WADHWANI TAKEOFF
An all-expense paid Silicon Valley trip for
Wadhwani IGNITE program participants
An all-expense paid Silicon Valley trip for
Wadhwani Ignite+ is a program is focused on early-stage ventures from incubators, state startup missions and REAL STUDENT VENTURES from the NEN Ignite program with the objective to create successful COMMERCIAL VENTURES.
The Ignite+ program provides the business with goals and a roadmap (designed in consultation with the venture through a self-assessment process. The program support includes curated content, case studies, solution kits, calendared workshops (weekly), masterclasses, ecosystem connects and business mentors/experts.
Who is eligible for NEN Ignite+ ?
Early-stage startups:
- Yet to become sustainable commercial ventures
- With a robust revenue model and sources
- With a potential customer base (>10 in B2B, >1000 in B2C)
- Having secured external funding/incubation/grant
- With a limited employee base
- A registered entity
Program
- 14 weeks of on-demand and need-based engagement and interventions
- Venture Interventions:
- Expert sessions | WF leadership team | Investors & ecosystem experts | 1×1 mentor clinics | Pitching bootcamps and demo pitches
- Venture Engagement
- Solutions for market penetration | Avenues for increasing sales & revenue | Networking and customer connects/ events and panel discussions | Access to advisors/mentors | Improving Investability
- Venture Support
- Access to content & resources | Inputs on the available Incubators/ Accelerators/ Prototype Grants | Facilitating participation in contests/competitions | Presentation skills | Access to tools/templates – terms sheets, agreements, SHAs, etc.
Wadhwani Takeoff
A golden opportunity for aspiring startups/entrepreneurs to win an all-expense-paid mentoring and networking trip to Silicon Valley. All you have to do is enrol in Ignite program (in team format) and get top certification by an international jury. For more details on the TakeOff program, click here.
What do we look for in a team?
For being selected to the NEN Ignite Program, teams should have the following attributes:
Aptitude & Attitude
We want empathetic, enthusiastic, bold, and committed participants that can conclude the program till the end.
Teamwork & Shared Leadership
Can their teams lead this project toward its goals? Do they have unique skills and experiences that will help them succeed?
Purpose & Passion
We want people that can care deeply about meaningful issues and their communities.
Resilience
Demonstrate how they foresee challenges, and avoid or bounce back from them.
Ability to Attract Resources
Show us that they can attract money, people, and other resources to their venture.
Program Benefits to Participants
- Readiness to launch a new venture in 14 weeks
- A refined, market validated Business and financial model and go to market strategy
- A pitch deck ready for incubator/accelerator/investor as relevant
- Practice (mock) pitching sessions with real investors and incubator managers for the top teams
- Certificates for the teams whose pitch decks are validated by WF’s global jury panels
- Other global competitive incentives under development
Networking
- 1×1 Access to Domain Mentors
Learning
- Case studies
- Masterclasses
- Workshops
- Demo Pitches
Business Growth
- Product roadmap
- Growth and Scale processes
- Team building
- Go-to-market strategy
- Legal support
- Branding and designing
- Customer acquisition
- Startup valuation
- Funding plan
Rewards and Recognition
Venture Launch in 10 Weeks
Access to Incubators / Accelerators
Validated Investor Pitch endorsed through a Global Jury
Pitching Opportunities to potential Investors
Global Community – Asia, Africa, LATAM
Access to Mentors
E Certificate
Shoutout on Social Media
Payment Gateway Free Credit
AWS Credit Worth $5000
Details About the Program
Week 1-2
Sprint 1
Baselining
Self Assessment
Goal Setting
Road Map
Week 3-4
Sprint 2
MVP / Product
Competition
Product roadmap
Week 5-6
Sprint 3
Business Model
BMC/LC
Business Plan
Week 7-8
Sprint 4
Sales/ Revenue
Growth & Scale
Processes
Efficiency
Week 13-14
Final Lap
Valuation
Funding Plan
Week 11-12
Sprint 6
Customers
GTM /DM
Branding
Customer Acquisition
Week 9-10
Sprint 5
Team
Balanced Team
Co-founders
Week 1-2
Sprint 1
Baselining
Self Assessment
Goal Setting
Road Map
Week 3-4
Sprint 2
MVP / Product
Competition
Product roadmap
Week 5-6
Sprint 3
Business Model
BMC/LC
Business Plan
Week 7-8
Sprint 4
Sales/ Revenue
Growth & Scale
Processes
Efficiency
Week 11-12
Sprint 6
Customers
GTM /DM
Branding
Customer Acquisition
Week 9-10
Sprint 5
Team
Balanced Team
Co-founders
Week 13-14
Final Lap
Valuation
Funding Plan
Masterclasses by marquee entrepreneurs and industry experts
Testimonials
FAQs
What is Wadhwani Takeoff?
