When San Antonio, TX-based entrepreneurs Dean McCall, Rudy De La Garza, and Linda Mills discovered how difficult it was for investors and local tech startups to find each other, they decided to do something about it. Seeing the need for an incubator to help new businesses grow, the trio decided to form the Idea Finishing School to help entrepreneurs get across that nebulous finish line.
The School officially launched today and is now taking applications from startups that want to be in the first graduating class. "Candidates for the program are scrutinized closely by the IFS executive team to identify potential market disrupters, valid technology and solid financial structure. Each selected candidate is reviewed by our 16-plus advisors and accredited investors," said De La Garza.
Chosen applicants will receive three- to six months of services from IFS that include professional and administrative services as well as office space at the San Antonio Technology Center. In the meantime, IFS will be busy pre-screening investors for the startups to pitch at the end of their stint with the School.
Idea Finishing School is a unique idea that shows a lot of promise. It's a great way for startups to get support services they might not otherwise be able to access, as well as the chance to meet with receptive investors who've been practically hand-picked by well-connected mentors and business leaders. IFS puts a different spin on one of the most difficult parts of the startup process and it will be interesting to see if the same idea takes hold elsewhere in the nation.
As an IFS team blog post succinctly puts it, "The name says it all. IFS puts the finishing touch on golden opportunities."
Flickr image courtesy of Redjar.
Posted at 07:45AM Oct 30, 2009
by Joann Yates in Sun
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