As we approach 500 Global’s 14th anniversary, I reflect on our journey here and the remarkable founders we’ve partnered with. While our portfolio has grown, companies have scaled, and our investment scope has expanded across stages, our commitment to backing founders as one of their earliest investors remains steadfast. It is during these formative stages that we aim to forge enduring relationships with founders and help them lay the groundwork for long-term success.

When we kicked off the inaugural batch of 500 Global’s Flagship Accelerator, the world looked very different. Back in 2010, founders were navigating the rapidly growing tech platforms of social media, cloud, and mobile. We believed that mastering design, leveraging data, and optimizing distribution channels would be critical for startup success. With these technological shifts lowering barriers to entry, we also firmly believed that this next generation of startups would become increasingly interconnected globally.

Fast forward to 2024. 500’s Flagship Accelerator has invested in and accelerated more than 900 companies and 34 batches to date. What were once considered emerging, cutting edge technologies are now considered table stakes. Throughout the years, we’ve continuously adapted our accelerator curriculum to meet the evolving needs of founders. Today, amidst the surge of transformative tech like AI, the pace of global change seems more relentless than ever.

In the coming weeks, we’re excited to share more about the latest changes to 500 Global’s Flagship Accelerator, particularly around the latest changes to 500's Flagship Accelerator, focused on finding product / market fit faster, growing and scaling efficiently, and developing founders into the best versions of themselves to help them build successful companies. You’ll be hearing from partners, entrepreneurs in residence, founders, alumni founder coaches, other investment team members and more about their insights and experiences, advice for founders, and the impact of AI as a platform shift.  

We believe this is an incredibly exciting time to be building. History shows that tough economic times, combined with major technological shifts, have given rise to some of the most successful and innovative companies.

More to come - stay tuned on TheGlobalVC blog and our social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, X) about these exciting changes in the coming weeks and months leading up to our Fall Demo Day on October 8th!