Starting a business is incredibly hard, and sometimes you reach a point where you feel stuck, hoping that someone can point you in the right direction. At 6AM Accelerator, we help startups using a tailored approach through the mentoring, extensive corporate network and experienced business developers. Njord Robotics is one of our first alumni, and we are excited to share some of their feedback about the program!
Why did you join 6AM Accelerator Program?
We joined primarily to learn from the program facilitators and the other startups. 6AM offered interesting and relevant courses, mainly related to financial strategy and funding, something we did not want to miss!
What did you achieve during the program?
During the program, we were able to thoroughly quantify our value proposition, gain the interest of pilot customers, attract investors, and make and test our first prototype.
Where does your company stand today (employees, customers, partners, investment, soft funding, etc.)?
Even though we have accomplished a lot over the last six months, we have decided to shut down our startup. Unfortunately, our founding team has met some personal challenges and concluded that we do not have the drive to proceed. The startup life is exciting but demanding, and sometimes when life intervenes, it is better to abandon ship.
How did 6AM support you during the program?
6AM has been very supportive throughout the program. The program has given us valuable feedback, educated us through important courses, connected us with great people, and been a general source of motivation.
Can you please share success factors, lessons learned, or mistakes that other companies in the program should avoid?
First, we believe that a startup's most important resource is the focus. You don't have to attend every single lecture, take every meeting, or do every little thing that someone expects of you. Don't let other people's agendas determine your to-do list.
Second, focus on creating customer engagement. If you can get your customer enthusiastic and eager for your product or idea, everything else in the startup becomes a lot easier and more fun!
What are your next plans?
We plan to take our experiences and hard-learned lessons into new companies—both startups and corporates! Wish us luck!
Photo on the left: Njord Robotics, credit: Njord Robotics
Photo on the right: Vidar Melstveit, credit: fotografwittrup.no