Venture Cohort Program Application

Venture Cohort Program Application

The Escape Velocity Venture Cohort is a two-year program designed for startups that have already completed a traditional accelerator, incubator, or similar experience. We support high-potential early-stage ventures with innovative ideas and scalable business models. If you're ready to accelerate your growth, apply to join our entrepreneurial community.
Application Process

Application Submission
Submit an application that highlights your startup’s potential & unique value proposition. Application portal closes Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Blind Screening Note
To promote fairness, initial reviews are conducted blind, removing founder-identifying details.

Semi-Finalist Requirements
Selected applicants will be asked to provide:
1. Two letters of support from their network
2. Completed founder questionnaire(s)
Finalist Round
Selected founders will be invited to pitch in person.

Venture Cohort Program

Founder Due Diligence Phase
Startups begin with a 1–3 month due diligence phase, receiving an initial $25K investment allocation. Founders work with mentors to define KPIs and milestones. Evaluation is based on milestone achievement, founder grit, adaptability, and coachability.

Full Cohort Program
Startups that meet benchmarks and demonstrate grit are admitted to the full program, receiving the remaining $225,000 seed investment.

A minimum of five and a maximum of ten startups will be selected.

Program Focus
We prioritize startups committed to relocating operations to Qualified Opportunity Zones and establishing long-term roots in Connecticut, particularly in underserved communities. Our mission is to drive meaningful, lasting job creation.
We highly recommend downloading the PDF version of the application to draft and refine your responses prior to submitting via the online portal.

Download editable PDF here

Important Notes on Program and Investment Requirements

Before we begin, please review and apply only if you are able to meet the following conditions:

Startups eligible for the program
- Industry-Agnostic | Pre-Seed & Seed Stage Startups
- Market Demand: Solving a significant problem with a clear customer need
- Early Traction: MVP/Prototype complete, early adopters, pilots, or <$250K revenue
- Launch Potential: Ability to launch (or grow) by the end of the program
- Growth Vision: Clear strategy for scaling, partnerships, and/or exit opportunities
- Scalability: Credible path to becoming a $25M+ enterprise
- Foundational Requirements
  - Registered U.S. company or subsidiary.
  - Able to stay in, or relocate to, Connecticut for the program.
  - For-profit entities only (LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, etc.)
  - Prior participation in an accelerator/incubator or work with industry experts (e.g., SCORE, SBDC)
Not Eligible
- Non-profit organizations.
- Businesses currently generating more than $250k in annual revenue.
- Businesses that will not scale beyond a small or niche market.
- Idea-phase companies without a working MVP/prototype.
- Companies that are locked in long-term research/clinical stages without a near-term launch path.
- Founders who are not open to mentorship, feedback, and program guidance.
I understand and agree
Full Name*

First NameLast Name
Email Address*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
LinkedIn Profile (If Applicable)
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState

Postal/Zip CodeCountry
Company Name*
Founding Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Legal Formation*
Note: Nonprofit organizations are ineligible for this program.
Industry/Field of Focus:*
Where is your startup headquartered?*
Website URL*
(If you do not have a website, please write N/A)
YesNo
This program is designed for companies with a solid foundation. Please describe how you have developed your business plan, marketing strategy, and customer insights.*
Please be as specific as possible.
Have you engaged with mentors, advisors, SCORE, the Small Business Development Center, or any educational programs or resources? If yes, please tell us about it.*
If not applicable, type N/A
Tell us about the program(s) you have participated in. *
Program names and dates attended. If not applicable, type N/A

Founder(s)/Owner(s)

Founder(s)/Owner(s)Must have at least 10% equity in the company.
Team Size*
Founder/Owner # 1*

