Deadline: August 12, 2016 | Apply here
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Prize: USD 50,000,-
Location: St. Louis, The United States
The Arch Grants Global Startup Competition
It’s an international competition that awards $50,000 equity-free, cash grants, and pro bono support services to the most innovative and scalable startups that are willing to locate their business in St. Louis, Missouri.
The industry-agnostic Global Startup Competition is held twice per year, with grant disbursement occurring once in the spring and once in the fall. Arch Grants seeks to fund innovative technologies, products, and services wrapped within scalable business models with the potential for national or international impact.
Since 2012, Arch Grants has awarded more than $4 million in cash grants to 76 startup businesses that were willing to call St. Louis home. With the help of our program and support services, these companies have gone on to create over 300 jobs, generate nearly $28 million in revenue, and attract over $80 million in follow-on capital. Arch Grants Companies are growing at a fantastic pace.
What do you get?
- $50,000 equity-free, cash grant
- Pro bono services in essential business areas (legal, accounting, marketing, HR, banking, etc)
- Personal introductions to strategic business and civic leaders
- Access to angel investment and venture capital networks
- Educational programming
- Access to Arch Grants leadership
- Talent acquisition/recruiting services
- Professional and high-level business mentorship
- Relocation assistance
- Social support and community integration services
- Inclusion into a community of innovative entrepreneurs
Who should apply?
Arch Grants is looking for innovative technologies, products, or services, wrapped within scalable for-profit business models with the potential to make the national or international impact.
Preference will be given to companies that are beyond idea stage; bring with them teams of talented, diverse, and value-additive individuals; and demonstrate that the grant money and support services have a meaningful impact on company growth.
They seek to attract entrepreneurs who are already located in St. Louis OR is willing to relocate there. Basing your business in St. Louis is a requirement for receiving the grant. All of the current entrepreneurs are investing their time in making the St. Louis startup scene even stronger.
The Arch Grants Global Startup Competition is an industry-agnostic competition, which has funded startups in the following areas:
- AgTech
- Big Data
- BioTech
- FinTech
- Hardware Technology
- Healthcare IT
- Manufacturing
- Medical Devices
- Social Ventures
- …and much more!
What are the requirements to receive a grant?
- Locate headquarters or significant operations in St. Louis City for at least one year.
- Provide data on jobs created, revenue generated, and follow-on capital.
- Track and report expenditures of the grant.
- Provide service to or on behalf of Arch Grants for an average of 8 hours per quarter for one year.
- Have at least 51% of your founding team, or at least one full-time founder AND 51% of the full team, working full-time on the business in St. Louis City.
- Participate in program events coordinated by Arch Grants.
How do you apply?
- First, each application is reviewed by at least five community judges, who are hand-picked by the Arch Grants staff based on industry experience, expertise in the stage of your company, or other relevant qualities.
- Next, the application and feedback from these judges are reviewed by the Arch Grants Competition Committee. The Competition Committee is a group of dedicated community members who represent a diverse range of experiences from venture capital, angel investment, start-up entrepreneurs, and everything in between.The Committee will base their decisions on the strength of the opportunity, scalability, the impact on the St. Louis community (economically, culturally, and otherwise) as well as the skills, assets, and value added by the management team.
- Finally, teams will be invited to pitch their businesses to the Committee at a Finalist Pitch Day (there will be three Finalist Pitch Days per competition). These presentations will take place periodically throughout the year and will also include an opportunity for Q&A. Arch Grants Recipients will be selected in April and September and publicly announced in June and November.
Fall 2016 Competition:
- Applications Open: February 16, 2016, at 12:00 AM
- Early Application Deadline: June 16, 2016, at 11:59 PM
- Final Application Deadline: August 12, 2016, at 11:59 PM
- Finalist Pitch Days: June 2, August 4, and September 29, 2016
- Incubation begins November 2016
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