The Accelerator Conundrum: 1Mby1M vs TinySeed

The Accelerator Conundrum is a multipart series that challenges the prevailing wisdom of the tech startup ecosystem that entrepreneurs should Blitzscale out of the gate. Written by Sramana Mitra, the Founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world’s first global virtual accelerator, it emphatically argues that a better strategy is to Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later, focus on customers, revenues and profits. 1Mby1M’s mission is to help a Million entrepreneurs reach a million dollars in annual revenue and beyond. Sramana’s Digital Mind AI Mentor virtually mentors entrepreneurs around the world in 57 languages. Try it out!

I asked Gemini: Now compare 1Mby1M and TinySeed.

Comparing 1Mby1M and TinySeed offers a great look at two accelerator models that both prioritize sustainable growth and cater to founders who might not fit the traditional hyper-growth, venture-capital-at-all-costs mold, particularly in the SaaS space. However, their specific approaches to funding, program structure, and engagement differ.

1Mby1M (One Million by One Million)

Core Philosophy: 1Mby1M aims to guide one million entrepreneurs to achieve one million dollars or more in annual revenue. Its fundamental premise is to teach founders how to build a sustainable, profitable business through bootstrapping and lean principles, with external funding being a strategic option pursued once significant traction and revenue are established.

Model:

• Virtual Pioneer: Founded in 2010, it’s known as the original global virtual accelerator, making its resources accessible worldwide.
• Equity-Free (Subscription Model): A key differentiator. 1Mby1M does not take equity. It operates on a highly affordable annual membership fee (around $1000 for its Premium program).
• Long-Term & Flexible: It’s not a fixed-term, intensive sprint. Members get continuous access to a comprehensive online curriculum, case studies, and live, interactive “Roundtable” sessions led by founder Sramana Mitra. This allows founders to learn and apply strategies at their own pace, often while still working on their core business or even a job.
• Strategic Consulting & Education: Heavy emphasis on teaching core business methodologies: positioning, go-to-market strategies, and how to become “fundable” by demonstrating strong revenue and traction.
• Global Community: Fosters a worldwide network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors through its virtual platform.
• Influencer Marketing & Connections: Leveraging Sramana Mitra’s extensive network and public profile, it offers opportunities for influencer marketing and strategic introductions to investors when companies are ready.
• Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later (if at all) Philosophy: The 1Mby1M mantra is Entrepreneurship = Customers + Revenues + Profits; Financing and Exit are Optional.
• Definition of Success: Sustainability, not just Unicorn chasing.
• Inclusive: Stated mission of not only helping the less than 1% venture fundable startups but also the other 99% startups that are not fundable, or not fundable yet.

Target Audience:

• Entrepreneurs at various stages (from idea validation to early revenue) committed to building profitable, sustainable businesses.
• Founders who prefer to bootstrap or minimize early equity dilution.
• Individuals seeking structured education and direct strategic advice from an experienced Silicon Valley insider.
• Globally distributed teams or solo founders looking for accessible, high-quality resources.
• Aspiring and very early-stage founders (pre-seed, often pre-product, sometimes pre-team or pre-idea).
• Founders bootstrapping with a paycheck.

Key Strengths:

• Extremely cost-effective with no equity taken, significantly reducing founder risk and dilution.
• Strong emphasis on sustainable revenue generation and profitability.
• Highly flexible, allowing founders to learn and build without intense time pressure or relocation.
• Provides actionable, strategic advice and problem-solving through direct engagement.
• Broad appeal and accessibility to entrepreneurs worldwide.
• Excellent investor network.

TinySeed

Core Philosophy: TinySeed is a startup accelerator designed specifically for bootstrapped (or mostly bootstrapped) SaaS founders who want to scale their software business without the pressure of traditional venture capital’s “unicorn-or-bust” mentality. It provides a small amount of capital for sustainable growth. In that sense, it is a small venture fund.

Model:

• Remote-First, Year-Long Program: TinySeed is designed as a fully remote, year-long accelerator program, often including optional in-person retreats for community building.
• Investment for Equity (Founder-Friendly): TinySeed does invest capital, typically ranging from $120,000 to $220,000, in exchange for an equity stake usually around 10-12%. They also have a “participation threshold” allowing founders to take a significant salary before dividends are paid to investors, aligning incentives for long-term profitability. The equity, however, is very expensive for the amount of capital offered.
• Focus on B2B SaaS: TinySeed is highly specialized, exclusively investing in and supporting B2B SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) companies with existing revenue. 
• Mentorship & Community: Emphasizes mentorship from successful SaaS founders through small mastermind groups and Slack.
• No Pressure for Rapid Exit: Their investment model and philosophy allow founders to focus on building a valuable, profitable business over the long term, without the immediate pressure for a massive exit common in traditional VC.
• Ecosystem Integration: Co-founded by Rob Walling (known for MicroConf and “Startups for the Rest of Us”), TinySeed is integrated into a broader ecosystem for independent SaaS founders.

Target Audience:

• Bootstrapped or lightly funded B2B SaaS companies that have achieved some initial revenue (typically below $1M ARR for the Accelerator).
• Founders who want to scale their SaaS business sustainably without significant external venture capital pressure.

Key Strengths:

• Provides patient capital for bootstrapped SaaS companies without the pressure of traditional VC terms.
• Highly specialized in B2B SaaS, offering targeted mentorship and insights.
• Strong emphasis on founder well-being and building a business that supports the founders’ desired lifestyle.
• Powerful community and network specifically for SaaS founders.
• Year-long program allows for sustained support and progress.

Key Differences Summarized:

In essence, 1Mby1M is a broad, globally accessible, and affordable educational and strategic consulting platform for any tech founder focused on revenue and profitability without giving up equity. 

TinySeed is a more specialized accelerator and investment fund explicitly for B2B SaaS founders with traction, providing capital in exchange for expensive equity.

1Mby1M’s non-equity model is a key advantage. Traction is not a requirement to join the program. 

If you are open to parting with a large chunk of equity for a small amount of patient capital, the two programs can be combined. You can get to traction with 1Mby1M before raising money for TinySeed.

Photo Credit: MYCCF from Pixabay

One Million by One Million (1Mby1M) is the first global virtual accelerator in the world, founded in 2010 by Silicon Valley serial Entrepreneur Sramana Mitra. It offers a fully online entrepreneurship incubation, acceleration and education resource for solo entrepreneurs and bootstrapped founders working on tech and tech-enabled services ventures. 1Mby1M does not charge equity, offers an AI Mentor in 57 languages, and offers a distinct advantage over other accelerators including Y Combinator.

This segment is a part in the series : The Accelerator Conundrum