Sputnik ATX VC - Austin, Texas

Edoardo C.

Wow, what an incredible journey with Sputnik ATX's acceleration program! My co-founders and I at Voltaage had an amazing time and learned some seriously valuable skills. We were able to 5x our revenues in just three months – talk about a boost!

Sure, it's a lot of hard work, but the payoff is absolutely worth it. The team at Sputnik ATX is a bunch of rockstars, both GP and associates. They're not only super experienced and skilled but also genuinely dedicated to helping your startup succeed. Plus, we had a blast hanging out with them outside the office!

I can't express how happy we are to have been a part of this program. If you're an early-stage startup, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a shot. Apply and try to get in – you won't regret it, I promise!

Lauren W.

I couldn't recommend Sputnik Accelerator more. As a seasoned entrepreneur, I was looking for an accelerator that could really add value and help our company grow. I found all of that and more with Sputnik. Joe, Oksana and team are passionate, knowledgeable and true partners in our business. Since joining the program, our business has taken off. The program is intense, but 100% worth it if you're serious about building a scalable business.

Maryna B.

Sputnik ATX startup accelerator program has helped Growth Channel set the ground to success from the start. Joe, Oksana, and the whole Sputnik team gave tremendous support and guidance to all the critical elements of startup success for Growth Channel during the summer 2020 program and beyond, everything from strategic decisions, partnerships, and hiring, down to investor connections. Their startup accelerator is truly unique by providing 1on1 mentorship and ongoing startup support.

Shielvonda H.

When I started with Sputnik almost 3 months ago, I must admit it was not the warm and fuzzy place you would expect from an accelerator. If anything, what you learn on Day 1 is “be ready and stay ready”. If you don’t get it by the first week, trust me, you’ll learn certainly by the 2nd one. The people are smart, the pace is fast, and the days are filled with a balance between MBA level readings and start-up level scrappiness and grit. You must read things quickly, process the content, try it with your start-up real time; then, repeat!

It's hard, there’s no doubt about it and there’s a lot of smart people to keep up with while still managing to build your business. But what do you get from it all?

I have been a part of a few accelerators and the Sputnik ATX is different than almost any other one I have attended. What you gain is true knowledge you can use, resources that are appliable to your stage of business in that moment in time, and access to a great team (Sputnik) and a great group of founders that will motivate and support you all the way through.

As we round out the program, I am leaving with a pocket full of gems that I haven’t gotten anywhere. For instance, we entered with an idea of where our business was headed and we are leaving with a clear pathway of how to get there and a framework of an execution plan. We know what it will take to lead a successful fundraising round and are confident that Sputnik has equipped us with the right tools to achieve this. We know what VCs to target, how to reach them, what questions to ask, and what “red flags” to look for in the process. We have also learned a great deal about our business as well, especially as it relates to sales. There are so many nuggets we gained around how to think about our marketing strategy and best methods for quickly acquiring customers.

I am extremely grateful for the time at Sputnik ATX and recommend any founder to apply. If you have built a version of the product and have customers but are looking to understand how to build upon pilots to scale, this is absolutely the place to learn, hands down. Sputnik ATX, it has an amazing team and a depth of knowledge that is worth giving up 13 weeks to learn from.

Sylvia K.

I absolutely love Oksana and Joe and the whole Sputnik team. Both Oksana and Joe put a tremendous amount of effort in the program and were very inspiring to me and amazing mentors. I did two accelerators before and Sputnik was by far the best. I just graduated from the spring 2020 class and investors and friends even comment on the progress my company Kanthaka made due to Sputnik. They truly teach you everything you need to know to run a fast scale company.

Yoon L.

We completed the Sputnik Summer cohort 2019 with Entrepreneur In Residence (EIR), a program that selects a UT student startup team from Sputnik. Through the Sputnik Accelerator program, I have learned, grown, and thrived as a first-time founder. It is difficult to know the right steps in creating a business. However, they taught us the step by step process to be on track. The people that you meet through sputnik are amazing. People here are extremely smart, genuine and supportive. Thanks again for the opportunity!

Nazim J.

Great experience as part of the Winter 2020 Cohort. I was a bit skeptical of the classroom atmosphere at first, but it turned into more of a workshop with actionable advice and feedback in each successive session. Enjoyed working with and learning from the other startups in the cohort as well.

BE ADVISED: Joe and Oksana do not pull punches. They are there for you and will have a ton of advice, suggestions, and are happy to work with you even outside of business hours. Show up, do the work, be accountable and this program will go smoothly for you. Do NOT assume that Sputnik staff can read your mind. If you need something, be open, honest, and ASK.

Essam D.

SputnikATX is a program that sets any startup on the right path to success while giving founders a reality check. In addition to the great team and curriculum, the scientific approach of planning and achieving growth is concrete.