Joining an accelerator is like jumping on a trampoline. With the right preparation, you can launch far higher than you could alone. But not every founder hits the bounce just right.
At FIRSTPICK, we’ve run multiple accelerator programs and worked closely with over 100 early-stage startups. We’re involved from day one to Demo Day, and we’ve seen what separates those who take off from those who simply go through the motions.
Here are the five most important lessons we’ve learned from founders who made the most of the ride.
1️⃣ Create a Connection Wishlist
Before the program starts, invest time in prepping your network strategy. Review the LinkedIn profiles of the accelerator team and mentors. Make a list of people you want to meet.
🔧 Use this template to build your wishlist and share it with the team. It increases your chances of getting valuable introductions early.
💡 Example: A retail tech startup in our batch needed a warm intro to a peer who had already entered their market. It took just five minutes for a team member to make the connection, a meeting was booked that same week. This speed is the superpower of accelerators. Use it early.
2️⃣ Don’t Build in Isolation
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built Apple in a garage, but they had no better options. Today, founder communities are everywhere. Building alone might feel efficient, but surrounding yourself with other builders leads to faster learning and better outcomes.
Show up with intention.
Attend events not just to be seen, but to connect. Set yourself a goal for meaningful interactions per event.
💡 Example: One founder in Lithuania made it a monthly goal to meet 10 new ecosystem players. He tracked who, where, and followed up after each meeting this habit led to multiple investors and partners.
Use the accelerator’s co-working space.
At FIRSTPICK, founders swap growth hacks over coffee in our co-working space. Learning from others’ wins and mistakes saves you time and makes the journey less lonely.
Find your local community.
If you can’t join an accelerator hub, start local. Here are some builder communities in the Baltics:
- Basedspace (Vilnius 🇱🇹)
- Rockit (Vilnius 🇱🇹)
- Startup House (Riga 🇱🇻)
- The Intelligent Space (Riga 🇱🇻)
- LIFT99 (Tallinn 🇪🇪)
- Palo Alto Club (Tallinn 🇪🇪)
3️⃣ Use Your North Star Metric (NSM) to Filter Feedback
Accelerators offer a flood of feedback. Some of it is brilliant, some conflicting. How do you know what advice to follow?
Start with your North Star Metric (NSM) – a single metric that captures the core value your product delivers to customers and drives sustainable growth.
💬 “A startup without a North Star is like a team without a scoreboard, everyone’s moving, but no one knows if they’re winning.”
— Artūras Baravykas, former Head of Strategy at Vinted & FIRSTPICK mentor
💡 NSM Examples:
- % of users who complete a key action (e.g. repeat purchase, upgrade)
- Daily active users (DAU) for a consumer app
- MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) for a SaaS product
If your NSM is user retention, then a mentor’s advice to launch a new landing page should only be implemented if it supports retention. Otherwise, it’s noise.
💬 Alex Iskold (Techstars) calls this effect “mentor whiplash” — hearing so many opinions that you lose focus. Your NSM is your filter.
4️⃣ Treat the Accelerator Like a Sprint
An accelerator isn’t a side project, it’s a full-on sprint. Founders who treat it as their main priority get 10x more value from it. Set SMART goals before the program begins. At FIRSTPICK, we ask each team to define 3–5 goals for the program. They should be specific, measurable, and achievable:
- Secure 100 paying customers
- Complete 30 user interviews
- Sign 10 partnership agreements
Everyone should be involved.
In early-stage startups, job titles blur. The CTO might pitch. The CEO might write code. What matters is speed and ownership.
💡 Example: Some of the strongest teams we’ve backed had technical co-founders confidently handling investor calls and business leads owning product QA. That’s what full commitment looks like.
5️⃣ Think Beyond Demo Day
Demo Day is not the end. In many ways, it’s just the beginning.
Build your roadmap around real milestones.
Ignore the calendar-driven structure and focus on your next fundable event. What will make your company investable three months from now?
Set post-programme expectations.
If your accelerator is also a VC, they’ll stay in your corner for years. But good relationships start with clarity. Ask and align on:
- Who will be your main contact after the program?
- How often will you check in?
- What metrics will you report (and how)?
- What support do you expect and when?
The more you align upfront, the stronger your post-accelerator runway will be.
Final Thoughts
Accelerators don’t build your startup for you, but they’ll give you the bounce. Whether you soar or stall depends on how prepared, focused, and committed you are.
At FIRSTPICK, we’re here to help you jump with intention and land with momentum.
Applications are always open — apply now if you’re ready to scale. 🦄