First NameLast Name
Title*
Equity Ownership (%)*
Age*
Race/Ethnicity*
Gender*
Where do you/they currently live?*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry
YesNo
Education*
Email*
example@example.com
Personal LinkedIn URL*
*If Applicable, otherwise submit N/A
[Add Additional Co-Founder/Owners as needed]
If admitted to the program, which of the founder(s) will fully commit to participating in the two-year program in Hartford, CT?*
Do any members of the founder team have anticipated commitments during the two year program? If so, could you list and describe them?*
(e.g., finishing college, grad school program, full-time work, etc.) *Please note, outside commitments will not exclude a company from being selected to the cohort.
Please tell us in one or two sentences about the most impressive thing other than this startup that each founder has built or achieved.*
Share an example of a time when your team faced a conflict. How did you handle it, and what steps did you take to realign everyone toward a common goal?*

Business Plan Summary
One-line Pitch*
Describe your startup in one sentence
Detailed Description*
What problem are you solving? How are you solving it?
Current Stage of Development*
Idea, MVP, prototype, revenue-generating, etc.
Traction*
(Provide insights into past and current impact such as milestones reached, prototype, user base, revenue, partnerships, etc.) If not applicable, write N/A.
What are the most critical milestones you aim to hit in the next 12–18 months, and how do you plan to achieve them? What roadblocks/challenges do you anticipate preventing this progress?*
Please be as specific as possible.
How do you plan to use the $25,000 non-dilutive grant over the 3 month period? How do you plan to use the $250,000 performance-based seed investment over the following 21-month period?*
Please be as specific as possible.
Who is your target market?*
A target market is a specific group of potential customers, identified by shared characteristics like demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Who are your competitors? What sets you apart from your competition?*
Please be as specific as possible.
How will you get users? If your idea is the type that faces a chicken-and-egg problem in the sense that it won't be attractive to potential users until it has a lot of users, how will you overcome that?*
Unique Value Proposition*
A strong value proposition (1) clearly states the benefit, (2) differentiates your company from the competition, and (3) is concise and easy to understand.
What is your business model?*
What do you understand about your business that other companies don’t? What makes you a market innovator compared to other companies?*

Startup Progress to Date
Key Milestones Achieved*
YesNo
What are your revenues over the past 12 months? ($ USD)*
If not applicable, type "0"
What are your current distribution channels?*
If not applicable, type N/A
YesNo
YesNo
How can you safely use the IP?*
If not applicable, type N/A
Current Challenges*
Future Goals*
(Short-term and long-term objectives)

Equity, Fundraising and Debt
NoYes
Have you received money in non-dilutive grants, owner investments, and/or family and friends round? How much and when?*
If not applicable type N/A
How much money have you raised in total from investors in US dollars?*
If not applicable type 0
How much money have you received in non-dilutive grants in US dollars?*
If not applicable type 0
List any investments your company has received.*
Ex: [Name of Investor] invested [$ Amount] at a pre-money valuation of [$ Amount / Cap] through [convertible notes/SAFEs/stock] on [Date of Investment]. If not applicable, type N/A
NoYes
Please tell us the amount(s) and applicable lender(s)*
If not applicable, type N/A
NoYes
Please provide any relevant details about your current raise*
If not applicable, type N/A

Program Expectations
Escape Velocity Partners was born from the charitable mission of Partners on Prospect, to be a driving force in Greater Hartford’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our mission is to accelerate the growth of high-potential startups by providing mentorship, capital access, and market opportunities. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem in Greater Hartford that drives innovation and economic development throughout the state of Connecticut.
Why do you want to join the Escape Velocity Advanced Accelerator Program?*
How do you believe your startup aligns with our program and our philanthropic mission?*
What are your expectations from this program?*
Additional Comments (Any other information you would like to share)
Please attach your latest pitch deck (.pdf)*

Document Size Limit 10MB
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Any Additional Documents (.pdf or .ppt)

Document Size Limit 10MB
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Link to product Video/Reel if applicable:
Should be Empty:

Venture Cohort Program Application

Founder(s)/Owner(s)

Business Plan Summary

Startup Progress to Date

Equity, Fundraising and Debt

Program Expectations