Program Schedule

1. Where are you now?: Detail your business concepts along with any experimentation or advancements achieved so far.
2. Founder hotseat: Ready a one-minute oral pitch for the weekly "Founder Hotseat," a segment during the Feedback Sessions where you pitch to Mentors. Begin with program concise pitch format, and if your idea isn't finalized, introduce yourself, your passion, and the unique field you're well-suited to venture into.
3. Co-Founders: In search of a Co-Founder? Draft a simple profile outlining your ideal partner. This information will be circulated within your cohort for potential matches.

1. Ideation: Compile a list of the ideas you're keen on exploring, or consider exploring different iterations of the business you're currently developing.
2. Initial interviews: Employ program provided templates to conduct interviews with at least 5 individuals who are knowledgeable about the customer issues or could potentially be customers.
3. Market research: Use a designated market research template to gather precise and accessible data about the customer challenges you're investigating.

1. Customer Interviews: Expand upon your initial interviews and fundamental hypotheses to craft an extended set of customer interview inquiries. Ensure you include at least ten open-ended questions for each identified customer issue.
2. Customer Persona: Follow program directions to either establish or refine a preliminary customer archetype that accurately represents your ideal target customer.
3. Collect: For every customer problem still under consideration, create or enhance a professional-looking landing page aimed at your initial customer archetype. Use this as a strategy to rapidly grow a mailing list for gathering customer insights.

1. Customer issue/problem: From your investigations, choose a single customer issue/problem to focus on within the program, which holds the highest potential for substantial income generation.
2. Revenue strategies: Refine this issue to three viable revenue strategies, conducting a detailed examination of the advantages and drawbacks associated with each approach.
3. Expert pitch presentation: Utilize program templates to craft an expert three-minute pitch presentation, incorporating the feedback, ideas, and structure that have proven effective in your Hotseat presentations.

1. Select a storyline for your pitch: Successful fundraisers weave a compelling narrative about the future direction of the world and their company's role in that future. Examine pitches from companies in similar sectors, then apply program guidelines to choose the most fitting narrative structure for your pitch.
2. Craft your pitch script: Rehearsing is key to refining an initial version of your pitch. A typical three-minute pitch contains about 500 words at a standard speaking pace. Draft your script and seek critiques from colleagues.
3. Finalize your idea review pitch presentation: Prepare your three-minute pitch presentation for the Mentor Idea Review, following program provided templates and instructions. Rehearse your presentation at least three times with your peers, adjusting it based on their input. Submit a final video on the designated submissions page.

1. Corporate documents: Revise your three-minute pitch presentation and video in response to feedback from the Mentor Idea Review. Also, craft an updated Executive Summary.
2. Prospective advisors: Over the coming some weeks, you'll establish (or expand) your Advisory Board. Start by compiling a list of potential new advisors, selecting candidates who can fill your current knowledge or network gaps.
3. Engaging potential advisors: Utilize the AI SMARTUP network for introductions to your chosen candidates as needed. Follow program structured approach to advance the formation of your advisory board effectively.

1. Legal assessment: Consult the Legal Guide to gain a comprehensive understanding of essential legal aspects for startups, such as allocating and vesting equity, options issuance, and the differences between common and preferred shares. Should you discover discrepancies between your current legal framework and these recommended practices, devise a plan to address them.
2. Ownership structure documentation: Update or create your capitalization table ("Cap Table") to accurately reflect your company's ownership distribution, following program provided template and instructions.
3. Co-founder agreements: Compile a list of current co-founders, potential co-founder candidates, or key founding team members associated with your AI SMARTUP venture, and initiate the process to officially formalize these partnerships.

1. Growth strategy revision: Evaluate the success of your growth objectives and refine your growth strategy to enhance performance and accountability.
2. Sales targets: Set ambitious targets for acquiring new revenue or users, whether through signups, transactions, executed contracts, pre-payments, or letters of intent.
3. Expansion strategies: Collaborate with your team and advisors to generate 5-8 innovative strategies for expanding your customer base. Document these strategies in a list of Growth Tactics.

1. Options exploration: Pinpoint three different approaches (market opportunities or strategic shifts) for launching your product to unearth the most profitable market niche. Conduct interviews with a minimum of three potential customers for each option.
2. Advisor engagement: As you move to officially bring advisors on board in the forthcoming phase, initiate wrap-up discussions with your prime prospects, and, where applicable, set up preliminary advisory assignments using program outlined procedures.
3. Marketing message experimentation: Craft a minimum of three distinct promotional messages for your offering and conduct comparative analysis through landing pages, aiming for at least 50 interactions per test.

Develop the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for Your AI Initiatives

1. Intellectual property protection: If not yet undertaken, ensure all intellectual property (IP) generated thus far is legally secured. Consider the pursuit of patents where relevant, adhering to our recommended procedures.
2. Objective setting for solutions: Assess the current effectiveness of your solution. Define three key objectives that the upcoming version of your product aims to achieve for your target clientele in the forthcoming year.
3. Team composition: If necessary, consolidate the expertise and positions required to accomplish your solution objectives. Utilize current team members or enhance the team by recruiting or contracting additional talent as needed.

