Find
resources
We want to continually create and cultivate resources for the tech startup community. Anything that we know about or come across that may be beneficial for you and your startup we’ll post right here. If you know of additional resources that could benefit the community please send them to info@findventures.org.
Equitable Innovations Accelerator Handbook
Our goal is to help as many historically and systemically excluded tech startup founders as possible. This is the 2022 Equitable Innovations Accelerator Handbook (version 4 last updated May 2022) that we’ve compiled for the 2022 EIA cohort. We’re providing it here as a resource for you to download and watch any of pre-recorded sessions.
Business Assistance Programs: Quick Reference Guide by Washington State Department of Commerce
Online resources, how-to’s, tutorials and interactive tools for current and prospective business owners.
- Entrepreneur Academy
- 11 courses to teach fundamentals to first timers through videos, workbooks, assignments and quizzes.
- The Business Startup Playbook
- A detailed guide on what it takes to start and own a business in Washington State.
- SizeUp
- A sophisticated planning and analysis tool to run endless business scenarios in an interactive, virtual environment.
- Restart Academy
- Videos, workbooks, assignments and resources targeted to business owners who must restart their businesses in wake of the pandemic.
- ScaleUp – contact Liliane.eriksen@commerce.wa.gov
- A hands-on series designed to help business owners strategically plan and identify new opportunities for growth.
- Thrive! – Contact susan.nielson@commerce.wa.gov
- An “economic gardening-style” program providing access to Edward Lowe Foundation experts, analytics and best practices that allow C-suite executives and business owners address internal and external issues impeding growth and expansion. In contrast to traditional business assistance, economic gardening focuses on strategic growth challenges, such as developing new markets, refining business models and gaining access to competitive intelligence.
- Business Roundtables – Contact susan.nielson@commerce.wa.gov
- Small business roundtables with C-suite executives to share best practices, discuss pressing issues, seek advice and serve as a networking and support platform.
- Small Business Flex Fund – Contact keith.swenson@commerce.wa.gov
- Flexible and affordable loans designed to help small businesses and non-profits reopen and rebuild. Provides historically underbanked segments of the business community with access to low-interest loans of up to $150,000.
Podcasts
- Acquired – Learn the playbooks that built the world’s greatest companies – and how you can apply them as a founder, operator, or investor.
- Built in Seattle – Interviews with Seattle’s top entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders. Hear how they think, how they operate, and how they’re building in Seattle.
- Geekwire Podcast – Covers the world of technology, startups and geek culture.
- WTIA PODCAST: THE C-SUITE CHRONICLES – Features seasoned technology leaders, executives, and industry experts sharing first-hand insights and advice “from the trenches” on entrepreneurship; how to scale a startup and innovate from the ground up; cultivating a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and more.
Recommended Reading
- 7 Forms of Respect – A practical guide for any team leader and team player in the American workplace, Dr. Julie Pham helps you navigate the ambiguity of what it means to respect others.
- How to Create an Effective Pitch Deck
- 30 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks and What You Can Learn From Them
- The 30 Best Startup Tools & Resources to Grow Your Business
- The Dave Parker Blog – He has blog posts on everything from your startup’s first board meeting, KPIs for Founders, meeting checklists, and more
- Seattle Business Magazine
Templates & Misc
- Hubspot Free Startup Resources – Toolkits and templates for elevator pitches, business plans, pitch decks, content calendars, and more.
Partner Resource Lists
- WA State Pay Transparency: People Ops / HR Toolkit for Startups – Check out this toolkit created by Reverb. It’s important to understand why the equal pay act was created and what problems the law aims to solve. This toolkit was created to help startups with exactly this.
- New Tech NW Community Resource – Accelerators, Associations, Books, Coworking Spaces, Events, Financing, Incubators, Mental Health, Opportunities, Racial Justice, and more.
- WTIA Membership – Access to resources that help you grow your business, including; exclusive industry events, access to content from thought leaders, tap into a community of like-minded executives with options for health insurance, 401(k), business insurance and more.
- WTIA member discounts – an entrepreneur toolkit to help you save money on essentials.
- UW CoMotion Labs Incubator – CoMotion Labs is a multi-industry incubator program hosting early-stage startups in three locations on the UW campus. From space to learning, mentoring, and networking, CoMotion Labs nurtures and enables success, without taking equity or IP.
- Watch their Friday Fundamentals for Startups on YouTube
Corporate Tech Resources
- Apple Entrepreneur Camp – With the goal of supporting founders and their organizations as they build the next generation of cutting-edge apps, and to form a global network that encourages the pipeline and longevity of underrepresented founders and developers in technology. The program includes cohorts for female, Black, and Hispanic/Latinx founders and developers from underrepresented communities. During these technology labs, you’ll receive one-on-one code-level guidance on your app from Apple experts and engineers, as well as mentorship, inspiration, and insights from top Apple leaders. After the lab concludes, you’ll get ongoing support and become part of a growing community of other exceptional alumni who can help you build your business.
