About

The Startup Leadership Program (SLP) is a highly selective, world-class training program for outstanding founders, leaders, and innovators who want to become top startup CEOs. SLP Fellows (participants) have founded nearly 300 successful startups including ixigo, Innoz, Momelan, Runkeeper, SideTour, Shareaholic, Ubersense, Savored, Voicetap, and many others, which have collectively raised more than $350MM in funding.

SLP believes in training its fellows through the use of simulations, case studies, high quality speakers, and in-depth boardroom-like discussions of startup questions from founders and CEOs. In addition to the learning experience, entrepreneurs become part of a lifelong global community of successful and talented fellows, experts, advisors and investors, who can help them every step of the way.

Key Stats

20 cities with SLP chapters in 9 countries

900+ Fellows in the program

700+ startups

$300MM raised

63% of Fellows have graduate degrees (Masters, MBA, MD, PhD)

90%+ of Fellows have Engineering + Science backgrounds

50%+ of Fellows graduated from Ivy League-equivalent institutions

Fellows published in 542 publications

313 patents pending

Sampling of SLP Startups

ixigo.com – India’s Kayak.com. Finalist for Red Herring Magazine Global 100 + business Today 10 Hottest Startups to Watch (Delhi)

RunKeeper - #1 fitness app on iPhone – millions of downloads + TIME Magazine Top 10 iPhone Applications of 2009. The defacto platform for fitness (Boston)

Shareaholic - #1 browser tool for sharing – 5 million downloads + A reach of over 200 million users (Boston)

Background

Started in 2006 in Boston by Anupendra Sharma (VC in Lifesciences, BITS Pilani alum) and Puran Dang (Entrepreneur, IIT Kharagpur) with 7 Fellows

Vision: To train the next generation of startup CEOs through a world-class curriculum, access to mentors and funding, and an active global network of Fellows.

The philosophy of the way the school is run was inspired by the John Wood, Founder of Room to Read. The Fellows build and run the “school” and have a big say in the education process. This is what creates a passionate sense of ownership in the program.

Startup Leadership has grown to 20 cities and 900 Fellows in 6 years.

Cost: SLP is a not-for-profit that costs an entrepreneur very little to accommodate even the earliest stage startups (one lifetime payment of between $150-400).

Logo

The Startup Leadership Program logo is inspired by skydivers who are in formation. These skydivers are representative of SLP Fellows – a group of risk-taking entrepreneurs, joining hands to form a global network that allows them to do amazing things. If they run into difficulties (like the parachute doesn’t open), the network is there to help. And they do it for the thrill of the ride.