Hey everyone! I’m currently trying to wrap up my exceptional promise application and would greatly appreciate your valuable feedback. i’ve been doubting each and every document i put and questioning myself will it be valid or not since a loongg time ago, however, finally I can say I’ve put together the required documents, and I’d be grateful if you could go thru them and share your thoughts on them (take your breath and be patient cuz i’ll be questioning almost all of them:) .
Thanks in advance for your time and insights!
here’s my submissions checklist:
3-Paged CV - 7 year experience (but 3 years of them was full time remote jobs during my uni)
Personal statement with a narrative linking my entire experience as a tech lead and then a founder of few startups.
LORs:
LOR 1: From a renowned AI expert, ex-VP of Google Cloud, ex-VP of Yahoo, and an advisor at a US-based Venture Capital firm where I worked as a tech lead. The letter acknowledges my work in launching a blockchain-based investment platform powered by the VC (I led the development team and was responsible for developing software architecture of the product) as well as my role in assessing the technical progress of the VC portfolio startups or evaluating new applying startups.
LOR 2: From a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur and CEO of a San Francisco-based VC firm (the same VC I worked for), who is currently an advisor at the Venture Studio I founded. She endorsed my work as a CTO.
LOR 3: From a blockchain expert who is an advisor at one of my startups, endorsing my work.
MC:
1 - [Re-use of LOR 1] - Since it states that I participated in panels within the VC, assessing the work of others in the same tech field.
2 - [Re-use of LOR 2] - Since it endorses my leadership in the growth of my product-led startup.
3 - High Salary Evidence from the VC I worked for (employment contract including salary, shares, and my job responsibilities, which include my work as a tech lead and assessing the work of other tech startups).
4 - Leading a non-profit initiative: A document stating that I tech-led an annual summit focused on building an ecosystem for conscious-tech startups (impact tech-enabled startups) for 5 years. The document discusses the thought leadership of the summit, my role as a strategic tech lead, product designer, and partner, and evidences of the impact the initiative has achieved (screenshots of 750K virtual event audience reach and 10K on-ground attendees). It also mentions partnerships we have made with over 25 well-recognized Venture Capital firms, news clippings, and a screenshot of my ONLINE opening keynote speak at the event (are online speaking valid?).
OC1:
just a brief background that might help in understanding OC1 docs:
I co-founded a Venture Studio based in London a year ago (a venture builder or a company that launches its own startups in collaboration with other founders and VCs).
We launched two product-led tech startups serving in the AI and Blockchain industries.
lets name them Startup 1 and Startup 2, while the Venture studio is the holding (mother) company.
5 - Document describing the Venture Studio, including:
- Brief info about the two tech products we launched,
- Articles of association and share ownership.
6 - Startup 1 document - Including (description about the product and its innovation, my responsibilities as a tech lead, software architecture diagram documentation, company incorporation with articles of association, share ownership, associated traction).
7 - Startup 2 document - Similar to startup 1 document.
8 - Employment contract stating my salary as a CTO at one of my startups.
OC2:
8 - [Re-use from MC] - A document describing my senior role in tech-leading a non-profit initiative focusing on building a community of impact tech-enabled startups, including the impact we made in numbers from Google Analytics and social media dashboards in addition to a screenshot of my opening keynote
8 - Reference letter from the co-founder and Vice President of the initiative endorsing my work in making it happen.
9 - A document describing leading and organizing a large-scale tech-focused exhibition happening in London this July, powered by the Venture Studio i’m a part of, I described the exhibition mission and thought leadership, partnerships and sponsorships achieverd to date, registration numbers (not too much-just 70+ organic users, since the ads campaign hasn’t been launched yet) links and screenshots of the website - knowing that the event yet to be launched, is it valid evidence to submit?
OC3:
10 - Proof of significant contribution (impact) - A document with screenshots of detailed associated traction and revenue of the two startups.
My questions (TL;DR) :
1 - Is it fine to re-use LORs in the MC?
2 - The first LOR is from an advisor at the VC I used to work for, and he described my work at the company. The second LOR is from the CEO of the same VC, but she’s endorsing my work at my new startup after I left since she’s on the advisory board of my startup. Will it be a problem since two LORs are coming from one company?
3 - The initiative I led is financially sponsored by the same VC but it’s an independent organization by itself. It’s important to note that the Vice President of the initiative is also a partner at the VC. My question is whether there is a chance they consider the initiative as something related to my immediate employment at the VC (knowing that the initiative is only sponsored by them but operated and led independently with its own brand name).
4 - Are company account auditing reports required for my startups? Since there might be no time to obtain them, I can submit the financial statements from our accounting software instead.
5- I mentioned my startups technical documentation and diagrams in addition to their associated revenue in OC1 - what should be the difference with OC3 aside from the detailed traction? should I re-use the technical documentation since it’s stated in the criteria?
6- are company advisors LORs valid?
7- what points do you see weak or need to be re-organized? is there any addition info you feel messing?
8- I have ~ 6 years of overall professional career experience (however my age is a bit young since i was working since 1st year of uni) is there a chance i could apply for exceptional talent? or just keep it in the safe side and apply for promise?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read!
