Your Program
Each URBAN-X cohort enters into 20 immersive weeks of product development and network-building. Working trips to Munich, San Francisco and other cities are designed to help you meet customers, investors, and partners. URBAN-X companies work shoulder-to-shoulder with world-class electrical and mechanical engineers, industrial design talent from MINI and BMW, user-experience and interface designers – as well as insights from leaders in growth hacking, sales and communications/marketing.
What We Offer
INVESTMENT
URBAN-X will invest $100,000 when you are accepted to the program plus significant in-kind software, hosting, and legal services. After five months together, you’ll be in a much better position to convince investors that you have an opportunity not to be missed.
THE SPACE
A stimulating, collaborative environment within A/D/O, a creative space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn dedicated to exploring new boundaries in design. For teams developing hardware, A/D/O offers the equipment you need include 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, oscilloscopes, and more.
RESIDENT EXPERTS
Access to a full-time team of resident experts in customer and investment strategy, mechanical engineering, communications, urbanism and design. Teams that are accepted to URBAN-X will be matched with the right groups of mentors, advisors and prospective partners and customers.
INTRODUCTIONS
We work with founders, investors and advisors who’ve built many of the most notable startups that are transforming cities. We’ll help you meet and work with them. We’re uniquely suited to offer ‘sandboxes’ for startups working in areas like mobility, food and waste, the built environment, and utilties.
LEARNING
We’ve created a playbook just for startups that work on city problems. We’ll explore topics like working with regulators and selling to local government. We also have sector specific sessions for teams working in areas like utilities, real estate and mobility. We’ll build on curriculum we’ve used with the National Science Foundation’s iCorps program, and tested with the first urbantech startup class at the University of Chicago Booth School.
COMMUNICATIONS
Founders often underestimate how much they need to communicate. As you meet mentors, customers and investors, we’ll provide systems to manage all these interactions, help you implement effective strategies for communications, and tap into local MINI markets around the world.
FUNDRAISING
We’ll work alongside other investors to help you reach your next critical milestone after URBAN-X. The right group of investors will be a great extension of your team to provide support in everything from sales and marketing to product development. We’ll make introductions to investors that invested with us previously to back many of the most notable startups working on city problems. We also have additional funds to invest when you graduate. When it makes sense, we’ll syndicate deals on angel.co via the Urban Us syndicate.
URBANTECH HUBS
While you’ll be a short ride away from some of the best investors, mentors, and the biggest urbantech market in NYC, the Bay Area is home to a large number of our mentors and co-investors, so we’ll make sure they have a chance to meet you. We’ll also visit Munich, which is home to MINI and BMW. Teams in Munich can help fast track product development and business development opportunities. We’ll work with your startup to determine which large companies and global cities you need to meet, and set you up for success there.
OFFICE HOURS
The time we’ll spend together during weekly check-ins with the URBAN-X management team will be an essential part of your experience. During these sessions you’ll be asked to share updates on a range of topics that help us determine where we can help most.
DEMO DAY
A Demo Day experience that gives founders a powerful platform to present their market-ready prototypes and business concepts to an audience of investors, thought leaders and media.
Events
INTERFACING ROADS
March 30th, 2017
The promise of self-driving cars and a high proliferation of mobility services will demand more from our public infrastructure. What minimum regulations will we need to guarantee a pleasant experience for every citizen? Panel moderated by Greg Lindsay.
THE RISE OF THE PARKING LOT
April 10th, 2017
As “the ride” replaces “the car,” our streets will begin to look different than they do today. But there will be other, less visible consequences too. What are they and how does one design for uncertainty?
URBAN-X 02 DEMO DAY
May 4th, 2017
Signaling the close of a rigorous fourteen-week program, the eight companies comprising URBAN-X 02 will premiere their market-ready prototypes and business concepts to the public.
