How do I join the accelerator?
Please apply online for one of our accelerator programs. We run our courses and classes year-round and accept applications for each start date on a rolling basis.
Who do you work with?
We work with people who are looking to start, plan, grow, fund, and retain their business as a freelancer, small business owner, or startup founder seeking to achieve positive community impact.
Do I need to submit a business plan?
You do not need to submit a business plan to apply for our programs; however, some of our courses and classes require you to have completed a business plan.
Should I form the company before applying?
No, you do not need to have formed a company to apply for and join our courses or classes. We will guide you through the process of evaluating legal entities for your business.
Can I apply if I don’t have a prototype yet?
Yes, you do not need to have a prototype to apply for and join our courses or classes.
If you are freelancer, our Freelancer course will guide you through the process of defining your service offering, developing client relationships, and establishing the foundation to thrive as an independent contractor.
If you have a small business or startup, we offer courses and classes that are designed to address the needs of your business at its different stages. If you are just getting started and looking to explore the viability of your product or service idea, our Launching Your Business course will guide you through the process of clarifying your business idea, testing the solution, getting feedback and laying the foundation for the business to thrive.
My business has already raised some funding. Can I still apply?
Yes, if your business has already raised some funding, you can still apply for and join our programs.
If you have a small business or startup, we offer courses and classes that are designed to address the needs of your business at its different stages. If your small business or startup is funded and ready to scale, our Building Operational Capacity course will guide you through building internal capacities to execute on your operational plans, monitor business performance and impact, and make informed decisions on how to grow your business.
If your business is at a more advanced stage than our courses and classes we also offer one-on-one business advising services tailored to your business needs.
I’ve been working on the business for a while. Is Uptima Business Bootcamp appropriate for me?
Yes, our programs are designed to work with entrepreneurs at all stages of business development.
Our Freelancer course is designed to assist new and existing freelancers through processes of defining your service offering, developing client relationships, and establishing the foundation to thrive as an independent contractor.
If you have a small business or startup, we offer courses and classes that are designed to address the needs of your business at its different stages. If you have been working on an idea and are looking to test it, please check out our Launching Your Business course. If you have a prototype or have been in operations for a while and need to create a business plan, please check out Creating a Business Roadmap course. If you are looking to grow your business operations, please check out our Building Operational Capacity course. If you are looking raise funding, please check out our Funding a Business course.
If your business is at a more advanced stage than our courses and classes we also offer one-on-one business advising services tailored to your business needs.
I’m not able to attend one of your courses or classes, but still need assistance with my business. How can Uptima Business Bootcamp help me?
Even if you are not able to attend one of our courses or classes, we are available to assist you in creating a thriving business. We also offer customized business advising services focused on your business needs.
Do you provide funding?
No, we currently do not provide direct funding for your business. However, we are able to leverage our connections in the lending and investment community to provide our graduates with access to funding opportunities.
Do you charge a fee to participate?
We charge a one-time fee to participate in our courses for freelancers. The fee for our Freelancer course ranges from $600-$900 based on your current annual revenue as a freelancer.
We charge a monthly cash fee to participate in our courses for small business owners and startup founders. The monthly cash fee for our Small Business & Enterprise courses ranges from $400-$600 per month based on your business’ current annual revenue.
We charge a $25 non-refundable deposit to reserve your space in our Freelancer course and a $50 non-refundable deposit to reserve a space in our Small Business & Enterprise courses. Deposits are credited against the full fee for the course.
Please contact us about any available payment plan options or scholarship opportunities.
Do you take equity?
We do not take any equity for participants in our courses and classes for freelancers.
Participants in our courses and classes for small business owners and startup founders and classes can become cooperative members by contributing a one-time equity stake in the business that you create. The equity stake ranges from 3.0%-5.0% based on your business’ current annual revenue. Your one-time equity stake becomes part of a pool that cooperative members participate in. As we receive dividends and capital gains from the equity stakes in the pool, we return equity to our members. Through this shared equity, we foster a greater sense of community among our members.
Membership in the cooperative is voluntary and does not affect the level of service provided in our courses and classes.
Do you provide office space?
No, we do not provide office space for participants in our courses and classes. However, check out our co-working partners at Impact Hub Oakland or Impact Hub San Francisco for special deals on co-working.
Do you provide business services such as accounting, information systems, legal, etc.?
No, we do not provide business services such as accounting, information systems, legal, etc. However, participants in our programs have access to our network of partners that provide these services, often on a pro bono basis or at a discounted rate.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
It depends. We want to support entrepreneurs regardless of national origin. However, we do not sponsor individual(s) to obtain authorization to work in the U.S. If this applies to you, please let us know the situation in your application, and we will deal with it on a case-by-case basis and engage one of our partners that specializes in immigration law.
Do I need to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area?
No, you do not need to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, because developing a thriving business is intense, it is crucial to have in-person interaction. So, we do expect you to attend all weekly workshops held at our San Francisco Bay Area locations.
Do I need to have a computer for any of the courses and classes?
Yes, because we deliver a portion of each course or class online, you will need a computer. We recommend that you have a laptop with the following minimum specifications:
PC CONFIGURATION:
- Hardware: 1.5 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive, color monitor, sound card and headphones or speakers, DSL or cable modem for broadband access
- Operating System: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10
- Web Browser: Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Safari
- Software: Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Flash Player, QuickTime Player, anti-virus software
- Broadband internet access
MAC CONFIGURATION:
- Hardware: 1.5 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive, color monitor, sound card and headphones or speakers, DSL or cable modem for broadband access
- Operating System: Macintosh OSX
- Web Browser: Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Safari
- Software: Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Flash Player, QuickTime Player, anti-virus software
- Broadband internet access
What type of time commitment do you require?
We understand that many entrepreneurs are balancing other job, family and education commitments, so we have designed flexible courses and classes to help you create a thriving business while meeting your other commitments. Our courses and classes are designed to guide you through developing your business at a moderate pace. Every week, we expect you to review background materials and complete business development activities online, and to participate in in-person or online workshops. We also match you with business advisors who review and provide feedback on your business development activities. All the time you are working with us, you are working on developing your business.
What is a cooperative?
Cooperatives are business enterprises owned and controlled by the members they serve. Whether the members are the customers, employees, or residents, they have an equal say in what the business does and a share in the profits. The member-driven nature enables cooperatives to drive decisions that are balanced by the pursuit of profit as well as the needs and interests of members and their communities.
How does cooperative membership work?
As a cooperative, we are owned by our members. This means you are part of a community that shares in our profits and has a say in how our program is run. To become a member, enroll in one of our courses or classes and meet our membership requirements.
For freelancers, our membership requirements consist of the one-time fee for joining the course. We determine freelancer membership requirements using a sliding scale based on your current annual revenue as an independent contractor.
For our small business and startup founders, our membership requirements consist of the monthly fee for joining the program as well as a one-time contribution of an equity stake in the business that you create. We determine small business and startup membership requirements using a sliding scale based on the current annual revenue of your business.
Will you sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)?
No, we cannot sign a non-disclosure agreement. We see a large volume of applications, and many of them include similar ideas. For this and other practical reasons, we are not able to sign an NDA. However, we have an unwritten commitment to keep your intellectual property safe and will not show your application to anyone outside of the Uptima Business Bootcamp team.
How can I be a mentor?
If you are passionate about providing more accessible entrepreneurial education and empowering entrepreneurs to create thriving businesses, then we want you to be a part of the family. Please contact us if you would like to participate.
Are you looking for investors?
Yes, we are currently seeking sponsors to help us provide scholarships for entrepreneurs seeking to enroll in our courses and classes. Please contact us if you would like to participate.
