Startup founders and startup executives face unique challenges as they grow their businesses. From defining the first product, refining their business model, pitching to investors or signing the first customer and building up a strong sales network, startups are under constant pressure and make mistakes.
Especially in Europe we have great ideas and innovators but many of them lack the basic capabilities to create a global business. And many do not believe that they can conquer the world although they have the ingredients for global success. Also the location of a technology startup is becoming more and more irrelevant, it is only the talents that are key. European Talents work with great core engineering teams but they are limiting themselves with complicated “organically developed structures”.
Andreas Spechtler, former President Dolby International, had this in mind when he created the Startup Executive Academy in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria. As both a corporate and startup world veteran, he had the personal experience to know what a founding team needs to be commercially successful. Most of the time it is not the idea or the technology but the Go-To-Market knowledge and the business mindset that drives the success.
Andreas connected with Baba Shiv, one of the world’s leading marketing professor from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and together they developed a detailed curriculum tailored to the business needs of startup executives. The Startup Executive Academy takes place in the beautiful Castle of Urstein in Salzburg, Austria.
The Startup Executive Academy 2019 starts on July 4 and lasts 5 days until July 8 with the final Executive Challenge where the participants present their venture to selected faculty members and get constructive feedback. Only July 9 the participants will meet other almunis from 2017 and 2018 at the CIRCLE DAY where all together some 40 startup executives will continue learning from Prof. Baba Shiv, will be creative in workshops and sharing their high and low lights. On July 10 at the CORPORATE DAY the Startup Executive Academy opens to corporate; VCs, Business Angels. At the Startup Stage all startups can present themselves to the broader audience and maybe find a new investor.
The SEA is a 5 days Go-To-Market crash course, packed with invaluable information that drills down to the essential skills and knowledge that every startup executive needs to create a successful, thriving business. Whether a first time, early-stage founder or a founder in scale-up mode, participants will take away immediately actionable learnings and ideas. And participants benefit from the peers and the great Faculty members.
Participants benefit from unparalleled access to top executives and former manager and entrepreneur from market leading companies such as Google, Dolby, Sony, Porsche, Huawei, Spencer Stuart, PWC, McKinsey, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, The Salzburg Festival, as well as VCs and family offices such as Dolby Family Ventures, and more. An overview can be found here.
The small class size of some 20 participants and dedicated one-on-one working time with faculty members including Lead Professor Baba Shiv ensure that each participant goes home with personalized, actionable plans that will directly impact their own businesses on day 1 back in the office.
Besides the deep Go-To-Market focused curriculum the Highlights of SEA 2019 are:
- Sales in Focus: A full day focused on how to sell, how to negotiate, and how to go international.
- The Art of Meditation: Learn to harness the power of your mind and focus your path to success through meditation. Daily sessions led by a Buddhist monk.
- Startup Stage: Present your company to business angels, venture capitalists, and corporate executives
Another focus is the Global Challenge “Mobility beyond Cars – in Retail” together with the Porsche Holding.
What participants said:
“I studied innovation management for five years, so technically, theoretically, I learned a lot of these things in those five years. But here it’s so distilled down; the most important tasks you have to do in your job as a CEO.” – Stefan Ponsold – SunnyBAG – Austria
“This has been completely life changing for my business.” – Zeynep Demirbilek – Service Club – Spain
The best recommendations come from participants, themselves. In the video below you can see what the class of 2018 had to say about their experiences during their week at the Startup Executive Academy:
Peers Inspiring Peers
Each year, some of the most impactful takeaways come from fellow participants. These driven entrepreneurs are struggling with similar challenges, or have recently overcome obstacles and are eager to share their roadmaps to success. Breakout sessions, group dinners, and morning runs spark inspiration and supportive connections that last far beyond the final day of the Academy.
Engaged Network
“There are fantastic international peers who during the program easily turn into your friends, mentors, advisors, and supporters. I recommend the SEA to startup leaders who seek to move to another level, get strong practical knowledge, build a powerful network and celebrate their journeys as entrepreneurs.“ – Elena Shkarubo – MeetnGreetMe – Belorussia
From private Telegram channels to meetups around the world, SEA participants stay connected and support each other’s journeys through the roller coaster life of the startup world.
As soon as they complete the program, SEA Alumni are invited to join the SEA Circle, an engaged network of startup executives. They tackle burning questions and offer each other real-life solutions to problems during live video forums led by Andreas Spechtler, Silicon Castles CEO & SEA Founder, and Baba Shiv, Stanford professor and SEA Lead Professor.
Are you ready to invest in your success? Visit www.sea2019.com to learn more and apply until March 31!
