How it Works

The Agora Accelerator is an intensive, four-stage program designed to give entrepreneurs access to the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to succeed. The program includes the Entrepreneur Retreat, business consulting, the Investor Conference,  and follow-up on investment opportunities.

The process begins with companies completing the online GIIRS assessment/rating prior to the Entrepreneur Retreat. While at the Retreat, the participating companies are interviewed to receive their rating. Click the four pieces of the Accelerator below to learn more about each piece of our model.

The Class of ’13 Program is currently underway. Applications for the Class of ’14 will open this summer. Check back for details!

 

 

 

Back to Top

The Entrepreneur Retreat creates a tight-knit community of the highest-potential, early-stage impact entrepreneurs in Latin America. At the Retreat, entrepreneurs become exposed  to our network of investors, mentors, and consultants who are available to support them and how they can best use those networks.  It helps them position their companies to grow and create more impact.

• Build the Community: foster trust and shared purpose among entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and other stakeholders around the vital role of early-stage businesses in creating value for their communities.
• Strengthen the Entrepreneur: provide leadership development, storytelling and communication assistance, impact-focused seminars, and other workshops to help entrepreneurs make the most of the opportunities impact investing presents.
• Position the Company for Growth: work with the entrepreneurs to articulate their individual business models and targeted investment needs, identify value drivers, and define financial and impact growth goals.

---

Business Consulting
(February - May 2013)

Back to Top

The Business Consulting phase of the Accelerator provides participants with consulting services, management tools, and strategic contacts to put into action the goals identified and articulated at the Entrepreneur Retreat. The phase also prepares the entrepreneur for the capital raising process, matches them to the right impact investors, and ensures they have the necessary investment presentation materials.

• Business Model Refinement: identify, refine, and learn to effectively communicate the drivers of value creation and growth.
• Personalized Mentor Connections: connect entrepreneurs with mentors, advisers, and/or other resources in the Agora network based on identified needs.
• Investment Project Assessment: understand and document the financial history of the business and identify investment needs including the amount and type of capital, type of investors, and potential exits.
• Create Investor Packet: collect the necessary information and documentation to enable investors to begin due diligence and start evaluating the business’s investment potential.
• Matchmaking with Investor Network: match the businesses to potential investors in Agora’s Investor Network based on the needs identified in the investment project and the goals and interests of investors in the network.

---

Impact Investing in Action Investor Conference

Back to Top

Impact Investing in Action is a highly interactive, results-driven conference designed to catalyze investment in participating companies, coordinate capital across investors, and build a global impact investing ecosystem.

• Connect Entrepreneurs & Investors: entrepreneurs present their investment projects to potential investors in a consistent, accessible way; investors present their value propositions to entrepreneurs and provide them with feedback on their proposed investment projects.
• Promote Co-investment and Capital Coordination: help investors meet other investors, identify their common interests, and create synergistic relationships.
• Grow the Early-Stage Impact Investing Industry: bring industry thought leaders and practitioners together to share experiences and ideas, highlight emerging trends and research in the field, and recognize major contributors to the ecosystem via our annual Disruptive Awards.

---

Deal Closing
(June – July 2013)

Back to Top

Connecting the right entrepreneur to the right investor is a necessary but not sufficient  step in the capital raising process. To help both investors and entrepreneurs “get over the hump,” Agora offers Deal Closing services.  In this stage, entrepreneurs contract Agora to help them seal the deal.

• Due Diligence Support: accompany the entrepreneur during due diligence meetings and assist them with follow up investor requests.
• Term Sheet Analysis & Deal Advising: model the proposed investment terms to help the entrepreneur understand the implications and effects on the businesses.
• Financial Model Creation & Validation: create a financial model for the entrepreneur’s business and validate the assumptions of that model from an investor’s perspective.
• Deal Closing Support: provide assistance to both the entrepreneur and the investor during the deal closing process to ensure that all documentation is clearly understood and completed in a timely manner. Our experience is that this kind of work saves enormous amounts of time for both investors and entrepreneurs and results in a stronger entrepreneur-investor partnership.
• Alumni Services and Post-investment support: Agora provides on-going services and support to the Agora Entrepreneurs who have gone through the accelerator, giving them access to low cost consulting, support, and, of course, to Agora’s growing network. The Accelerator provides, more than any concrete service, access to a community committed to long term sustainable development in the region.