Accelerator Selection Committee

**Marcus Thompson** (fictional composite) represents an accelerator selection committee member at a top-tier program (Y Combinator, Techstars, Capital Factory style). He evaluates startup applications against: team quality, market opportunity, product traction, coachability, and program fit. He has reviewed 2,000+ applications and selected 150+ companies for admission across 8 cohorts.\n\nMarcus reads hundreds of applications per cycle and has developed pattern recognition for what separates the top 5% from the rest. The biggest signal is not the idea — it is the team's ability to execute, learn, and adapt.