The Center for Advancing Innovation
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How We Launch Startups

Challenge: The Center for Advancing Innovation's startup challenges begin with a planning phase followed by our challenge program. We tailor our approach to what is most appropriate to the needs of the organizations with whom we work. Our challenge is unique in that inventions from our database of 170,000  from 80+ institutions are the topics of the challenge

Accelerator: In  addition to the challenge, CAI provides a rigorous 8-month virtual program designed to accelerate early-stage technology companies. Training includes mentoring from world-class leaders; virtual webinars; company building exercises; engagement with other founders, investors and potential clients along with several program tools

Boots on the Ground: CAI also has developed a global Ambassador network, so that there are champions in regional geographies that can galvanize local entrepreneurial resources and ecosystems to provide startup support in-person

Challenge Planning


  • Determine invention topic; pull inventions. Perform due diligence. Ensure inventions are available
  • Perform stakeholder engagement planning and outreach
  • Determine branding; develop marketing collateral; recruit teams, judges, mentors, advisors and other stakeholders

Phase 0:
​Enter Challenge

  • Choose one to three inventions
  • Sign CDA and Founder's Agreement
  • Provide resumes and/or LinkedIn

  • Create 2-minute elevator pitch recorded video
  • Provide 350-word executive summary
  • Public voting on YouTube

Phase 1:
Elevator Speech


Phase 2:
Business Plan

  • Develop 10-page business plan & 10-page pitch deck
  • Perform live pitch (web conference)
  • ​Incorporate startup

  • License invention
  • Apply for dilutive/non-dilutive funding
  • Finalize management team

Phase 3:
Startup


Concurrent Accelerator Training
​8 Months

Webinars



40+ webinars
12+ company building exercises

Mentoring



Engage with world-class mentors from around the world

Tools & Team



Stakeholder engagement
Market analysis
Financial models​

Discovery



Voice of the customer, supplier &  other stakeholders

Investor Forums



​"Demo Day" for teams to pitch to investors
The Center for Advancing Innovation, Inc 2015
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  • Home
  • Approach
  • Startup Challenges
    • SCALE Challenge
    • Brain Race
    • Freedom from Cancer Startup Challenge
    • Virginia Beach Bio Startup Challenge
    • Space Race
    • Nano Startup Challenge
    • Neuro Startup Challenge
    • Breast Cancer Startup Challenge
  • Awards
  • Testimonials
  • News
    • SCALE Challenge Announcement
    • Brain Race Announcement
    • Innovation Arms Race
  • About Us
    • Differentiators
    • Our Partnerships
    • Contact Us
  • Internship Program