1. Intellectual property protection: Ensure all intellectual creations and innovations are legally safeguarded if you haven't already. Assess the potential requirement for patent applications in accordance with our established guidelines.
2. Strategic objectives for your solution: Conduct a thorough review of your solution's present effectiveness. Identify and document three strategic objectives that you aim for the forthcoming product iteration to achieve for your intended audience within the next year.
3. Team configuration: If not already in place, strategically assemble the necessary competencies and roles to fulfill your solution's strategic objectives. This may involve leveraging current team members or augmenting your team through new hires or external partnerships.

1. Talent acquisition: Begin the recruitment process for key positions, including Co-Founders, by compiling a list of suitable candidates from your network or utilizing the AI SMARTUP (AIS) network. Focus on filling the most crucial two or three positions that you do not intend to outsource.
2. Recruitment and integration strategy: Formulate a systematic approach for recruiting and integrating new team members based on program recommendations. Initiate this strategy to expand your team effectively.
3. Evaluation projects: For each of the primary roles you're hiring for, devise at least one evaluation project. These projects should be designed to allow promising candidates to showcase their capabilities and expertise.

1. Essential success benchmark: Collaborate with your Local Leaders to define your "Achievement Goal". Ensure this goal is scheduled in your business calendar.
2. Advisor engagement plan: Schedule a meeting with each of your advisors to discuss your "Achievement Goal" alongside strategies for funding, recruitment, sales, and product development.
3. Financial planning: Review your company's financial requirements and refine your financial projections to forecast revenue and expenditures for the next 36 months.

Evaluate the pitch deck and presentation/public speaking abilities. Address the frequently asked questions by investors.

1. Refined investment presentation: Develop a comprehensive, slide presentation deck based on insights gained from the Mentor Progress Review, utilizing our provided templates.
2. Expansion: Advance towards your growth objectives, assessing and refining your approach and accountability mechanisms as necessary.
3. Development: Progress with the upcoming product launch, detailing and tackling any challenges encountered by your development team.

Project completion and preparation for graduation. You are now poised to launch your actual business. Congratulations!

1. Program objectives: Detail your team's monthly targets throughout the four-month Core Program.
2. Success metrics: Define the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you're using to measure success. Evaluate the effectiveness of these KPIs and develop a strategy for updating your Local Leaders weekly on your metrics and advancements throughout the program.
3. Founder hotseat presentation: Craft a one-minute verbal presentation for the weekly "Founder Hotseat," where you'll showcase your business to Mentors during Feedback Sessions. You can begin with program template for a concise pitch, emphasizing your team's unique position to succeed and highlighting the progress you've made so far.

1. Customer conversations: Employ program guidelines to conduct interviews with a minimum of 20 clients. If you've already made significant strides in customer development, summarize your discoveries and pinpoint aspects that necessitate further exploration.
2. Exploring uncertainties: Achieve a comprehensive grasp of the principal issue your customers face, and bridge any gaps in your understanding of their needs.
3. Blueprinting success: Envision the future of your business when it hits $10 million in yearly sales, detailing the company's vision, culture, and primary sources of income. Chart at least three to five critical milestones your company must achieve on its journey to this level of success.

1. Customer persona: Follow program instructions to construct or refine a comprehensive customer persona for your ideal customer, utilizing insights from your current customer base or enhanced research efforts.
2. Pricing feedback sessions: Conduct interviews with customers to discuss your product's pricing structure, employing three distinct revenue models/pricing strategies. Use the insights gathered from these discussions to either validate your current pricing model or choose a new one based on customer feedback.
3. Engage competitor customers: Seek out users of competitive products or services and persuade them to consider switching to your solution, aiming to secure a letter of intent (LOI) or establish a continuous feedback loop with them.

1. Consultation with industry experts: Engage in conversations with three financial experts with relevant industry experience closely related to the customer issue at hand. Solicit their perspectives and judgments on the scalability and feasibility of your proposed revenue model.
2. Identification of key performance indicators: You can leverage the insights gained from your research to pinpoint the essential metrics that will influence your revenue generation and ability to attract investment. Collaborate with your Local Leaders to establish and agree upon a method for monitoring these critical indicators.
3. Prioritization in product development: Adjust your product development strategy to emphasize the launch of a solution that not only initiates early customer revenue but also tests and confirms your most significant assumptions. This approach aims to mitigate potential risks while ensuring a focus on viable product offerings.

1. Expand your customer list: Aggregate the insights from your discussions to expand your list of potential customers. Commit to conducting at least three customer interviews weekly to gather feedback on the challenges you're addressing, the effectiveness of your revenue model, your solution, and how you present your business idea.
2. Accelerate sales efforts: Re-evaluate your previous efforts in sales, analyzing how much time was invested, the conversion rates achieved, the financial resources expended, and other pertinent metrics for each sales initiative. Your objective is to secure new customers and demonstrate measurable progress prior to the Mentor Idea Review session.
3. Refine your pitch for the mentor idea review: Complete your 3-minute presentation for the Mentor Idea Review by utilizing program provided templates and guidelines. Rehearse your pitch at least three times with your team members, making revisions as necessary based on their critiques. Submit the polished version of your pitch video on the required submissions channel.

