Here we go again… 48Hrs in the Valley goes Social

We all know that Canadians are a pretty social bunch. We’ve elevated getting together over drinks to talk about the weather/hockey/Constitutional reform an art form.

But now here’s an opportunity to really get social.

But before I go on, there’s two things I need to tell you about. You’ve probably heard about the C100 and 48 Hrs in the Valley, but just in case here is a quick refresher:

1. The C100 is a networking and mentor group of Canadians in Silicon Valley
2. They run a show called 48Hrs in the Valley where Canadian companies get to go down to the Silicon Valley and meet with business leaders and thinkers. (Bonus marks if you can figure out how long the trip lasts)

Mark your calendars because the next “48Hrs” is June 8-9. That’s coming up so you gotta act fast.

First thing you need to know, the theme this time around is Social Media, Metrics, Advertising and Monetization. So if you are a company in this space, you need to check this out.

The other thing you need to know is that if you do go, you won’t get much sleep because they’re cramming in a full schedule of mentoring, networking, pitches and some other surprise events in the two days.

Everything else you need to know can be found on the 48 Hrs in the Valley site.

If you want some insight, there is the (very reasonable) question of how the C100 sifts through all of its applicants to choose which companies will participate in the various mentoring events. Although choosing companies is a little more art than science, there is some process around it…

On the application, the sections to which the C100 pays particular attention are:

1. The key challenges or the “Challenge Statement”: What is the particular challenge your company is facing? Having a clear challenge statement is very important because it tells us the C100 you have something to talk about with the mentors. The more articulate your challenge statement is on the application, the more interested they are
2. Market need: Are you addressing a high growth market? Are you in a market that is in transition and therefore needs different perspectives to understand these transitions? Also, are you in a market where C100 has some expertise to offer? This time around, 48Hrs is focusing on Social Media… so make sure you articulate how you play in this market.
3. Do you have a C100 Sponsor supporting your application? This is important because it demonstrates that you are already known in the market and that other C100 members will vouch for you, your team and your product/service idea. Your company should already be making an impact in your home market so C100 can provide the mentoring to help scale and expand your business.

As a general rule, the C100 is looking for companies that have thought through their business in detail and can therefore benefit from a candid and specific discussion with an experienced mentor.

The goal of 48Hrs and all C100 mentor events  is to help good business become great ones and help great business become world-class.