The Challenge
The Algorand Foundation wasn’t just running an accelerator — they were on a mission to build an ecosystem of real businesses using the Algorand protocol.
Their goal: drive user adoption, transaction volume, and real-world value into their Layer 1 blockchain.
To do that, they launched multiple startup accelerators throughout the year. At first glance, it might sound like any other program.
But this was not your typical acceleration model.
Most accelerators are designed to separate the weak from the strong — push startups to launch fast, then invest in the few that float.
That wasn’t our goal.
We were there to build 15 winners per cohort, not just pick one. We weren’t there to filter. We were there to equip.
The Approach
We started with a blunt truth: The #1 startup killer is lack of traction.
And behind that? A lack of market need.
The market’s signal is simple: “This is nice — but I don’t need it.”
To counter that, we implemented a traction-first approach for every startup in the program.
Our method:
• Help founders sharpen their value proposition
• Validate it with real users
• And build evidence of demand as quickly as possible — not with code, but with communityInstead of gearing the program around demo day — a pitch for a product no one has used —we focused on waitlist day: the moment when a startup could show how many real people were lining up to use what they’d built.
We worked side-by-side with each startup to:
• Craft magnetic offers
• Launch early landing pages
• Test positioning
• Grow waitlists
• Build confidence that real users were out there — ready to engage
Not a pitch deck. Not a demo. Demand. And lots of it.
The Outcome
We worked with over 30 startups to build clear, tested, and compelling market offers. Some built waitlists of 400,000+ users in a matter of weeks — sparking investor interest before the program had even wrapped.
Founders left with more than a polished deck. They left with real traction, clear signals, and validation that their ideas had a place in the market.
Algorand didn’t just accelerate companies — they built momentum, markets, and a new wave of applications running on their Layer 1.