We have tried to provide all the information in one place. Your first test as an entrepreneur is to know about the rules of the game.

If you are not ready to submit your application just yet, we invite you to join our global community for free and start learning.

 

Introduction

IdeaGist is the world’s largest virtual incubator for people with ideas. It is in use by 52,000+ users from 400+ communities worldwide. If you have an idea that can make a difference, solve a problem, start a commercially viable business, or help people improve their lives and the lives of others, IdeaGist can help. It doesn't matter if your idea provides social benefits or commercial gains, you can use our incubator to launch it. 


Watch a short video introduction here: 
 

Benefits of IdeaGist Global Incubation Program

  • Experienced mentors to help you when you get stuck and to keep you motivated. Mentors will be assigned only to the entrepreneurs that have successfully completed Think Stage.
  • Action focused process that based on the experience of 100s of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial experts
  • Credits from partners like Google, Digital Ocean, SendGrid, and many more, totaling up to $30,000 and increasing
  • Virtual Demo Day to pitch to 1000s of investors and potential customers
  • Equity Crowdfunding through our partners (US Companies Only)
  • Templates and learning resources at each step of the process
  • Idea Privacy to ensure that only you and your trusted people can see the details
  • Team management including Non-disclosure agreements
  • Co-Founder Listings to find good team members for your idea
  • Social networking features to help you develop a support network around your ideas
  • Opportunity to present your idea through our global investor pitch program.
  • Free Online Training to cover the whole incubation process and topics that are important to learn.
  • Certificate in Practical Entrepreneurship

Learn more about how IdeaGist can help at https://blog.ideagist.com/great-ideas

Join our Global Portal for free at https://global.ideagist.com

 

Why IdeaGist?

IdeaGist is the largest virtual incubation platform in the world, helping entrepreneurs from all 195 UN recognized countries and territories. Our process helps in avoiding common mistakes, our mentors offer sound advice, and our network offers support in many different ways.

We all come up with ideas, but coming up with an idea is not a ticket to success unless it’s put into action. There are many challenges idea makers must overcome in order to convert their ideas into a successful business. Some common challenges that often hold us back include the intractable inner dialogues you may be able to relate to, such as:

  • I am good at what I do but I am not an expert in every aspect of running a business.
  • I am ready to work on my idea but there is no incubator in my hometown, it is full, or too far.
  • My idea is not very clear, I don't have a great idea, or I am not sure if I can start a business based on my idea.
  • I rely on my paycheck and leaving my job to work on an idea is not a risk that I can take.
  • I don’t have enough money to start a business.
  • I have had great ideas in the past, which were later on executed by someone else, but was never able to act on them.
  • I have a great idea and all I need is …. (fill in the blank—an investor, a programmer, a developer, an app developer, a marketing person, etc.)

IdeaGist Virtual Incubator offers freedom from all of the above constraints and gives you an opportunity to prove that your ideas are good.
 

IdeaGist Process

IdeaGist offers a lean process with three key stages of development that can be used in multiple iterations:

  1. Think
  2. Execute
  3. Launch

During the Think stage, you will be tested for your determination and will give you a solid foundation to build your startup. The outcome of the Think stage is clarity on Product/Market Fit with a fully vetted value proposition. We encourage people to put ideas on the backburner, if their time has not come, or drop ideas that cannot be realized by you.
 

During the Execute stage, you will develop a plan for a minimum viable product, in consultation with your potential customers. The outcome of the Execute stage is either a minimum viable product or a design that can be used as a recruitment tool.
 

Final stage ts Launch. During the Launch stage, you will be developing sustainable business models to scale your business from few clients to a point where it can work as a regular organization, be it for commercial purposes or social causes.


IdeaGist process is designed to:

  • Focus on action
  • Apply lean practices to engage customers early on
  • Help you protect yourself from major mistakes that entrepreneurs regularly make
  • Give you a trusted path that you can follow at your own pace, covering all aspects of planning
  • Develop your idea to the maximum possible advancement, within the resources that you have
  • Drop your idea successfully as early as possible to avoid too much investment in ideas that may not get anywhere


Here is a short video to see how IdeaGist guides you through a step-by-step process.
 

