Updates on Startup Leadership Program Beijing:Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

We first wrote about Startup Leadership Program’s China presence couple months ago announcing they’re bringing their popular techspace incubating program into China with the kickstart of its SLP Beijing program. After making hard decisions in choosing from lots of applicants, they’ve now had several sessions centered around how to make a successful startup in China with big-name mentors participating including Wayne Shiong from Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Stephen Bell from Triology, Rocky Lee from CADWALDER and Roger Hu VP of MatrixPartners China.

According to SLP Beijing Startup Leadership Program director Tony An, for this year’s Beijing program 29 applicants made it to the finalists with disparate backgrounds while 7 out of them are expats.

From the previous sessions, SLP fellows were given access to some of the most recognized mentors in Chinese startup ecosystem, like these aforementioned guys. It’s one thing to think about doing a startup in China, one of the fastest-growing tech markets. It’s another thing to do it by oneself. Frustrating setbacks and unexpected pitfalls are eternal themes along entrepreneurs’ way. To listen to inspirational lectures and to reflect on the thoughts of your peers in the same class, is what SLP program is trying to offer its fellows.

Except for “talk the talk,” SLP is also coaching you how to “walk the walk.” One of its session titled “Idea Validation” requires its fellow students to do some field research on street to get a deeper understanding of market condition and market size before diving into it rashly. It’s critical in the process of turning ideas into something workable. Ideas are always fancy-looking, while reality always catches people off guard.

For those who missed out on applying for this year’s program, applications for the Class of 2012 are now closed and will re-open in June next year, you can check their website for more details and wait for next year’s round.