This Week: Who dares sells as start-ups graduate

Eight tech start-ups will this week graduate from the intensive 50-day Selr8r sales accelerator programme backed by entrepreneur and dragon Sean O'Sullivan of SOS Ventures.

The idea of the accelerator programme, which is in the tradition of the venture firm’s China accelerator and Haxl8r accelerator programmes, is to give ventures that are at an early stage a leg up the sales learning curve.

"The Selr8r graduation will be the culmination of the 50 day programme and we expect to have some big announcements, including jobs, and possible investments being made," according to one of the initiative's co-founders Alan Clayton.

Lifeblood
Companies are given funds, technical back-up, sales and media training, telesales, marketing and design services, as well as mentoring and workspace at the offices of the programme's co-sponsor, the outsourcing services provider Intercall.

Eight companies – EnergyWatchIT, Birbl, Travelbuddy, WeSolve, Sensipass, Snapcash, Productworld and Cognito HRM – will be in competition to win the Selr8r Rocket Trophy on graduation day tomorrow.

“The Selr8r programme teaches companies the art of selling, which is the lifeblood of their business,” Intercall founder Jim McCoy said.

The eight companies which participated in the first accelerator programme earlier this year are said to have increased their combined sales by more than 400 per cent.