IdeaGist Global Incubation Program

IdeaGist Global Incubation Program is designed to help a large number of people with innovative ideas in launching their startups. We are currently accepting applications from entrepreneurs with early-stage ideas. If you already have a product developed, this program may not help you much.

IdeaGist is different from regular incubators and accelerators in many ways:

  • IdeaGist Global Incubation Program does not take any equity in your idea.
  • We don’t expect you to leave your job to be part of our program
  • You can live where you are, we don’t ask you to relocate to our office in Minneapolis, USA
  • Our focus is more on action instead of building business plans at such an early stage
  • We accept ideas at the earliest stage when no one else is willing to bet on you
  • Dropping an idea for valid reasons or pivoting it is considered success on IdeaGist platform

Visit our blog to see some of our mentors and entrepreneurs. Visit our Global Portal to see our global community.
 

Selection Process

Are you committed to yourself and to your ideas? Our selection process is simple. We give you the tasks and see your work. There is no one judging your idea and there no one to babysit you. You can change your mind, learn, pivot, all that you like, ultimately, your results will speak for themselves. All you need is an innovative idea to make this world a better place.

We will look at the quality of your profile, adherence to the program rules, discipline to follow the timeline, respect to your mentors, willingness to provide updates, the swiftness of your responses, and many other indicators that will tell us that you are serious. We would like to see you making decisions independently and taking control of your own work, propelled by your own desire to succeed.

 

Program Rules, Terms, and Conditions

If selected for the program, you will be required to:

  • IdeaGist does not take any equity in your startup or idea either.
  • IdeaGist has is a one-time application fee of $499 that will be due only if you were accepted in the program and have gone through some steps to make sure that your idea is really any opportunity for you. Entrepreneurs from underpriviliged backgrounds can request a waiver.
  • You must follow the process, completing the think stage in 90 days. After completing the Think stage, we will provide you with mentors to help you with Execute and Launch stages.
  • Keep your mentor and IdeaGist system up to date on your progress, even if you were not able to work on the idea lately.
  • Be respectful and appreciate the guidance provided by your mentors.
  • Ensure that you consistently work 10 hours per week on your idea. It is your idea and without you, it will not go anywhere.
  • Be in the driving seat. You are embarking on a journey to become a successful entrepreneur. This requires independence, discipline, grit, and flexibility.
  • You will need to keep an eye on your own progress and ask for help if you are stuck.
  • IdeaGist is not an investment company and does not promise any investment in your idea.
  • IdeaGist is not a business plan generator, it is your practical guide to develop your ideas.
  • IdeaGist management team can expel any participant with or without cause.
  • If you are missing training, not providing progress report or not completing tasks on time, IdeaGist may expel you from the program. 

 

Application Deposit and other charges

IdeaGist Global Incubation program is free to apply and start.

 

Once you have completed the initial steps and ready to take your idea to the next level, you will be asked to pay an incubation fee of USD 499 to give you a one-year residency on IdeaGist Platform. 

 

We would like to keep IdeaGist free for people that are trying to make a difference and offer scholarships to people that cannot afford to pay the incubation program fee.

 

Idea Security

On IdeaGst, we take idea security very seriously. We also would like you to protect yourself from someone stealing your ideas. Here are a few short readings that will help you understand idea security. 

 

Application Process (Please complete the following)

  1. Login or Register on https://ideagist2018.ideagist.com. If you are already registered on IdeaGist platform, you can simply log in using your IdeaGist credentials.
  2. Select Profile Type "Entrepreneur" when applying for your idea and complete the application form.
  3. Go to https://global.ideagist.com and log in using your credentials.
  4. Make sure that you have a profile picture, a good profile summary and your IdeaGist profile is linked to your LinkedIn profile.
  5. Visit https://ee.ideagist.com to start our free Practical Entrepreneur training program. There are total 80 videos and this program can be completed within 20 hours.
  6. Wait for our response for next steps.

 

Start Today

Applications accepted all year round.

To succeed, bring ideas, determination, persistence, courage, and self-discipline.