A fresh look at valuing support networks for startup companies. Why I started Founders' Assembly and what Founders' Assembly does. Presented at #GPConf2014

1. What does your
support network do
for you?
Alan Ward
Founders’ Assembly / @mcrStartups / Besteno

2. Value to you
What do you
receive?
What do you give?
Camaraderie
Opinion
Advice
“Free” consultancy
Leads
Knowledge
Yourself
Your experience
Your skills
Your skills & time
Connections to
others
Your knowledge

3. Value to your startup
Think about a recent support event:
Did it save you more time than you spent
attending?
What else could you have done better with
your time?
How do you measure value?

4. My Decisions
Has Besteno progressed further by me attending
this event than if I’d worked on generating growth
instead?
The shorter your remaining runway, the more
support you need and the less you can provide
To pay it forward: help others when my runway is
long
To create a support event that works for Besteno

5. Founders’ Assembly
Founders’
Assembly
Originated
from
LeanManc
Accountability
Fortnightly
structured
peer-review +
peer-support
Scrum of non-
related
projects Mixed with
BrainTrust
ideas + PPP
Primarily tech
startups, but
open to all
scalable
startups
With a
Manchester
flavour
Thanks to The Assembly (assemblymcr) co-working space for being hosts

6. Members
The affordable managed
cloud telephony solution
“A chance to share constructive criticism
and validation of progress with
likeminded individuals.”
Find the best
of everything
“Relentless focus on progress. Forces
you to answer ‘What am I going to
achieve this week?’
A marketplace that gives, and keeps
giving, entrepreneurs a fighting chance at
success.
“Valuable networking and feedback
regarding problems and concerns in a
friendly environment with no hidden
agenda.”
Delivering the whole picture
“Because 10 minds are greater than 1”

7. Members
Helping you fulfill
your future travel
dreams
“great motivation to gather your
thoughts & prepare a report once a
fortnight, and gather feedback from
those doing a startup project & going
through the same process as me”
Simple, Intelligent
Collaboration
“Founder’s Assembly is an effective
support network where I can get help,
learn from other founders, and
contribute back!”
Find freelancers in minutes not
days
“…for the face-to-face learning and
advice from others, the feedback loop in
person isn’t something you can get
remotely”

8. Next Steps
Open to all. We all have different skills and experiences. Let’s
use them.
Come prepared to offer skills and time + a description of what
you need help with
Expect each attendee to donate half-a-day of time during (or
outside of) the event to help someone they’ve met during the
event.
Interested? Contact me: alan@alancward.co.uk or @alanward
1. Customer Development
2. Locate with more hosts
3. Opening-up to more established startups
4. Online recording and interim online sessions
5. Partnerships
6. Increase number of facilitators & number of attendees
7. Generate more Founders’ Assemblies across other cities*
Half-day
drop-in
session

9. Next Founders’ Assembly
http://foundersassembly6.eventbrite.co.uk/

10. Additional Slides

11. Founders’ Assembly Format
Introduction
Progress
Issues
Aims
Help
Discussion

12. Overview of MCRStartups
Influencing
stakeholders
Social Media
(@mcrstartups)
Collaboration Boutique Founders’ Assembly
MCRStartups

13. Common Aims – Overview
1. Build an eco-system in
Manchester that supports
tech startups without
excluding other sectors
2. Build the eco-system in
conjunction with the
startup founders
3. Provide support
necessary for early stage
tech startups
4. Attract (or obtain and
provide) relevant financial
support to early stage
tech startups
5. Develop an offering
attractive enough to retain
growing tech startups
within Greater Manchester
6. Build a city-wide
programme to grow early
stage tech startups from
inception through to first
1000 customers
7. Build a city-wide
programme to grow tech
startups from 1000
customers through to
profitability or to first
large commercial funding
round