Startup accelerators: are they still worth it? | Sidebean
Sun Feb 08 2026
Startup accelerators: are they still worth it?
Are you raising capital for your startup?
Slidebean is a platform for founders to scale their startups. Let us help you:
► Build the Perfect Pitch Deck and Financial Model
► Find & connect with the right Investors
► Stay on top of Accelerator deadlines and participate in Demo Days
& more...
Our Community gets 30% Discount on their Slidebean Subscription. Get started now: Use code ‘SLBYTCOMMUNITY’’ or check out https://youtube.slidebean.com/startup-venture-capital
Are you ready to pitch to investors? We can help ►
https://slidebean.com/pitch-deck-consulting-services?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc
Subscribe to our FREE weekly startup newsletter ► https://slidebean.com/newsletter?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc
The Slidebean Expert Network ► https://youtube.slidebean.com/expert-network?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc
Listen to my full conversation with Steve ► https://youtube.slidebean.com/podcast-accelerators?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc
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Slidebean has received investments from Startup Chile, DreamIt Ventures, and 500 Startups.
We started our first company in 2011 and had no idea how startups worked. Never heard of venture capital, never heard of the concept of an angel investor.
We were based in Costa Rica, where the startup ecosystem was pretty much non-existent. Still, our company was then accepted in @DreamItVentures Ventures in New York, which sparked a chain of events that led us to you watching this video.
We know how to pitch because DreamIt was a crash course in how the startup ecosystem worked. It was also a soft landing in New York City that allowed me to build a network.
One of the people responsible Steve Barsh, who you probably remember as a guest for some of our videos.
Steve gave the intro talk at the program, and we remember Steve's talk distinctively, as it indeed was the beginning of the journey for me. Today we'll be chatting with Steve about how DreamIt had to pivot their model.
#startups #Slidebean #DreamIt
0:00 Intro
2:07 What is an accelerator?
2:28 Pivoting DreamIt
5:13 Should entrepreneurs still go for Accelerators?
5:49 Does age matter when starting a company?
7:35 Is location important?
11:13 Being clever in more than one way
Read the video transcription: https://slidebean.com/blog/startups-podcast-accelerators?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=ba-content
Follow Caya: https://twitter.com/cayahere and https://instagram.com/caya_here
Turn on notifications for the podcast & rate it a 5-star for new episodes.
Sidebean makes documentaries about startups, tech, and their impact on society. It is a venture-backed company that helps other startups navigate the complicated road to success. They love to cover stories around business, startups, and tech, trying both to teach and entertain.
Subscribe to Sidebean on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@slidebean/
Disclaimer: This podcast is an independently produced audio adaptation of content originally shared by Sidebean. It was created by a fan who appreciates Sidebean’s thoughtful storytelling and wanted to make these ideas more accessible for audio-focused listeners. This is not an official production of Sidebean, nor is it affiliated with or endorsed by the channel. All rights to the original video content belong to Sidebean. If you are a representative of Sidebean and have any questions or requests, please feel free to reach out.
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Startup accelerators: are they still worth it? Are you raising capital for your startup? Slidebean is a platform for founders to scale their startups. Let us help you: ► Build the Perfect Pitch Deck and Financial Model ► Find & connect with the right Investors ► Stay on top of Accelerator deadlines and participate in Demo Days & more... Our Community gets 30% Discount on their Slidebean Subscription. Get started now: Use code ‘SLBYTCOMMUNITY’’ or check out https://youtube.slidebean.com/startup-venture-capital Are you ready to pitch to investors? We can help ► https://slidebean.com/pitch-deck-consulting-services?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc Subscribe to our FREE weekly startup newsletter ► https://slidebean.com/newsletter?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc The Slidebean Expert Network ► https://youtube.slidebean.com/expert-network?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc Listen to my full conversation with Steve ► https://youtube.slidebean.com/podcast-accelerators?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=accelerators-Qa3qVc9BxEc -- Slidebean has received investments from Startup Chile, DreamIt Ventures, and 500 Startups. We started our first company in 2011 and had no idea how startups worked. Never heard of venture capital, never heard of the concept of an angel investor. We were based in Costa Rica, where the startup ecosystem was pretty much non-existent. Still, our company was then accepted in @DreamItVentures Ventures in New York, which sparked a chain of events that led us to you watching this video. We know how to pitch because DreamIt was a crash course in how the startup ecosystem worked. It was also a soft landing in New York City that allowed me to build a network. One of the people responsible Steve Barsh, who you probably remember as a guest for some of our videos. Steve gave the intro talk at the program, and we remember Steve's talk distinctively, as it indeed was the beginning of the journey for me. Today we'll be chatting with Steve about how DreamIt had to pivot their model. #startups #Slidebean #DreamIt 0:00 Intro 2:07 What is an accelerator? 2:28 Pivoting DreamIt 5:13 Should entrepreneurs still go for Accelerators? 5:49 Does age matter when starting a company? 7:35 Is location important? 11:13 Being clever in more than one way Read the video transcription: https://slidebean.com/blog/startups-podcast-accelerators?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=ba-content Follow Caya: https://twitter.com/cayahere and https://instagram.com/caya_here Turn on notifications for the podcast & rate it a 5-star for new episodes. Sidebean makes documentaries about startups, tech, and their impact on society. It is a venture-backed company that helps other startups navigate the complicated road to success. They love to cover stories around business, startups, and tech, trying both to teach and entertain. Subscribe to Sidebean on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@slidebean/ Disclaimer: This podcast is an independently produced audio adaptation of content originally shared by Sidebean. It was created by a fan who appreciates Sidebean’s thoughtful storytelling and wanted to make these ideas more accessible for audio-focused listeners. This is not an official production of Sidebean, nor is it affiliated with or endorsed by the channel. All rights to the original video content belong to Sidebean. If you are a representative of Sidebean and have any questions or requests, please feel free to reach out. - ------------------ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices