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Frequently Asked Question

Below you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked the most.

General

I want to be a mentor for a Lestari mentorship-driven program

You can learn more about mentoring here.

I want to research Lestari / I’m gathering information about Lestari.

We receive multiple inquiries like this, so unfortunately we can’t engage deeply with everyone that want to study us right now. We have the great fortune of having been covered extensively by the media and our website is very thorough. We encourage you to look through our mission to see if this information answers your question.

Can I stop by your office to say hello?

We have office around Indonesia, and many are busy running programs throughout the year. We are happy to consider taking an appointment, so please contact us.

Do you ever offer internship to people interested in Lestari?

Yes! However, we do not have an available position now. Keep an eye on our website as we constantly update our postings.

I have a startup idea. Can you help me?

We support entrepreneurs who are in Lestari programs, including mentorship-driven programs and community programs is everywhere. We encourage you to determine which would be most helpful to you at this stage of your company journey.

Can you fund my business?

We invest primarily through or mentorship-driven programs.

Can Lestari sponsor my event?

Unfortunately, at this time we are not financially supporting any events outside of Lestari.

Can you fund my organization/non-profit/event?

We provide financial support to organizations committed to increasing diversity in entrepreneurship. You can find more information, and apply for funding, by contacting us here.

Program

I know a great company who should go through Lestari. How can I let you know?

Please tell us about the company

What investments does Lestari make in its accelerator portfolio companies?

Lestari provides accelerator portfolio companies with access to financial, human, and intellectual capital to fuel the success of their business. We connect selected startups to investors and industrial partners that otherwise would be hard to access. To ensure the smoothness of our program, we also provide internet quota, travel, and accommodation expenses when deemed necessary.

What other benefits do I receive from a Lestari program?

The benefits will depend on the program itself, but in general:

  • Access to Lestari resources for life
  • Exclusive mentorship program, both personal and group mentorship
  • Lifetime access to Lestari Network; founders, alumni, and mentors globally
  • Demo Day and other investor connections.
What else does Lestari provide?

For our virtual program, we will provide you with monthly internet quota/expenses to ensure your engagement during the program. We want you to focus on creating a great product while you’re here, and not have to worry about all this other stuff.

What kind of companies do you fund?

We fund all types of startups, working in all verticals, using any type of business models. Do keep in mind, however, that our focus is on startups rather than small businesses.

Do you fund companies that are competitive with each other?

We do our best to avoid accepting competitive companies into the same program class. However, with the growing number of Lestari companies, there may be competitive companies in the broader Lestari’s network. In the event there is a company in the Lestari’s portfolio that’s competitive, we work tirelessly to ensure there is no exchange of sensitive data.

What are the terms that the startup companies agree to? What is the Lestari deal?

Upon acceptance to a Lestari program, the startup will receive some benefits. The benefits will depend on the program itself, but in general:

  • Access to Lestari resources for life
  • Exclusive mentorship program, both personal and group mentorship
  • Lifetime access to Lestari Network; founders, alumni, and mentors globally
  • Demo Day and other investor connections
What language is content delivered in for Lestari accelerator programs?

The primary language that we use in verbal and written communications during all programs-in every area-is Indonesian. While we might communicate with you in English if necessary in 1-1 setting, we will still communicate in Indonesian for group events.

Do any companies go through more than one program?

This does happen now and then. However, it is dependent on the stage of the business. In addition, each startup only can apply for one Lestari program (and can not join outside of the Lestari Program) at the same time.

Applications

How do you choose which companies to accept into the program and to fund?

We look at team, team, team, market, progress, idea-in that order. We choose great founders who are proposing products that solve real problems or create meaningful innovations. For us, it’s about the team. For this reason, we’re less likely to accept single founder companies (you’re less likely to have all the skills your company needs to succeed). The best things you can do to strengthen your application are:


  • Round out your team with business, technical, and other necessary skills.
  • Make progress on your prototype or product and reference it in the application.
  • Show us you’ve really thought about your business and have gotten out there to do something about it.
  • Demonstrate early traction or provide data points to validate your core assumptions.
Is my company “too far along” to apply to Lestari?

We’ve had companies start with fully developed products and we helped them with business models, introductions, financing and more. Likewise, nothing is too early. We’ve accepted companies with no more than an idea, a dream, and maybe a cat. Of course, we prefer a dedicated, solid team that has been working together for some time rather than a newly -formed team where everybody just knows each other briefly.

Can I have access to my application answers?

Yes, you will be able to view and access all your applications.

What if I need to change the answers to my application?

If you have submitted an application and would like to change or update any information please contact us. Let us know what you would like to change along with the name of your startup on your application.

Can I submit a late application to a program?

Unfortunately, we don’t allow late applications in order to move through our very tight schedule for selection and to be fair to all applicants. The next round of applications will be open soon, and you can always find our open applications here.

After I apply, I’m thinking of emailing many of the program mentors to get them interested in what I’m doing. Good idea?

No. We receive thousands of applications per year, which is why we have an application process. Systematically emailing some or all of our mentors in order to try to influence them before being accepted into the program will hurt you more than it will help you. The mentors are dedicated to helping the companies that we select, but they are not a part of the selection process.

Can I apply to programs not in my area? Can you help with Visa or immigration issues?

You can apply to any program, and we’ve funded companies from many different area. You do have to be legally in the program area during the program, of course. Once you are accepted into a program, we might help with legal issues by leveraging our contacts and network to help. However, we cannot help them in advance of acceptance to Lestari.

I’m a single founder. Can I get accepted into Lestari, or do you only look for teams?

While we don’t screen applications just because they have a single founder, it does make things more difficult. The question we ask is: do you have all the skills your company needs to succeed?

We look for great, balanced teams who have a full range of skills. We strongly advise you to seek so-founders who balance your skillset. For example, if you’re a strong developer you might consider adding someone with business and/or marketing experience. If you’re a great business evangelist with no developer, it’s very unlikely we’ll accept you into the program, so go find a rock star developer to join you.

Is my age a factor in your selection process?

No.

When will I hear back about my application?

After applications close, we’ll have a clear timeline on when we open the selection, and when we will announce the result for each program, and spend time getting to know even more about your team, market, progress and idea. In general, our goal is to notify the final group of companies being accepted within eight weeks from the application closing date. However, it could be sooner or later than the time we estimated.

When is the deadline to apply?

You can find all of our programs with open applications here, and deadlines on each respective program page.

What time to specifically do applications close?

All applications close at 23.59 WIB on the date indicated on their program page.

Can I apply to more than one program?

You only need to submit one application to programs running at the same time, for example to all programs starting in 2022, you only can apply for one program. The application process will help limit this for you.

Within your application, let us know if you are interested in another program. Regardless of what you select, we’ll review your choices and also see if you are a good fit for other programs.

Do I need to send in a business plan?

No. You just need to fill out the online application. However, if you have one, you are welcome to send it too.

I’m concerned that if I apply, you won’t protect my intellectual property. Should I be worried about this?

We’re not in the business of stealing ideas, and we treat application data as confidential information. Our application does not ask for your “secret sauce” and there is no reason you have to disclose this to us is you’re not comfortable doing so. We hope that our reputation speaks for itself on this topic.

My team outsources software development. Are we still qualified to apply?

Yes! We’re happy to consider any application. Just remember that the biggest thing we look at is team, team, team.

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