Now Enrolling
Startup Bootcamp
For ambitious founders and pre-founders
7 Workshops | May & June 2024
who is it for?Driven changemakers, fearless disruptors & passionate problem solvers who want to tackle life’s big challenges.
You will join a community of like-minded people at a similar stage of the journey as you - growing, pivoting and validating.
where is it?Bootcamp is hosted at CoLab, Atlantic Technological University - Donegal, programme partners.
Participants will have 1 or 2 workshops per week.
The programme concludes with an opportunity to present your journey at a showcase finale.
how much is it?Successful applications will become ALPHA members and receive a FREE place on the programme, provided they plan to set up their venture from Donegal.
Participants will receive feedback from industry experts, learn success and fail stories and join ALPHA’s community of change makers along the way.
what will you learn?-
The best businesses are built off the back of key problems that need to be solved. That’s why in week 1 we get a handle on your proposition and work on problem framing techniques
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You will learn how to conduct customer development interviews with potential targets and gain insights which will help you develop a better business proposition.
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You will craft a compelling value proposition statement based off the problem you are solving and the insights you have learned from your target customers.
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We will teach you techniques to identify any risky assumptions and run experiments to test
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You will explore a range of experimental techniques to test the market & gatehr data
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You will learn about important metrics to track in order to assess the sustainability of your business
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You will create a deck that will help you with piloting initial customer engagement
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No business plans here! Each week your progress will help you develop an aspect of your business model canvas, giving you a rounded view of key aspects of your business and opportunities where you can innovate.
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You will pitch your pivoted venture to an audience of peers & friends, while receiving valuable feeback from businesses who have grown, scaled & exited ventures.
Behind the scenes
Hear from our 2023 Alumni
Suzanne Griffin
Cork Pilates
"I was delighted to participate in the first Alpha Innovation Bootcamp. Kevin, Conor and Graham provided fantastic support, insight and expertise. We were encouraged to look globally and outside the box when it came to business opportunities. I certainly finished feeling confident in my business pitch and with a clear path to progress my business idea."
Martin O’Donnell
OGMA Concepts
“The team at Alpha Innovation are top-rate and really hands-on in helping budding companies validate their ideas through a combination of one-on-one mentoring and collaborative workshops. It is highly recommended for anyone with any business idea or looking for some inspiration and guidance within their own field. They are very welcoming with an open door policy to ideas and innovation.”
Linda McLean
Mallow Mia
“The bootcamp showed me how to assess different potential customers and find the more suitable (lucrative) one. This guidance saved me potentially years of going down the wrong route due to assumptions or even inactivity due to not being sure which way to go. We presented our general business idea at the end of our bootcamp at a showcase. This was great because we had homework every week and the presentation at the end to keep us focused on the project. The coaches were so very supportive/ not judgy and very approachable and all the topics were presented in a clear, understandable way”
Christina McAlinden
Laniveen
“I highly recommend ALPHA Innovation for their emphasis on cost-effective ways to test ideas and provide practical strategies and resources to validate concepts without breaking the bank. The clear direction, constructive feedback and honesty provided by the team have propelled me forward in my entrepreneurial journey. I have not only gained practical knowledge and skills but also formed lasting connections with like-minded individuals. I wholeheartedly recommend Alpha Innovation to anyone seeking supportive and empowering expertise.”
Hear from our Community
Win tickets to…
Disrupt By The Sea
Each September, startup founders from across Ireland and beyond embark on Donegal, pitching to a panel of influential thought leaders, US investors operating in global markets and international disruptors.
High-excelling Bootcamp participants will win tickets to Disrupt By The Sea 2024, where they can secure key introductions with stakeholders who can provide tough love and insights into key export markets.
Get shortlisted for…
Pathfinders 2024
Each year, a select number of high-performing startups have the opportunity to be considered for a Go-To-Market Lab which takes place at the Cambridge Innovation Centre, Boston.
The initiative is a collaboration between Donegal County Council and Derry & Strabane District Council who jointly fund the programme.
In 2023, Startup Bootcamp participant Christina McAlinden, traveled to Boston to take part, and joined the panel at the Golden Bridges luncheon at the end of an intensive week.