Brilliant business ideas are generated daily by budding entrepeneurs. Unfortunately bubbles can be burst and business sometimes fail (illustrated by low % of businesses that last more than a year). A great idea is not enough to ensure success, there are many more factors that contribute to a profitable startup - startups need to execute, they will need some capital and they will need resources!  They might also benefit from some guidance from other successful business people. 

Today's entrepreneurs may be able to find the support, guidance and funds they seek from one of the many startup accelerators across the globe. These accelerator companies, often called incubators, can be the difference between 'success',  'a fizzer' or 'just a good idea that someone else did'.

Incubators are mostly similar in their fundamentals, selecting high quality ideas and talented entrepeneurs and planting 'seed funds' to help their business grow. They water the business with strategic advice from established professionals and have field specific mentors shed their rays of experience down onto their business models. Ultimately preparing them to be picked by investors and aquirers once they have grown and flourished enough.

Below is a list of 10 startup accelerators from the US, Europe and Australia that are interested in founding business brilliance and using their services to build a solid and celebrated business structure.

10 Startup Accelerators from around the globe

US Startup Accelerators

TechStars

This US based mentorship-driven program helps seed stage businesses develop and grow. TechStars has hundreds of applications each year but is highly selective, choosing only ten companies per city and giving these companies top-notch mentoring and funding as well as opportunities to pitch to angel investors and venture capitalists. Boasting the number one position amongst startup accelerators in the world.

500 Startups

This startup accelerator takes a different approach as the "new kind" of seed fund and startup accelerators. 500 Startups involve 120+ experienced startup mentors internationally and seek to assists startup companies to succeed in ways other venture firms do not. Their focus is on internet startups and they implement tactics in design, data and distribution to help businesses ascend.

Y Combinator

Founded in 2005, Y Combinator has since successfully funded 250+ startups through the development of a new model of startup funding.Their goal is to assist companies in developing through the 'first phase' with seed funding to help build something impressive. This helps to raise money on a larger scale and introduce companies to later stage investors and occasionally aquirers.

Excelerate

Excelerate is a Chicago based summer accelerator that takes 10 companies each summer from both the US and internationally. Sam Yagan (OKCupid, Sparknotes) and Troy Henikoff (SurePayroll) are world class entrepeneurs, lead the teams of mentors and entrepeneurs from the US to work directly with teams. Their goal is to invest in great companies and provide captal, connections and community whilst delivering on promises to help them reach the next level.

Jumpstart Foundry

Jumpstart Foundry is a startup accelerator keying the areas of healthcare IT, data systems and social engagement tools. They look to aid tech-orientated businesses in the Southeast of America by focusing on three fundamentals: the Foundry, Fund and Future. They will provide guidance from mentors whos expertises range across a variety of fields, run training seminars and fund company endeavours.

European Startup Accelerators

Startup Bootcamp (Europe)

Startup Bootcamp is the most prominent accelerator network in Europe. Co-founders Alex Farcet (Rainmaking) and Luis Rivera (Okuri Ventures and Tetuan Valley) have built open space incubator environments in Copenhagen, Denmark and Madrid and are looking to expand in to Berlin, Germany, London and the UK in 2012. With 75+ mentors, Startup Bootcamp prides itself on nurturing close interactive environments between startup companies and the serial entrepeneurs and subject experts that make their mentoring program.

Springboard (UK)

Based in the UK, Springboard is an intense "smart-community" program. Startups have access to 100+ mentors comprising of experience entrepeneurs and venture capitalists, during a 13 week bootcamp at Cambridge University. This programme is a product of adaption from game-changing accelerator programs such as Y Combinator, TechStars and The Difference Engine and making them suitable for an international environment. Set on turbocharging business startups that are fundamentally technology based.

The Difference Engine (UK)

The Difference Engine seeks to support businesses in their early stages by recognising "money is not enough" and that the right mentoring programme is invaluable to a teams evolution. Based in North East England, this accelerator program was set up to help establish early stage digital businesses but has surpassed this limitation to create a programmes for anyone from anywhere. Businesses undergo an intense business programme and emerge investor ready and pitch their business and products to venture capitalists and angel investors.

The Open Fund (Greece)

The Open Fund is based in Greece and enables businesses to focus on building their business and focus on their team, skills and ideas to help turn start-up dreams into reality. Extensive advice, seed funding and follow up advice are features it offers members.

Australian Startup Accelerators

PushStart (Australia)

PushStart (launching March 2011) will be a startup accelerator focussed on Australian businesses. PushStart will be looking to promote young founders and budding entrepreneurs with seed funding, advice from a panel of experienced entrepeneurs and the opportunity to pitch for follow on funding.  Check out our interview with PushStart's founder Kim Heras.

Conclusion

If you've got a cracking business idea that you want to pursue (and don't want it to be 'a fizzer') then using the advantages a startup accelerator may be the 'kick-start' you need to find your ideal investor, strike up the perfect partnership and/or pursue your entrepreneurial dream. Make sure you get a GREAT logo design for your startup from DesignCrowd or try our new Startup Logo Generator on BrandCrowd!

Written by DesignCrowd on Thursday, February 24, 2011

DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.