Venture Asheville and the Hatch Innovation Hub partner closely on programming and mentorship, including the professional development and training of mentors and making sure founders get the right support when they need it. To further our shared goals, reduce “silos in the ecosystem,” and better serve entrepreneurs, we proudly support their mentorship program, Pressure Tests.
Elevate and Pressure Tests serve similar companies but at different points of their journey. If you’re not sure which program is right for you, let us know, and we’ll help you decide.
Pressure Tests
Fine tune what will drive you forward.
Pressure Tests are designed to help founders take their startups to the next level, with the primary purpose of accelerating your company’s growth. These 30-90 day sprints pair entrepreneurs who are experiencing common growth challenges with experienced mentors who root out their companies’ potential weaknesses and fortify their competitive strengths.
If you are a full-time founder seeking actionable guidance in scaling your business, such as fine-tuning your revenue model, go-to-market strategy, or product development roadmap, Pressure Test may be a great fit for you.
In order to be considered, you must meet the following criteria:
Have at least one full-time founder living in WNC who works 40+ hours on their startup.
Founder can articulate the existence of a real problem, their solution, and an MVP in place (minimum viable product)
Demonstrate high growth potential and already have some level of traction and revenue, even if minimal.
Not be a traditional brick-and-mortar local or lifestyle company with a product or service in the following areas: restaurants, retail, home improvement, creative services, fitness, beauty, or online retail with niche products.
Frequency
Rolling Admission
Cost
Free
Location
Virtual
Registraion
Application Required
Time Requirement
30-90 Days
How to Get Started
- Start by completing our brief survey (linked below)
- To apply, complete our brief survey (see the Pressure Test application button below).
- Phone discussion
- We will review your application materials, and if the Pressure Test program seems like a good fit, we’ll reach out via email to schedule a call so we can discuss your business’ needs in more depth.
- In-person/video meeting
- If this program suits your business’ needs, we will schedule an in-person/ video meeting with you so we can present our proposed mentorship approach.
- Meet your mentors
- If you approve of our proposal, we’ll kick things off by introducing you to your world-class mentorship team.
- Get to work
- Your mentorship team will place your business model under intensive scrutiny to identify impediments to and opportunities for growth.
- Finish stronger & more scalable
- After 90 days of regular meetings, research, and strategy revisions, you’ll emerge from the program with a sound, scalable business model, a better understanding of your market, and a clear path forward.