- AWS Startup Program – A broad range of programs and events brought to you by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to support startups as they launch, grow, and scale.
- Google for Startups – Find products, resources, and programs for every stage of your startup journey – start, build, grow – by Google.
- Microsoft for Startups – Designed to support all founders from idea to exit, Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub brings together the technology , guidance, and support you need to hit your next milestone.
Learning Resources & Associations
- Fenwick Startup Resource Center – Features articles, videos, checklists, presentations and other tools to help you navigate current challenges and anticipate upcoming issues at every stage of growth, from formation to scaling to preparing for exit. Select the stage that suits your needs.
- SCORE – List of Startup Resources ranging from government resources, legal information, small business magazines, startup business templates and tools.
- Fourth Plain Forward – Partnering with the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber to offer free small business technical assistance for Fourth Plain business owners free of charge. Helping with marketing, financial literacy, permits, business plans, and any other areas.
- GSBA Business Academy – An umbrella program for all of the ways that GSBA helps entrepreneurs build, expand, and improve their businesses
- Tabor 100 – Association of entrepreneurs and business advocates who are committed to economic power, educational excellence and social equity for African Americans and the community at large. Tabor 100 has also launched the Black Business Equity Fund (BBEF).
- Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – Connecting, empowering, and celebrating the Latino community to the Tri-Cities and beyond.
- Ventures – Provides access to business training, capital, coaching, and hands-on learning opportunities for entrepreneurs with limited resources and unlimited potential.
- iFundWomen – For women who have big ideas. Get funding, get coaching, make connections.
- Cartier Women’s Initiative – an annual international entrepreneurship program that aims to drive change by empowering women impact entrepreneurs. Founded in 2006, the program is open to women-run and women-owned businesses from any country and sector that aim to have a strong and sustainable social and/or environmental impact.
- Comcast Rise Program – Have the opportunity to receive marketing consultations, media placements, commercial creative production services, or technology services from Effectv and Comcast Business
Funding Resources
- Oakland Black Business Fund – a community oriented organization committed to building trust and distributing capital and technical assistance services to small businesses owned and operated by the Oakland Black community.
- SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant Application – SoGal Foundation is the largest global platform for diverse entrepreneurs and investors with 50 chapters across 6 continents
- Amber Grant – WomensNet founded the Amber Grant. One of the very first online organizations to give women-owned business grants, the Amber Grant was set up to honor the memory of Amber Wigdahl. She was a special young woman who died at just 19 years old, before realizing her business dreams. We’ve carried on that tradition by giving away a $10,000 Amber Grant every month to a woman entrepreneur… And by giving away an additional annual $25,000 Amber Grant to one of the preceding 12 monthly Amber Grant winners.
- Visa She’s Next Grant Program – Visa She’s Next Black Women-Owned Business Grant Program. Visa is continuing to take action and remove the disproportionate barriers faced by Black women founders by offering $10,000 and a one-year IFW Annual Coaching Membership to 60 Black women-owned businesses across six (6) key cities in the U.S. through their latest grant program in partnership with IFundWomen. Grants & coaching resources were awarded to founders in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Miami, Chicago, Detroit, and Atlanta.
- The Next Black Millionaire Fund – Celebrating 30 years of elevating and investing in Black entrepreneurship. Now Shea Moisture Fund wants to make three eligible business owners millionaires using their recipes for business success. Will this be you?
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest – Contest winners receive up to $50,000
- Facebook/Meta – Apply for venture capital and startup programs. Fill out the application to be considered for managed support, education opportunities, and bespoke insights.
- Essence + Pine-Sol Build Your Legacy – Black women entrepreneurs, ESSENCE® + Pine-Sol™ want to help you take your business to the next level. Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs AND the most underfunded. ESSENCE® + Pine-Sol™ are partnering to offer a $100,000 Legacy Award to help champion Black women and the entrepreneurial spirit. To enter you must have a registered business (LLC, Inc, etc).
- Google for Startups Initiative Black Founders Fund – Across the US, there are amazing Black startup founders who are building great companies yet are locked out of access to the funding that is critical to their success. The $5M Google for Startups Black Founders Fund provides non-dilutive cash awards to Black led startups that have participated in our programs or have been nominated by our partner community or a previous recipient. Selected founders receive up to $100,000 in capital along with Google Cloud credits, Google.org Ads grants, and hands-on support to help their startup grow.
- GSBA Ready for Business Fund – Has your business experienced financial loss and hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, the Ready for Business Fund is here to help your business bounce back. A $2,500 cash grant will be awarded to selected small businesses. Additionally, awardees will receive wrap-around support services including GSBA membership, technical support, marketing, and consulting. This grant does not have to be repaid, and it can be used for any purpose to help the business recover from the economic crisis. The grant is open to any small business in Washington State established prior to March 2, 2020. Priority will be given to small businesses within the communities most impacted by COVID-19, including LGBTQ+, *BIPOC, and women-owned businesses, as well as businesses located in rural areas
