Daniel Rooke, Start Codon
HOW TO: FIND THE RIGHT ACCELERATOR
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“Founders should focus on what is it that they want to get out, what they get from in terms of materials and supports, and whether their interests are aligned with the accelerator”
This week we are talking to Daniel Rooke, co-founder, partner and head of legal at Start Codon, the Cambridge healthcare and life sciences accelerator. Daniel speaks about his experience working in both large companies and startups, which aspects are similar and different. He also emphasizes the importance for founders to critically think about what they really want and need when finding accelerators to work with. Daniel dived deep into the technicalities of Start Codon’s equity business models and also why it is crucial for founders to decide on equity sharing properly. He also shares some of the common issues with patents for startups. Lastly Daniel explains his thoughts on the coronavirus future fund that has recently been set by the government.
The podcast was produced by Carl Homer, Cambridge TV.
Jump to the following topics:
Daniel’s background - 1:12
Misconception on differences between large companies and startup - 3:00
Start Codon’s business model - 7:30
What founders should look for in accelerators: there is no one size fits all - 14:30
Subscription Equity and Convertible Loans - 17:30
Common pitfalls for founders - 22:00
Typical patent issues - 27:00
On Coronavirus Future Fund - 29:40
Why healthcare technology is exciting - 34:30