Accel Leadership Program
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Build leadership skills through real-world problem-solving
The Accel Leadership Program (ALP) develops entrepreneurial leaders through case-based team learning. Each year, 16 Stanford graduate and co-term students from across the University solve real-world problems with fellows and mentors. Students work in teams with a high growth venture CEO to create and present a case study on a real-world business problem. Over six-months, Accel Fellows build life-long community and learn about startup strategy, organizational structure, fundraising, leading and scaling technical ventures, and operating models. Students will also have the opportunity to attend in-person site visits at local Silicon Valley start-ups throughout the year.
Current Cohort
Tireni Ajilore
MBA
Loubaba El Ayoubi
MS in Management Science and Engineering
Neha Balamurugan
MS in Computer Science (AI)
Elsa Bismuth
MS in Computational and Mathematical Engineering (AI & Data Science)
Julien Buist-Thuillier
MS in Mechanical Engineering
Jayendra Chauhan
Coterm MS in CS (AI)
Carter Cote
M.S. Learning, Design, and Technology
Advit Deepak
MS in Computer Science (AI)
Thomas Escudero
Coterm MS in CS (HCI)
Kabir Jolly
MS in MS&E (TEM)
Olivia Lee
Coterm MS in CS (AI)
Ina Natseva
MS in Management Science and Engineering (TEM)
AJ Phillips
PhD in Electrical Engineering
Katharina Rohr
MBA
Alina Santander
MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics
Athena Shiravi
Coterm MS in CS (HCI)
Year-at-a-Glance
Winter
Tuesdays | 9:30 – 11:20 am
Explore how to lead entrepreneurial ventures including establishing startup strategy, forming organizational culture and effective team structures, securing resources, and building operating models that scale. Students will have the opportunity to attend in-person site visits at local Silicon Valley start-ups.
Spring
Tuesdays | 9:30 – 11:20 am
Teams create a real-time case study with a current startup CEO/senior executive that tackles a real-world business problem for their high-growth venture, and present the case on the challenge and the potential paths to resolution. Students will have the opportunity to attend in-person site visits at local Silicon Valley Startups.
Teaching Team
Program Information
The Accel Leadership Program explores how to lead entrepreneurial ventures including establishing startup strategy, forming organizational culture and effective team structures, securing resources, and building operating models that scale. Teams formulate a real-time case study with a current startup CEO/senior executive that tackles a real-world business problem for their high-growth venture and present the case on the challenge and the potential paths to resolution.
Fellows will:
- Receive 3 units of credit for their completion of this program
- Benefit from access to faculty coaches and industry-leading guest speakers from Silicon Valley startups and venture capitalists
- Gain experience in solving real business strategy issues through interactive cases
- Master fundamental skills in leadership and entrepreneurship such as, organizational structure, securing resources, and operating models
- Build lasting connections through a diverse network of entrepreneurially-minded Stanford students and alumni from all majors and a cross-section of years
- Attend in-person site visits at local Silicon Valley start-ups
- Receive 1:1 mentorship with an Accel partner
- Have the opportunity to present at the “Pitch Day” with Accel partners
Eligibility:
- Must be an active graduate and co-terminal Stanford students during the program
Who Should Apply?
- Students from any discipline or major are encouraged to apply
- Applicants do not need to have a product idea in-mind or built to apply
Interested in becoming an accel fellow?
Testimonials
ALP allowed me to reckon with the most pressing questions in starting a company — from finding co-founders, to raising capital, to scaling organizations. Through lectures, case studies, site visits to Accel portfolio companies, and 1-on-1 mentorship from Accel partners, ALP uniquely creates opportunities to “”learn by doing””. Being part of ALP’s 2023 cohort was one of the most pivotal experiences of my Stanford career, and where I met some of the brightest and most ambitious people.
The ALP experience was amazing. I really enjoyed getting to know my fellow ALPees and interacting with exciting Accel-backed companies led by brilliant founders from a diversity of backgrounds. Pitching your idea to VCs was also a great learning experience. Would strongly recommend this to anyone interested in VC-backed entrepreneurship.
ALP was a phenomenal community, experience, and learning opportunity. What made ALP especially unique were the diversity of folks in the class and the range of pitches we got a chance to see and give feedback on during our pitch days. The ALP community was definitely a highlight of my year!
ALP was the most enriching and fulfilling experience for my entrepreneurial education at Stanford – the mentorship from real-world VC’s at Accel, lessons learned from veteran leaders in start-ups, and relationships cultivated with likeminded Stanford students gave me a nuanced understanding of what the journey of entrepreneurship really looks like.
As someone who took a gap year, my friend circles changed dramatically the year I came back. For one, there was the people I studied abroad with. The other would probably be ALP. I’m so glad I found this community in my senior year; the people I met were some of the most interesting, curious people I got to know at Stanford. If nothing else, come for the tight knit community.
ALP has helped open doors to startup founders and VCs alike—people whose experience and mentorship has already been extremely valuable. Company visits and CEO-accommodated case studies make the program so special, and you‘ll have plenty of time to get to know everyone in your cohort! Go and pitch at the Accel Offices on Pitch Day if you can.
Alumni
- Maya Czeneszew
- Nazanin Soltan
- Nirali Parekh
- Philippe Roberge
- Sidong Wang
- Wilfrido Martinez-Alonso
- Yubin Jee
- Zaeem Bhanji
Acknowledgements
STVP extends its deep appreciation to Accel for supporting this program for Stanford students.
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