Many accelerators struggle with maintaining value for their alumni startups after the program concludes. It’s definitely no easy feat to keep the alumni engaged, but it’s worth it. Let’s learn from the best and see how they do it.
The flywheel effect of supporting startups
Supporting startups after graduation isn’t just about goodwill – it benefits both the accelerator and its founders. The more successful the alumni startups, the better for the accelerator’s reputation and portfolio performance.
This creates a flywheel effect – strong alumni make the accelerator stronger.
When graduates succeed, they boost the accelerator’s reputation, attract better startups, and often return as mentors or investors. Participating in the accelerator also becomes a stamp of credibility, opening doors for the alumni, attracting more investors and better deals.
3 key ways to support accelerator alumni after the program ends
1. Alumni networks and mentorship
Some accelerators offer an active alumni network, where founders can seek advice from peers, past participants, and mentors in areas such as fundraising, hiring, and scaling.
Y Combinator’s alumni network is one of its biggest advantages. Founders get access to a private forum where they can ask for advice, share insights, and even get direct help from past YC founders. YC partners also remain available for guidance long after the program ends.
2. Follow-on funding and investor connections
Accelerators can offer follow-on funding or growth-stage programs for alumni looking to raise later rounds. They can also introduce startups to investors and corporate partners for further investments or to facilitate secondary deals.
Entrepreneur First continues to back promising founders with follow-on investments and connect them to top-tier VCs, acting like a talent incubator.
3. Business and marketing support
Accelerators can help alumni secure partnerships, assist them in breaking into new markets, or feature their success stories on (social) media to boost visibility and credibility.
maintaining value for their alumni startups after the program concludesPlug and Play Tech Center connects startups with Fortune 500 companies, offering ongoing business development opportunities.
How to kick off that flywheel effect?
Supporting your alumni post-graduation can seem like a lot of extra work, so take it one step at a time. Consistency always beats intensity – start small and figure out a level of support that’s manageable for your accelerator.
Small steps compound over time. Once you get the wheel spinning, it starts turning faster and faster on its own.
Focus on these three key moves:
- Start building a community early – don’t wait until startups graduate. Create channels (Slack, private forums, meetups) that encourage sharing, support, and relationship-building from day one.
- Celebrate alumni wins publicly – make a habit of featuring them in newsletters, social media, demo days, etc. Their success signals value to future applicants and investors.
- Keep giving value – your startups are always going to be your babies, so keep supporting them after graduation, hold alumni events, introduce them to investors or partners, and offer access to mentors.
Treat alumni as your partners
Want to know what kind of support your graduates need and where you are already succeeding? Well, just ask them.
Run quick check-ins or surveys to learn what support they’ve used – or wish they had. Take a look at the engagement: are they joining events, posting in forums, reaching out to mentors? Low activity can signal a mismatch.
Track outcomes, too. If many alumni hit the same wall (like post-seed fundraising), that’s a clear sign of where you can offer more value. Finally, bring alumni into the loop – invite them to mentor, give feedback to the program, or co-create content. They’ve lived the experience and can help you make it better.
The best accelerators treat alumni like collaborators, not just graduates.
