Where Ideas Take Flight:  Catapult Accelerator

The Catapult Accelerator was created by seasoned entrepreneurs and early-stage investors to solve a critical issue with traditional cohort-based incubators and accelerators: they often fail to get startups funded.  As a result, many startups bounce from one program to the next, with funding remaining frustratingly elusive.

At the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator, we go beyond short-term mentorship and investor meetings crammed into 90-day cycles. Instead, we take a hands-on approach to help startups secure the resources they need to refine their business plans, recruit fundable team members, and successfully complete their funding rounds.  Each company is supported by a curated team of 10–15 mentors, coordinated by a dedicated “quarterback.”

As part of a robust effort to bolster the companies' chances of success, we assist founders in identifying investors to fill out not just the current round, but lining up investors for the next round at the same time.  By charting a clear pathway for founder teams to reach key milestones without the distraction of intensive fundraising in between rounds, we reduce one of the biggest bandwidth constraint risks for startups. Using this approach reduces a key risk for pre-seed and seed investors, as well—ensuring the startup can secure its next funding round on schedule and at an appropriate valuation step-up.

With the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator, you’ll gain the tools, connections, and expert support to build a venture-scale startup that attracts funding, scales efficiently, and achieves your vision.
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What We Offer

In the Catapult Program, you’ll receive hands-on support to:

Complete Your Funding Round: We guide you through every step of the capital-raising process, ensuring efficiency and alignment with the right investors.

Assemble a High-Impact Team: Whether you need to strengthen your management team, board of directors, or advisory network, we’ll leverage our extensive network of 200+ mentors, fractional executives, and startup-friendly service providers to build your dream team.

Craft a Winning Strategy: From defining your initial “beachheads” and funding tranches to mapping out the ideal exit scenarios and number of raises required to achieve them, we help you build a strategy grounded in sound financial projections and term sheets where valuation targets are backed by actual math.

You'll also gain access to: 

1

Expert-Led Education: Practical insights from professionals who’ve built, scaled, and exited successful ventures.

2

Strategic Mentorship: A sector-specific “quarterback” who continuously monitors your progress and matches you with the right experts to tackle your next challenges.

3

Robust Peer Networks: Collaborate with founders in the Venture Mechanics community who are on similar journeys as you.

4

Investor Pitch Opportunities: Present your startup to active investors vetted for alignment with your vision.

5

Fundraising Guidance: Navigate complex investor relations and secure long-term funding.

6

Workspace & Tools: Enjoy unlimited access to coworking spaces and conference rooms for team meetings, investor sit-downs, and working with your mentor teams.

What Sets Us Apart

Flexible, Founder-Centric Timeline
No rigid cohorts or fixed timelines.  Start when it suits you, move at your own pace, and stay involved until you secure funding.
Rigorous Vetting for Fundability
We tap top experts, entrepreneurs, and VCs to vet each startup’s growth path, market entry, and investor appeal. Our due diligence process is frankly more thorough than most VCs, partly because we're looking one or two rounds down the road, not just the immediate round.
Sustainable, Long-Term Focus:
Rather than rapid-fire sprints, we prioritize strategies that last beyond a quick program run.  Our goal is building a resilient venture ready for current and future funding rounds.
Founder-Friendly Terms & Equity Structure
With no upfront equity grabs or high fees that drain valuable capital, Catapult Accelerator’s model is designed to preserve founder control and financial stability.  We take only a nominal consulting fee and warrants.

Who Should Join The Catapult Accelerator?

We are highly selective, only bringing companies into the Catapult Accelerator who qualify as venture-scale with solid exit potential.  Our team will vet you through industry experts and potential funding partners to ensure your deal has a high probability of success.  Even if you are not initially accepted into the Accelerator, we will provide direct and empathetic feedback on what you need to improve to be ready to enter the Accelerator and you will be able to apply again.

Founders of venture-scale startups seeking a Pre-seed, Seed, or Series A funding round

The CEO, at a minimum, must be dedicated full-time

We are sector agnostic, including; AI/ML, Aerospace, BioTech/Life Sciences, ClimateTech, Consumer/CPG, DefenseTech/GovTech, Drones/AgTech/FireTech, PropTech, EdTech, FinTech/Blockchain/Crypto/Web3, Hardware & Manufacturing.

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"
My life and business has changed since I came to Venture Mechanics. A real community with a heart and purpose to help founders be successful.  Doc M.
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Venture Mechanics took me from the brink of giving up on my idea to quitting my job and actively pitching to investors—all in about five months. That transformation speaks volumes about the value they bring to founders. - Joshua A.
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Catapult is a transformative program that provides validation, key insights, and an engaged community of mentors and peers who actively challenge, teach, and support you. They guide you step-by-step, steadily building your confidence to excel at high-stakes tables. - Divya A.
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