This fall brings a new call to apply at Spherik Accelerator from Cluj. Spherik’s partners are Liberty Technology Park Cluj, Transylvania Bank and UBB and University of Cluj. This year the program proposea an improved formula, but seeking startups willing to work hard.
Spherik Accelerator applications can be made on f6s.com until October 15 by teams that can work from Liberty Technology Park of Cluj. Product Bootcamp will begin on November 16 and the program will end 2015 with a Demo Day official in March.
Teams that apply during this period can receive feedback and can re-enroll the application after some things have improved, according to the advice of the jury. Also, there will be face to face interviews for those who do not know very well to present their idea in writing can demonstrate its usefulness.
This year, Spherik would like to accelerate seven startups in the program, just like last year, but things depend on the quality of applicants.
The main addition this year is the Product Bootcamp, an intensive two weeks, at the beginning of the program, which focuses on existing products on their development and finding an iteration to be closer to some realistic market.
Product Bootcamp will mean two weeks of intensive work to product, discovering the problems they solve, MVP’s planning and building a prototype. The teams will build the first pitch and will work for the first time on a structured plan.
The product camp that will hold Spherik Accelerator teams will participate with a “personal trainer”. The latter are often members of the teams in cohort 2014 or successful entrepreneurs . Some coaches are Radu Iuhas (Pangea Communications), Oana Calugaru (Products and Analytics consultant), Matt Sampalean (product manager at SDL), Bogdan Colceriu (CEO Frisbo), Adrian Pica (product manager Telenav & co-founder Oblico), Marius Russian (investment manager at CIT) and Florin Muresan (CEO Squirrly). The teams will also have mentors that will work closely with one team, which will meet constantly and be a part of the team. Among them are Radu Georgescu, Philipp Kandal (co-founder and CTO at skobbler, a company acquired by Telenav), Ana Maria Andronic (co-founder Venture Connect) or Stephanie Dalquist (lead of innovation in AirLiquide).
Thus, with the 2015 edition Spherik will focus more on product, after the 2014 batch when they wanted to offer a broader spectrum of entrepreneurial knowledge.