Wadhwani TakeOff is an initiative from Wadhwani Foundation to create more excitement amongst the Wadhwani entrepreneurship program participants towards pursuing entrepreneurship. Participants enrolled in the entrepreneurship courses will stand a chance to win an all-expense paid mentoring and networking trip to Silicon Valley (in two phases).
One member out of the winning team of the event will be eligible to a minimum 5 days’ trip sponsored by Wadhwani Operating Foundation to the Silicon Valley, San Jose, California.
Can the chosen team member be replaced by another from the same team?
A team member, owing to sickness or any unavoidable circumstance, can be replaced by any of the other participant who is a team member.
What happens at Silicon Valley?
The winners get a dream exposure to the famed entrepreneurial ecosystem by networking with entrepreneurs, getting mentored by the very best, and pitching to investors.
Who is eligible for Wadhwani Takeoff?
The Silicon Valley trip will apply to:
- Participants who have enrolled into and successfully completed Wadhwani Entrepreneurship courses across India/SEA, Latin America, Africa/MENA regions
- Participants with a commercially viable idea/venture which gets top certification by an independent global jury
- Wadhwani course enrolments in the below two phases:
- Participants enrolled in the period Jan to June ’22 and certified by a global jury in July’22 (for the 1st trip planned in Aug/Sept ’22)
- Participants enrolled in the period July to Dec ’22 and certified by a global jury in Jan’23 (for the 2nd trip planned in Feb/Mar ’23)
Will I get help to prepare my pitch if I get shortlisted?
Yes, our faculty and mentors will work with the shortlisted entrepreneurs to help with the pitch preparation.
Is my Intellectual Property protected?
As we receive many applications from Startups with similar ideas/focus areas, please do not ask for an NDA at this stage.
All the application data that you share is confidential and will not be shared with anyone apart from the WF team.
How can I apply?
All you have to do is to enrol in the Wadhwani ACTIVATE and IGNITE pro bono, digital, and experiential entrepreneurship programs in a team format (min. 2 members), complete the course and get top certification by an international jury
Apply here: https://wfglobal.org/africa/ignite
Is there a participant fee for the event?
There is no participant fee.
Will you provide funding for my business?
WF does not fund Startups directly. However, if selected, participants have the opportunity to pitch to investors, venture capitalists, influential industry leaders and corporations.
Is this program only for tech Startups or is there any other specific sector focus?
We are sector-agnostic but emphasize on Startups that have the potential for high growth irrespective of the sector.
I have applied but haven’t heard back yet? When will I get a reply?
We receive many applications and review them individually but will not be able to respond to everyone individually. If you are shortlisted for the next round of selection process, you will definitely hear from us soon.
What is Wadhwani Foundation?
Wadhwani Foundation’s primary mission is accelerating economic development in emerging economies by driving large-scale job creation through entrepreneurship, innovation and skills development. Founded in 2000 by Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Dr. Romesh Wadhwani, today the Foundation is scaling impact in 25 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Visit us at https://www.wfglobal.org/ to learn more.
What is Wadhwani Entrepreneur (WE)?
Wadhwani Entrepreneur empowers students and professionals with knowledge and skills to create high-potential startups thereby leading to high-value job creation.
Who is Dr. Romesh Wadhwani?
Dr. Romesh Wadhwani is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist and the Founding Chairman and CEO of $3.5 billion Symphony Technology Group (1999), Founder and Chairman of Wadhwani Foundation (2003) and the Founding Chairman of PE firm Symphony AI (2018). Until 1999, he built three successful companies, the last of which was exited at over $9 billion. Dr. Wadhwani is also a member of the Gates Buffet Giving Pledge, Board Member of Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C and a President Obama appointee to the Board of Trustees of the John. F. Kennedy Center.