Which accelerators are more hands-on? Which networks are most supportive?
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