Former Panache Ventures partner Chris Neumann has built a new accelerator program geared towards exposing early-stage Canadian technology startup founders to Silicon Valley.
Through Game On, which he described as “an experiment in acceleration” for not just startups but individuals and leaders, Neumann hopes to “change founder metabolism.”
Chris Neumann,
“In my experience, Canadian founders can go toe-to-toe with any founders in the world. But there is a genuine velocity gap that we need to close.”
Game On
“In my experience, Canadian founders can go toe-to-toe with any founders in the world. But there is a genuine velocity gap that we need to close,” Neumann told BetaKit. “Moreover, many Canadian founders who want to build connections to the Valley don’t know where to start.”
Neumann’s hypothesis is that Game On could have a positive impact by helping Canadian tech entrepreneurs “change gears” early in their startup journeys by exposing them to Silicon Valley while also facilitating meaningful regional connections to potential customers, partners, fellow founders, and investors.
Game On applications are open now and are set to close on Nov. 15. The three-week, in-person program will run from Jan. 5 to Jan. 23, 2025 in San Francisco.
Neumann, a tech founder-turned-investor who has spent nearly a decade connecting international entrepreneurs with Silicon Valley (including through his work with Commonwealth Ventures), is leading Game On.
He is delivering the program through team-ups with Fasken Emerging Tech, Google Cloud, the Government of Canada Trade Commissioner Service, the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco, and Werqwise.
Selected participants will work together at Werqwise alongside dedicated mentors, participating in optional activities designed to support their professional development and the growth of their companies while they continue to build. Neumann says experienced tech entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley investors, and Canadian expats will share stories and advice daily.
Game On will also feature evening and weekend activities designed to foster connections with industry peers in the area, including an opening dinner and a closed networking event.
The program is open to ambitious, early-stage Canadian founders building high-growth tech startups, with no hard requirements in terms of startup funding or revenue.
While the program will be offered at no cost to participants, entrepreneurs taking part must cover their own transportation, lodging, and meals—though founders will get access to coffee, tea, and snacks (plus beer in the evenings) at Werqwise during working days.
“I believe that one of Silicon Valley’s greatest advantages over other startup ecosystems is velocity,” Neumann said. “And the velocity gap between Silicon Valley and the rest of the world has only grown since AI came on the scene. This program is about trying to narrow that gap.”
Feature image courtesy Unsplash. Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel.