Public Affairs Section Grant: Young Transatlantic Leader Exchange for Austrian Founders

Program Objectives: The Young Transatlantic Leader Exchange: Austria Goes Silicon Valley will provide approximately ten young Austrian founders (under 35 years old) with intensive, hands-on startup training and education in the Silicon Valley area.  The program should focus on developing skills to navigate the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Silicon Valley and last approximately 7-10 days, taking place between February-September 2020.  As this will be a cooperative agreement, U.S. Embassy Vienna will have substantial involvement in this effort including participant selection and approval of the program structure and content in the United States. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy is providing maximum flexibility for applicant organizations. Applications with high ratios of cost-sharing and/or private fundraising are encouraged. Required or suggested elements of the program are as follows:

–         The program should include an intensive initial start-up boot camp in Silicon Valley designed to teach participants the nuts and bolts of founding, financing, and growing a startup, before expanding to additional programing and networking opportunities.

–         The program should include pre-departure activities that prepare participants for the upcoming program.

–         Participants should have extensive interaction with top Silicon Valley companies, founders, incubators, and venture capitalists.

–         Participants should work in teams and develop relationships with other participants, and/or entrepreneurs in the local community and include networking opportunities.

–         The program should include a plan for post-program engagement with the Austrian participants including mentoring and supporting participants as alumni of the program.

–         Time for additional cultural programing is not necessary, but appreciated.

The program goals are to:

–         Provide young founders with the skills and connections needed to build and grow their business both in Austria and the United States.

–         Promote awareness of the entrepreneurial ecosystem as practiced in the United States.

–         Encourage identification of the United States as a destination for future business partnerships, investment, and education.

–         Foster professional and personal ties with local entrepreneurs and U.S. citizens in the local community.

  Participants and Audiences:

Target audience and participants are founders of early stage startups under the age of 35, who are seeking additional mentorship and training in the key areas of investment, scaling, hiring, customer discovery, and legal matters.