ESSEC ALUMNI · APAC · AI-POWERED · PILOT COHORT 1

ESSEC Spark APAC

From idea to traction — powered by AI

For ESSEC alumni in APAC who are working but ready to test their startup idea.

6+12

6 weeks to validate.
12 weeks to build & launch.

15→3

15 teams in validation.
Top 3 advance to build & launch.

€500

Grant per team*
For top 3 teams advancing.

*Matched 1-for-1 by the founding team (€1,000 total)

Apply Now See the Programme

Applications close on June 15 · Phase 1 starts August 3 · Demo Day December 11

What You Get

Not an educational programme. A structured path from side idea to real startup.

🤖

AI Workflows Every Week

Research, landing pages, traffic generation, interview synthesis, MVP building, acquisition — all AI-powered. Leave with a toolkit you’ll reuse forever.

🧪

Proven Validation Method

6 weeks, 2 experiments, real traffic (online + offline), real data. A proven validation method used by top accelerators.

🚀

Build & Launch (Phase 2)

Top 3 projects advance to 12 weeks of intensive execution: ship an MVP, acquire users, generate first revenue.

👥

Interfounder Office Hours

The most valuable format in top accelerators: founders challenging and supporting each other weekly. No generic mentors — only operators and builders.

💼

Keep Your Day Job

Phase 1: 5–7 hrs/week. Phase 2: ~10–15 hrs/week. AI handles the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.

🎯

Exposure to investors

Demo Day in December with ESSEC alumni investors and ecosystem partners. Strong projects get warm intros to accelerators and angels.

Phase 1 — Validate (6 Weeks)

10–20 participants. Weekly 90-min live sessions with AI demos and peer hot seats, plus AI-assisted fieldwork. Fast, structured, experiment-driven.

Week 1

Idea to Hypothesis

Frame your startup idea as a testable hypothesis. Identify your riskiest assumption.

AI: Problem research & market synthesis

Week 2

Design Experiment #1 + Traffic Strategy

Design your first validation test. Build your traffic plan: online (communities, LinkedIn, cold outreach, content) and offline (meetups, events, conversations). Identify 3+ channels.

AI: Landing page builder + outreach drafter

Week 3

Run Experiment #1 + Execute Traffic

Activate your channels — online and offline. Drive real people to your experiment. Track what works.

AI: Content engine for outreach & social listening

Week 4

Analyse & Iterate

Interpret results, separate signal from noise, design Experiment #2.

AI: Data analysis & insight extraction

Week 5

Run Experiment #2

Execute your refined experiment. Deepen customer conversations. Test willingness to pay.

AI: Interview transcription & competitive intel

Week 6

Phase 1 Demo Day — Selection

Present your findings. Top 3 projects are selected for Phase 2. Everyone walks away with a go/no-go decision and a reusable AI toolkit.

AI: Pitch structure & presentation design

Phase 2 — Build & Launch (12 Weeks)

Highly selective: only the top 3 projects advance. Starts immediately after Phase 1 selection. Ship a live MVP, acquire real users, generate first revenue.

Weeks 1–4 (Sep 22 – Oct 17)

MVP Build

Define ruthlessly minimal scope. Build with AI as your coding partner. Ship to first 10 users.

AI: Rapid prototyping & no-code builds

Weeks 5–8 (Oct 20 – Nov 14)

Acquisition & First Revenue

Activate growth channels. Optimise onboarding. Run pricing experiments. Pursue first paying customers.

AI: Growth automation & content at scale

Weeks 9–12 (Nov 17 – Dec 11)

Scale & Prepare

Double down on what works. Automate with AI. Prepare Demo Day materials. Refine investor narrative.

AI: Ops automation & pitch prep

December 11

Demo Day — Live Product + Traction

Present to a jury of ESSEC alumni investors and ecosystem partners. Live product demo, real metrics, real users.

Path to Tier 1 programmes & angel investors

Who Is This For?

This programme is built for a specific kind of person. Does this sound like you?

ESSEC Alumnus/Alumna

Any programme — BBA, MIM, Specialized Masters, GMBA, EMBA.

Based in APAC

Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Mumbai, Jakarta, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, or elsewhere in the region.

Currently Working

You have a stable job but a startup idea you keep thinking about. You haven’t taken the leap yet.

Ready to Test with AI

5–7 hours/week for 6 weeks. No AI expertise needed — we teach the workflows.

Your idea does NOT need to be an AI startup. We use AI as the tool, not the topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my startup idea need to be AI-related?

No. Your idea can be in any industry. We use AI as the tool to accelerate your validation, not as the topic. Whether you’re exploring fintech, food delivery, or fashion — AI helps you test faster.

Do I need AI experience?

Not at all. We teach every AI workflow from scratch. If you can use a search engine, you can learn this. Curiosity is the only prerequisite.

Does it cost anything?

The programme itself is free. You’ll use free-tier AI tools (we’ll share a recommended list at kickoff). The only real “cost” is your time (~5–7 hours per week).

I don’t have a fully formed idea yet. Can I still apply?

Yes. You need a problem space and a rough direction, but it doesn’t need to be polished. The programme — and AI — helps you sharpen it.

Can I apply with a co-founder?

Yes! Teams of up to 2 are welcome. At least one member must be an ESSEC alumnus/alumna.

What time are the live sessions?

APAC-friendly evenings (e.g. 8pm SGT / 9pm HKT). All sessions are recorded for those who can’t join live.

What happens if I’m not selected for Phase 2?

You still walk away with a clear go/no-go decision backed by real data, a reusable AI validation toolkit, and a network of fellow alumni founders. Many participants will discover their idea needs a pivot or isn’t worth pursuing — that’s a valuable outcome too.

How much time does Phase 2 require?

Phase 2 is more intensive: ~10–15 hours per week for 12 weeks (late Sep–Dec). You’re building a real product and acquiring real users. It’s still designed for people with day jobs, but you’ll need to carve out serious evening/weekend time.

What’s the €500 build grant?

Each Phase 2 team receives €500 from the programme, matched 1-for-1 by the founding team (€1,000 total). This ensures skin in the game while giving you real fuel: hosting, AI tool subscriptions, small ad budgets, domains — whatever accelerates your venture. You report how you used it at Demo Day.

How does the path to Tier 1 programmes work?

We’re building direct relationships with leading APAC accelerators and ecosystem partners. Strong Phase 2 projects with a live MVP and traction will receive warm introductions. The December Demo Day jury includes investors and programme representatives.