Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Accelerator Application Questions
General Information
Sira.Community is our three-pronged approach to economic empowerment. Our You Can’t be What You Can’t See program includes outreach, education, and job-readiness for previously excluded populations and those who have been negatively impacted by the War on Drugs. As a union employer and industry leader we believe There is a Place For You in the Cannabis Industry. We work with trusted partners, like the Somerville Community Corporation, to connect with job-seekers and introduce them to the industry and job opportunities. Accelerator 2.0 offers in-depth mentoring, business advisory services and access to Sira’s manufacturing, retail, and wholesale distribution network. Our program seeks to empower entrepreneurs by leveling the playing field and giving priority status to economic empowerment and social equity applicants, women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses.
In 2018 Sira started it’s Accelerator 1.0 program that focused on helping Economic Equity applicants with product and brand development. Currently Sira’s Accelerator 2.0 Fellows are focused on opening retail locations in the Boston and Greater Boston area. We intend on accepting our next cohort in Fall of 2020.
Everyone is eligible for Sira.Community programs. We have an additional focus on individuals who have been affected by the War on Drugs, as well as, people of color, low-income individuals, women, and veterans.
- Sira Naturals maintains an up-to-date job portal. Feel free to send questions and inquiries to the Sira.Community team.
- Accelerator 2.0 might serve those with more experience in the industry.
- Sign-up for our newsletter! We keep the community updated with the latest events, education materials, and more. If you have any general questions feel free to fill out Sira’s general contact form. Link
Accelerator Application Questions
- We provide Accelerator 2.0 participants with technical and business information needed to fuel the success of their business.
- The SIRA ACCELERATOR does not make direct financial investments into our portfolio companies, but we can be very helpful in finding investors.
The Accelerator program accepts cannabis start-up teams. While our current fellows are retail businesses, we are interested in all business types. In our experience teams of at least two people are the most successful, thus, we encourage teams of at least two.
We do our best to avoid accepting groups that are in competition with each other into the same program cohort. However, with the growing number of cannabis companies, and as our program matures, it is possible that there may be groups that are in competition with each other in the Sira.Community network. In the event there is a group in the Sira Accelerator portfolio that is competitive, we can ensure that there is no exchange of sensitive data.
Probably not. We accept companies that have full business plans and help make them better. We can also help with the business model, introductions, financing, and more. On the other end of the spectrum, there is such a thing as too early. We only accept companies that have a clear idea of what they would like to produce.
The foundation of our program is based on the benefits of one-on-one meetings and mentorship with executives from Sira Naturals and our executive leadership team. Our curriculum focuses on providing fellows with the direct knowledge that is the most beneficial to them, and includes, but is not limited to:
- Access to Sira Accelerator and Sira Community Alumni.
- Access to Sira’s manufacturing and distribution networks.
- Business Curriculum
- Structuring LLC’s
- Human Resources
- Letters of Intent
- Negotiating Leases
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Cannabis Regulatory Environment
While we don’t screen out applications just because they have a single founder, we do look for great, balanced teams who have a full range of skills. We strongly advise you to seek co-founders who balance your skillset. For example, if you’re a strong product developer, you might consider adding someone with business and/or marketing experience. If you’re a great business evangelist with no product developer, it’s unlikely we’ll accept you into the program, so go find a rock star product developer to join you.
Every member of your team must be at least 21 years old.
We’re certainly 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 for you to disclose this to us if you’re not comfortable doing so. Period.
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