The explosion of incubator and accelerator programs over the last few years has been exciting to watch. While the concept itself is not new (Om Malik of GigaOm noticed the trend back in 1999.), their recent proliferation is unprecedented. “The execution is different. [Relative to the 1990’s] seed rounds are smaller. The paid professionals are now called mentors. The cost of starting and failing is much lower. And as a result we have many, many more startups,” says Malik.
Many entrepreneurs see an accelerator or incubator as the fast track to success. “Inclusion in private incubators like Y Combinator and TechStars is coveted because of their strong track records with start-ups (Dropbox, Bump, Loopt) and the Silicon Valley icons who serve as mentors,” says Laura Pappano of the New York Times.
While San Francisco and New York are the traditional hubs, they’re popping up everywhere. There are incubators in Seattle, incubators in Dallas, incubators in Chicago — even in Boulder (says TechStars founder David Cohen: “It’s a smaller community, so … the things you do to help people matter and get noticed.” Schools are getting into the act as well, with Harvard launching an incubator last year. This wave of support for such early stage companies is an exciting development for the startup community.
All these programs provide valuable seed capital, advice from battle-tested mentors, and some technical assistance (be it office space, legal help or branding expertise). But what about hiring? While incubators and accelerators are focused on growing a company’s customer base and marketshare, shouldn’t they also offer tools for growing a company’s team?
The companies of incubators and accelerators need fast, easy and free solutions. That’s where SmartRecruiters comes in.
Here are a few of the ways SmartReruiters is the perfect hiring tool for an accelerator or incubator’s startup companies:
It’s Fast
Incubators – and to an even greater degree accelerators – aim to get a viable product to market fast. The last thing these programs are interested in is a company that’s wasting time with a lengthy hiring process. SmartRecruiters has you intaking applicants in a matter of minutes, and making the right hire in a matter of days.
It’s Easy
The typical incubator startup is a couple of founders and an idea. The likelihood that they have anyone onboard with hiring experience is low – and the chances that they have a dedicated HR department is next to none! SmartRecruiters requires virtually no setup, and absolutely no training or HR know-how.
It’s Collaborative
The smaller the company, the greater the emphasis on collaboration. A lean startup makes big decisions everyday, and the entire team is very often involved in every decision — whether it happens to be that person’s area expertise or not. SmartRecruiters makes collaboration across your entire team easy, and ensures that you get the right input — and make the right hire.
It’s Free
Incubator programs typically grant $15-$20K in seed funding to their startups. For a company trying to stretch that sum to cover development, marketing, and everything else, recruiting is not high on the priority list. SmartRecruiters offers one of the best recruiting softwares on the market, and it’s free to use – forever.
