What is the primary goal of this deck?

This is an educational and organizational deck for an accelerator program. Its goal is to guide cohort members through a rapid development cycle, covering product ideation, lean marketing, and fundraising strategies. It serves as a presentation for the event itself rather than a request for capital from the accelerator to an outside investor.

How does the program suggest founders fund their early stages?

The deck heavily promotes non-dilutive funding. Slide 14 lists 'top 10 favorites' for funding, ranging from $5k Walmart Community Grants to a $1 million Forbes Prize. It suggests founders should complete at least 20 applications per quarter to secure fast-turnaround results from corporate contests and local pitch competitions.

What specific tools are recommended for MVP development?

For non-tech founders, the deck recommends using Balsamiq for mockups, WordPress or Wix for landing pages, and Unbounce or KickoffLabs for testing user needs. It also points toward 'low cost app maker platforms' and free courses from providers like edX to bridge the technical gap.

What is the 'Golden Rule' of fundraising mentioned in the deck?

Slide 16 outlines a specific networking tactic: 'Ask for advice, get money... ask for money, get advice.' It encourages founders to reach out to 50-100 angel investors via AngelList or Gust, initially asking for 5-10 minutes of feedback rather than a direct investment to build a relationship.

Who are the key figures and partners associated with this accelerator?

The program is led by Christine S. Ntim, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Managing Director of Startup Grind Dubai (Slide 21). Partner organizations mentioned for judging and sponsorship include IBM, SeedStars, Inc Arabia, Google for Entrepreneurs, and Startup Grind (Slides 2, 20).

MiddleEastStartups.com Accelerator Pitch Deck Teardown

The MiddleEastStartups.com Winter 2016 Digital Accelerator deck functions more as a pedagogical syllabus and event program than a traditional investment pitch. Spanning 87 slides (with 22 core slides analyzed here), it details a high-velocity curriculum designed to move founders from ideation to a 'Top 10 Pitch Off' in a matter of days. The deck is notable for its heavy emphasis on non-dilutive funding sources, specifically corporate grants and pitch competitions like the $1 Million Forbes Prize. While it lacks the standard financial projections or unit economics of a startup pitch, it provid…

Key takeaways

The program is structured into a two-day intensive, featuring a Day 1 'Business Boot Camp' and a Day 2 'Digital Accelerator' culminating in a Demo Night (Slide 2).
Ideation is taught through a three-step process: identifying annoyances, testing via mock apps (Balsamiq/WordPress), and reporting through social media and Google Alerts (Slide 4).
The deck explicitly targets non-tech founders, providing a checklist that includes learning to code or using low-cost app maker platforms (Slide 5, 7).
User acquisition strategy centers on a '3 prong strategy' involving Hubs, Connections, and Communication, with a specific tactic of manually reaching out to competitors' users (Slide 9).
Marketing is compressed into a 30-day launch cycle, advocating for $1-$10 Facebook boosts and $10-$20 Google Adwords spends (Slide 10, 11).
A unique 'Funding 101' section encourages founders to 'turn bills into funding' by applying for corporate grants from Walmart, FedEx, and Microsoft (Slide 14, 15).
The deck cites Jason Calacanis to emphasize that founders should spend $5k-$10k of their own money on a prototype before seeking angel investment (Slide 16).
The Winter 2016 cohort featured 10 finalists, including startups like yallaparking.com and shoppingo.ae, competing in a 1-minute pitch format (Slide 22).

Accelerator Program Overview

The MiddleEastStartups.com Winter 2016 Digital Accelerator deck is a comprehensive guide for a two-day intensive program. Unlike a startup pitch deck that seeks to sell a single business model, this deck sells a methodology for rapid startup creation and growth within the Middle Eastern ecosystem.

Slide 1: Title and Branding

The deck opens with the Middle East Startups logo, a circular seal featuring palm trees. It identifies the event as the 'First Digital Accelerator' for the 'Winter 2016 Cohort.' The URL www.MiddleEastStartups.com is prominently displayed, establishing the digital-first nature of the program.

Slide 2: The Two-Day Agenda

Slide 2 breaks down the program into two distinct phases. Day 1 is the 'Business Boot Camp,' covering 'Starting 101,' 'Product Dev 101,' and 'Funding 101.' Day 2 is the 'Digital Accelerator,' featuring keynotes and a 'Demo Night' for the top 10 startups. Judges are listed from high-profile organizations including IBM, SeedStars, and Inc Arabia .

Slide 3: Startup Start Platforms

This slide provides a landscape of existing ecosystem resources. It highlights Startup Weekend (54 hours), Lean Startup Machine (72 hours), and Startup Monthly . This positioning suggests the accelerator is an extension or a next step for founders who have engaged with these shorter-form workshops.

Slide 4: Ideation (The Basics)

The curriculum begins with a three-column approach to ideation. Column A focuses on identifying pain points ('list out all of the things that annoy you'). Column B details testing methods using Balsamiq, WordPress, and Unbounce . Column C focuses on reporting and visibility, suggesting tools like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) and Google Alerts for competitor tracking.

Slide 5-7: The Non-Tech Founder Path

A significant portion of the deck is dedicated to founders without technical backgrounds. Slide 5 provides a checklist, while Slide 6 and 7 offer resources for building apps without deep coding knowledge. Slide 7 specifically references articles from Business News Daily and Techworld listing '24 best mobile app building platforms,' emphasizing accessibility over custom development for the MVP stage.

