Frequently Asked Questions

What are the membership fees?

Thanks to our generous partners and sponsors, membership dues for startups are only $250 per month, paid quarterly. Dues cover all the costs related to your participation - founder pod placement, meeting space, monthly local events, access to the OTR online community, and discounted resources. Additionally, many venture capital funds provide subsidies for their startups to participate in Off The Record.



What is the time commitment to participate?

Members are required to attend all pod sessions. Sessions will be scheduled amongst your group members, at a time convenient for everyone. Pods meet approximately once a month and each session generally lasts 3 hours. Participation is not required in regards to local events, conferences, retreats, and online communities, but is highly recommended.



When is OTR coming to my city?

Hopefully soon! We are working hard to expand to new cities and entrepreneurial hubs. The best way to guarantee we get to your city is to sign up for the waitlist and share that link with other startup founders and investors in your city. The more the demand, the sooner we can get a chapter set up!



Can my co-founders also participate?

Yes! We even have specialized pods so that each C-level founder can cover topics specific to his/her role (e.g. CTO, CRO).



Can my staff also participate?

Off The Record is focused on building a community for startup founders. While your team members cannot participate in founder pods and certain member-only events, we do organize events specifically for other members of your team, such as digital marketing workshops, PR/media events, and more.



How often do you host events?

Chapter events are held 1-2 times per month and include happy hours, group workshops, fireside chats, or local outings. Some events are open to team members outside of the founding team. Conferences and retreats are held 2-3 times per year and organized by Off The Record HQ. These events bring together founders from various chapters all over the country.



Will I be in the same pod as my co-founders?

Each co-founder in a company plays a unique role and has different needs. With that in mind, we assign co-founders from the same company into different pods to best suit their specific needs.



What are the requirements to join Off The Record?

Off The Record is a unique organization created to support founders in fast growing startups. To qualify to participate, you must meet the following criteria: 1. The startup must raise a minimum of $1M USD and no more than $15M to apply. 2. The company HQ must be located in the same city as the program chapter. 3. The main participants in the program must be C-level co-founders of the startup. If you meet the above criteria, you can apply here.



How does my firm become a Venture Fund Partner?

Our recognized Venture Fund Partners can endorse their portfolio companies to become members of OTR and participate in OTR related programming. To become a recognized partner please complete this form.



How does the application process work?

Once you submit your application, a member of the OTR team will reach out to you to confirm your eligibility. Our goal is to better understand you and your co-founders’ needs. We will also review the participation guidelines with you and issue an invoice for the first quarter membership dues. We will then assign you to founder pods based on each co-founders’ unique needs. We'll review your potential pod members with you prior to finalizing assignments. Your first pod session will be held approximately one month after the application closing date. A launch consultant will guide your first session to set expectations and guidelines. After the initial session, your pod will meet independently each month at a time convenient for all of you. We will periodically check in with your pod both remotely and in-person to hear any feedback you may have. We are also available by phone or email if you have any questions.