The Blogs: The Currency Of High Impact: MassChallenge To Officially Launch in Israel & New Minute To Pitch Event

When you get a chance to sit over coffee with Moran Nir, you get this immediate sense that she is intently focused on curating promising Israeli startups that have the ambition and admiration to become the highest impact startups globally.

High Impact.

To Moran, high impact is not a descriptor; it’s a verb. It’s a call to action.

MassChallenge, the largest accelerator program in the world, envisions a creative and inspiring community of entrepreneurs which everyone recognizes that they can define their future, have a sense of self-responsibility and is empowered to maximize their impact. You get that vibe when you meet Moran and understand her passion and dedication to Israel’s startup ecosystem.

MassChallenge comes to connect start-ups with the very best people and organizations in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem and markets. They take no equity.

Moran Nir – MassChallenge Israel

Over $1 million in cash prizes is awarded to winning startups, with zero equity taken.

Additional benefits for startups include world-class mentorship and training, free office space, access to funding, legal advice, media attention, and over $10 million in in-kind support. MassChallenge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All proceeds support the startup accelerator and MassChallenge does not take equity or place any restrictions on any of the participating startups.

Next month, MassChallenge is growing even more global and is launching their full-scale expansion program – MassChallenge UK.

Bringing MassChallenge Israel to play an even bigger key role, as the first MassChallenge Global Hub outside Boston, connecting Israeli startups to either UK or US and soon to another 10 new cities around the world, as stated by MassChallenge founder and CEO John Harthorne during the Clinton Global Initiative, this past June.

If you’re now asking yourself, “How can I become part of this?” well, you have two options.

The first, as long as your venture hasn’t raised over $500K in equity-based investment and hasn’t exceeded $1M in annual revenue, you qualify for entry, and applications for the accelerator program open Feb. 11th @ www.masschallenge.org/apply.

The second, apply to pitch at the Minute To Pitch Event, open to all startups, from any industry and at any stage – whether you raised 0 dollars or $5 million dollars. This is not part of the accelerator application process.

OK… You’ve Got One Minute To Pitch It

On February 11, MassChallenge will be simultaneously launching its 2015 program in Boston, Israel and London. A selected number of Israeli startups are going to be chosen to present to 200 of the most influential VCs, investors, and tech leaders in the country. In order to be selected you have to submit a one-minute video in the

You”ve Got On Minute To Pitch It competition.

That’s right. You have one minute to pitch your startup. Just follow the instructions in the link and upload your video.

Central to MassChallenge is connecting high-impact early stage Israeli startups with U.S. customers, mentors, partners and investors, while providing provide free financial and logistical support when the selected teams go to Boston for a four month acceleration program.

If you think you have what it takes, and your startup is all about high-impact, then go for it.

The deadline to apply for Minute-To-Pitch-It is January 31st, and for applying to the MassChallenge accelerator program is starting February 11th until April 1st.