Slide 8-9: Pre-Launch and User Targeting

Slide 8 asks, 'Are you prepared for the traffic?' and mandates the use of Google Analytics and social media banners. Slide 9 introduces 'Bucket 4: User Targeting & Empowerment.' It suggests a '3 prong strategy' of Hubs, Connections, and Communication. A notable tactic listed is to 'Manually reach out to your competitors' users on Twitter / Facebook,' a high-effort, low-cost growth hack.

Slide 10-12: Marketing and Go-To-Market

The marketing section (Slides 10-11) advocates for a 30-day launch cycle. It suggests very specific, low-budget ad spends: $1-$10 for Facebook boosts and $10-$20 for Google Adwords . Slide 12 shows a 'Go To Market' slide for a specific student traveler project with pilots in Haiti and Brazil , serving as a case study within the larger curriculum.

Slide 13-15: Funding 101 and Corporate Grants

This is perhaps the most unique section of the deck. Slide 13 titles the section 'How to raise $1 million with your bills in 6 months.' Slide 14 lists ten specific corporate grants and competitions, including the $25k FedEx Competition, $25k IBM Smart Camp, and the $1 Million Forbes Prize . Slide 15 advises founders to complete at least 20 applications per quarter to ensure a steady stream of non-dilutive capital.

Slide 16-17: Angel Investment and Pre-Accelerators

Slide 16 moves into 'Smart Capital.' It features a quote from Jason Calacanis : 'If you can’t be bothered to spend $5k-$10k to build a prototype... why should I take you seriously?' It provides a template for reaching out to angels on AngelList and Gust . Slide 17 points founders toward Startup Next , a Techstars program, as the logical next step after this accelerator.

Slide 18-20: Conclusion and Event Logistics

Slide 18 uses an infographic by Anna Vital to summarize the startup journey from MVP to finding investors. Slide 19 and 20 detail the 'Top 10 Pitch Off' rules: 1 minute to pitch, no slides, and 1 minute of Q&A. The event concludes with a 'Winter Party' sponsored by Google for Entrepreneurs and Paragon .

Slide 21-22: The Team and The Cohort

Slide 21 introduces Christine S. Ntim , highlighting her credentials as a Forbes 30 Under 30 member and Managing Director of Startup Grind Dubai. Finally, Slide 22 lists the 10 finalists of the cohort, including yallaparking.com, shoppingo.ae, and helpieapp.com , providing a snapshot of the regional startup activity in 2016.

What Works in This Deck

Actionable Specificity: The deck doesn't just say 'do marketing'; it tells founders to spend exactly $1-$10 on Facebook boosts. This is highly useful for early-stage founders with limited budgets. · Resource Integration: By linking to external tools (Balsamiq, HARO, AngelList), the deck acts as a portal to the broader global startup ecosystem. · Focus on Non-Dilutive Capital: In emerging markets where venture capital might be scarce, the emphasis on corporate grants (FedEx, Walmart, IBM) is a pragmatic and valuable inclusion.

What Is Missing

Unit Economics: As a curriculum deck, it lacks any discussion on LTV (Lifetime Value), CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), or churn, which are vital for the 'Digital Accelerator' phase. · Regional Context: While titled 'Middle East Startups,' much of the advice is generic to the US tech ecosystem (referencing Craigslist, Walmart, and US-based angel platforms). There is little mention of regional payment gateways, logistics, or specific Middle Eastern regulatory hurdles. · Financial Projections: There are no templates or examples of how a startup should project its growth or manage its burn rate.

Founder Takeaways

The 'Advice for Money' Swap: Founders should copy the networking template on Slide 16. Asking for 5-10 minutes of feedback rather than a check is a proven way to build the investor pipeline. · Grant Hunting as a Process: The '20 apps per quarter' rule for grants (Slide 15) turns fundraising into a predictable administrative process rather than a sporadic effort. · Low-Fidelity Testing: The ideation basics (Slide 4) remind founders that a 'mock app' or a landing page is sufficient to test a hypothesis before writing a single line of code.

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary goal of this deck?: This is an educational and organizational deck for an accelerator program. Its goal is to guide cohort members through a rapid development cycle, covering product ideation, lean marketing, and fundraising strategies. It serves as a presentation for the event itself rather than a request for capital from the accelerator to an outside investor.
How does the program suggest founders fund their early stages?: The deck heavily promotes non-dilutive funding. Slide 14 lists 'top 10 favorites' for funding, ranging from $5k Walmart Community Grants to a $1 million Forbes Prize. It suggests founders should complete at least 20 applications per quarter to secure fast-turnaround results from corporate contests and local pitch competitions.
What specific tools are recommended for MVP development?: For non-tech founders, the deck recommends using Balsamiq for mockups, WordPress or Wix for landing pages, and Unbounce or KickoffLabs for testing user needs. It also points toward 'low cost app maker platforms' and free courses from providers like edX to bridge the technical gap.
What is the 'Golden Rule' of fundraising mentioned in the deck?: Slide 16 outlines a specific networking tactic: 'Ask for advice, get money... ask for money, get advice.' It encourages founders to reach out to 50-100 angel investors via AngelList or Gust, initially asking for 5-10 minutes of feedback rather than a direct investment to build a relationship.
Who are the key figures and partners associated with this accelerator?: The program is led by Christine S. Ntim, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Managing Director of Startup Grind Dubai (Slide 21). Partner organizations mentioned for judging and sponsorship include IBM, SeedStars, Inc Arabia, Google for Entrepreneurs, and Startup Grind (Slides 2, 20).