Do you have a mid-stage startup with an innovative solution in socially, environmentally, or culturally responsible tourism? Apply to this startup accelerator and get pitch training, plus mentoring in all the best ways to scale up your startup. Then apply what you’ve learned to pitch for up to €500,000 (approx. $539,000 USD) in grants.
Deadline for applications is March 1, 2017. Follow Lootstrap on Facebook for updates!
Award Amount
- Up to €500,000 (approx. $539,000 USD) from your Final Pitch
Location
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Length
- 3 weeks
Additional Benefits
- Roundtrip tickets to Amsterdam and free room and board for 2 team members
- Mentoring in organizational growth and agility, marketing, finance and many other areas
- Pitch training and practice
- Networking events to meet industry experts and other entrepreneurs
- Final Pitch to an expert panel of judges for the chance to receive significant grants
- Visa invitation letters provided to successful applicants 2 months before program starts
Who Can Apply
- Scalable startups with a positive impact on multiple destinations
- Social businesses that support tourism by promoting the destination’s cultural heritage
- Unique enterprises that turn the tourism industry to the benefit of local communities
- Have a proven business model with demonstrable local impact
- Must generate revenue, but no more than €1.5 million (approx. $1.6 million USD) yearly
- Must be legally registered as a for-profit business
- Want to be part of a community of startups that are turning tourism into a force for good
- Be open to learn from and share experiences with other startups
- Fluent in English (program held in English)
- Available to be present for the full duration of the program
Selection Criteria
- Originality of business model and soundness of organizational strategy
- B Corporation certification is an advantage
- Quality of your 2-minute online pitch video answering the following questions:
- What is your startup idea?
- How did you detect the opportunity?
- What problem are you solving?
- What’s the impact on your destination? (what’s your Theory of Change?)
- How do you plan to scale to multiple ‘destinations’?
- Why are your and your team’s skills important to scaling your startup?
- Answering all the questions in less than 2 minutes is an advantage
- Criteria for the Final Pitch for the grant:
- Market opportunity and size
- Measurable impact on the environment, cultural heritage or inclusive growth
- A model that can scale, including a plan to make this happen
- Innovative/unique business model and sound organizational strategy
- Quality of your plan to use the grant to scale your business and impact
- Financial feasibility and sustainability of your startup
- Skills, experience and commitment of management team
Application Process
- Written application through your free YouNoodle account
- Online pitch video that is 2 minutes long or less
- Pass a background check
- Video, telephone, or in-person interview
- 8 to 12 startups will be invited to join the program
Conditions
- 2 team members must be present for the entire duration of the program
- Agree to participate in reasonable promotional activities related to the program
- Take part in a yearly survey on the impact of Booking Booster on your startup
- Terms and Conditions
- Booking Booster will provide invitation letters, but applicants must obtain their own visas
Post-Program Perks
- Access to coaching and mentoring for up to 9 months after program finishes
- Become part of the Booking.com Cares Network for a more sustainable tourism industry
- Chance to receive €100k to 500k (approx. $108k to 540k USD) from your Final Pitch
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