🤯Accelerator Program
Executive Summary
The POSM Accelerator Program is a structured, mentor-led initiative designed to help open-source Cardano projects evolve from early-stage ideas into sustainable, investable ventures. It combines three specialized workshop circuits that can operate independently or sequentially as a full acceleration path:
COSS for Cardano – teaches how to turn open-source projects into sustainable Commercial Open Source Software (COSS) businesses.
Investor Pitching & Fundraising – prepares founders to effectively present their ideas to investors, funds, and ecosystem programs.
Technical/Product Review & Market Fit – validates technical integrity, user alignment, and market readiness before scaling.
Each circuit runs as a five-session series (1 hour per week over one month) and is guided by mentors with deep expertise in blockchain, open source, and venture acceleration. The program produces tangible outputs — including validated business models, investor-ready decks, and market-aligned product roadmaps — and establishes a reusable library of tools, templates, and recordings for future cohorts.
Program Purpose
The Accelerator Program strengthens Cardano’s open-source ecosystem by professionalizing how builders develop, validate, and scale their projects. While treasury and grant mechanisms provide essential funding, long-term sustainability requires education, discipline, and market understanding.
Through POSM, Intersect provides the structure and mentorship to bridge technical innovation with real-world execution. This program helps teams move from grant dependency to commercial readiness, from idea to product-market fit, and from code to capital.
Workshop Circuits Overview
Focus: Building sustainable Commercial Open Source Software (COSS) businesses.
Mentors: Chinstrap Community (specialists in COSS and blockchain business design).
Structure (5 × 1-hour sessions):
Intro to COSS & Cardano Context
Grants, Treasury & Funding Interplay
Legal & DAO Structures for COSS
Business Model Building for Blockchain
Market Adoption & Scaling (with pitch-back session)
Deliverables (Per Cohort):
COSS Opportunity Map
Funding Alignment Plan
Legal/DAO Checklist
Cardano-tailored Business Model Canvas
Draft COSS Pitch
Value:
Builds commercial acumen for open-source maintainers.
Reduces reliance on grants by fostering business sustainability.
Reusable templates and resources contribute to ecosystem maturity.
Focus: Preparing founders to confidently and effectively raise investment capital.
Mentors: Startup and VC professionals with experience in blockchain fundraising.
Structure (5 × 1-hour sessions):
The Anatomy of a Pitch Deck – the 10 essential slides and blockchain-specific adjustments.
Storytelling & Communication – turning complex technology into investor-friendly narratives
Investor Expectations & Fundraising Mechanics – evaluating funding options (equity, tokens, SAFE, grants).
Pitch Practice & Objection Handling – refining delivery and fielding hard questions.
Mock Pitch Day – live investor simulation with feedback and scoring.
Deliverables (Per Cohort):
Investor-Ready Pitch Deck
Storytelling Framework Notes
Fundraising Strategy Roadmap
Mentor Feedback Report
Investor Readiness Checklist
Value:
Founders gain investor fluency and pitch confidence.
Projects transition from ecosystem grants to external capital.
Reusable pitch frameworks and feedback reports form part of Cardano’s accelerator toolkit.
Focus: Validating technical integrity, user value, and ecosystem alignment.
Mentors: Product managers, technical architects, and ecosystem engineers.
Structure (5 × 1-hour sessions):
Technical Due Diligence – code quality, architecture, documentation, and security checks.
Product Market Discovery – identifying user needs, personas, and feedback channels.
Ecosystem Fit & Dependencies – Cardano integration mapping and interoperability review.
Competitive Analysis – benchmarking and gap identification.
Validation Day – final product and roadmap presentation with mentor critique.
Deliverables (Per Cohort):
Technical Review Report
Market Fit Canvas
Competitor Landscape Map
Validated Product Roadmap
Value:
Ensures quality and fit before funding or launch.
Strengthens trust in Cardano’s technical ecosystem.
Creates long-term accountability through validated milestones.
Cross-Program Deliverables
At the end of any track — or the full linear progression — each participant will have:
A validated COSS model and business plan.
An investor-ready deck and fundraising roadmap.
A reviewed, technically sound, market-aligned product plan.
Projects completing all three circuits qualify for a “POSM Accelerator Graduate” designation, recognized by the Open Source Committee as being investment and adoption ready.
Logistics
Format: All sessions are held via an online medium (1-hour weekly).
Schedule: Each circuit runs for one month; three to six total cohorts per year.
Rules: Sessions conducted under the Chatham House Rule to encourage open discussion.
Recordings: Only with consent; otherwise confidential.
Eligibility: Preference to active Cardano maintainers or Intersect members.
Cost: Funded under the Paid Open Source Model (POSM) Accelerator budget.
Value to Intersect & the Ecosystem
Sustainability: Empowers open-source builders to generate sustainable revenue.
Professionalization: Builds business, fundraising, and technical maturity.
Ecosystem Growth: Strengthens Cardano’s project portfolio and credibility.
Reusability: Generates long-term educational assets and playbooks.
Pipeline Development: Creates a feeder channel for the Maintainer Retainer, Code for Us, and Tooling Sustainability programs.
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