1. Improve sales efforts: Keep working on making more sales or getting promises for future payments, and try to do better each month. If you sell to other businesses, try to get as many agreements or promises in writing as possible. If you sell directly to consumers, work hard to make more money or get people to say they will pay you. Write down everything you learn along the way.
2. Update your financial plan: Use the program guide to make your financial plan better or create one if you don't have it yet. Focus on how much money you're spending to figure out how much money you need. Make a plan for how much money you expect to make in the next 06 to 12 months, and think about how your efforts in making sales might affect when you'll make money.
3. Get legal help ready: Think about what legal help you might need soon. If you don't have a lawyer yet, look for at least two law firms in your area that know how to work with new companies. Start picking a law firm by using our tips to decide which one is best for you.

1. Choosing a law firm: If you haven't yet selected one, arrange meetings with potential law firms and finalize your choice by signing an "engagement letter" with them.
2. Setting up your corporation: Ensure you have all the necessary agreements for forming your corporation, which outline the rules for how your business operates.
3. Joining the equity collective: Get ready to become part of the Equity Collective. Provide your law firm with the agreements needed and ask for their assistance in correctly completing any necessary information.

1. Strategic shift: If your current strategies for growth, sales, product development, or recruitment are falling short of expectations, consider a strategic shift. Before making any changes, arrange a discussion with a Local Leaders to explore your new direction, and similarly, consult with your advisors.
2. Evaluating recruitment sources: Assess the effectiveness of various recruitment channels and strategies by reviewing the performance and outcomes of candidates sourced from these efforts. Identify which channels have been most successful in attracting quality candidates.
3. Continued engagement post-program: Engage with the AI SMARTUP's post-program resources and organize monthly gatherings with your peers. These sessions should be aimed at exchanging updates, insights, and learnings to support ongoing progress and mutual success.

1. Customer acquisition strategies: Pinpoint a minimum of three primary or novel channels for client acquisition that align with your offering.
2. Conversion rate optimization: Initiate trials for at least three customer acquisition strategies, directing significant traffic to each to assess and compare their conversion efficiency.
3. Financial metrics analysis: Investigate industry benchmarks within your market segment. You can evaluate these standards concerning your metrics to identify improvement or success areas.

1. Product strategy: Craft an initial or revised product strategy, following our recommendations, to align with your solution objectives alongside your project team.
2. Implementation timeline: Refine your product strategy's release timeline, simplifying it to focus on testing individual business hypotheses, following program guidance.
3. Mentor presentation: Assemble a three-minute pitch for the Mentor Progress Review, ensuring it contains enough detail for Mentors to assess your development and plans effectively.

1. Intellectual property protection: Ensure that all intellectual property generated thus far is secured and safeguarded. Review the potential need for patent applications in line with program-advised practices.
2. Solution development objectives: Assess the present status of your offering and specify three key objectives for your upcoming product iteration to address for your target market within the next twelve months.
3. Team composition: Assess and arrange the necessary expertise and roles to achieve your solution objectives. Utilize your current team effectively or consider expanding your team through recruitment or external partnerships as needed.

1. Advisor consultation: Schedule a consultation with at least one of your advisors to review your recruitment efforts. Share your progress and strategies, then integrate their insights into your future planning.
2. Founder's schedule management: Precisely plan your weekly agenda by designating specific time blocks for essential business functions. This approach ensures dedicated and focused periods for each critical task.
3. Fundraising strategy: Should your venture require additional capital for the upcoming period, initiate the fundraising process by consulting program resources to prepare the necessary documentation and conduct preliminary research for a potential financing round.

1. Enhanced investor presentation: Perfect your investor presentation by incorporating comprehensive updates from your recent activities and plans. Practice this refined presentation with colleagues and program leaders, then submit it to the AI SMARTUP platform for feedback.
2. Investor documentation portal: Establish a comprehensive digital repository accessible to potential investors, containing essential documents such as legal agreements, the pitch deck, team profiles, board information, financial summaries, sales data, marketing strategies, and intellectual property details.
3. Investment prospects compilation: Compile a comprehensive list of potential investment sources, focusing on local angel investors and seed accelerators, excluding venture capitalists and seed funds.

Evaluate the investor pitch deck and refine your presentation and public speaking abilities. Address common questions (FAQ) from investors thoroughly.

1. Team performance review: Evaluate the performance of each project team member, including yourself. Develop improvement strategies for those who are underperforming.
2. Establish advisory board: Form your advisory board by selecting experts in startups, industry, technology, or marketing. Organize the frequent meetings of your advisory.
3. Financial projections revision: Update your financial model to reflect recent activities. Modify revenue forecasts based on current growth trends and assess the necessity and criteria for obtaining external financing.

Project completion and graduation readiness: You've successfully concluded the project and are now prepared for graduation. It's time to embark on your actual business journey. Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone!