Agora x 5Y Capital, "Supersonic Program" 2022 Spring Cohort Opens Recruitment
Help startups grow in ways that create real value.
On February 17, Agora and 5Y Capital jointly launched recruitment for the spring 2022 cohort of "Supersonic," their accelerator program. Applications are open through March 6, with the program kicking off online on March 12.
This cohort of Supersonic is open to all early-stage companies in the RTE (Real-Time Engagement) space, with particular focus on startups building in the metaverse, IoT, and enterprise collaboration. To better help startups grow in meaningful ways, the program has undergone a comprehensive upgrade to its partner benefits, offering admitted founders more free product credits, deeper technical and go-to-market support, and broader global coverage — all aimed at helping entrepreneurs solve real pain points across product, technology, capital, and market access, enabling them to innovate and build at lower cost and higher efficiency.
Comprehensive Upgrade to Startup Partner Benefits
Accelerating Value Creation for RTE Startups
As offline life and commerce steadily digitize and move online, real-time interaction technology is finding traction across social, workplace, entertainment, education, and industrial applications — with RTE entrepreneurs unlocking ever more innovative use cases. To catalyze and expand this still-early track, Agora partnered with 5Y Capital last year to launch Supersonic, drawing 133 applications and admitting 20 startup partners spanning泛娱乐, IoT, enterprise collaboration, education, and healthcare.
The spring 2022 program runs three months and builds on last year's foundation with three major upgrades: 1) More free product credits — global cloud providers and technology partners have joined to offer RTE builders greater free resource support; 2) Deeper technical and GTM support — commercialization, product, and engineering veterans in audio/video, networking, and AI serve as dedicated buddies to troubleshoot founder challenges in real time; new programming including the Supersonic podcast and VC Day helps startups gain visibility from multiple angles; 3) Broader geographic coverage — first-time reach into APAC markets including Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, providing more intensive support to help RTE startup partners accelerate growth.
Beyond these highlighted upgrades, admitted partners gain access to comprehensive resources and support across four areas:
1. Technology & Product: Achieving "Supersonic" Product and Technical Growth
This year's technical and product support includes not only one million minutes of audio/video calling from Agora, a 10,000 RMB credit package from Easemob, and ecosystem partner bundles; AWS, Oracle, Microsoft, Google and other leading global cloud providers, along with Rokid, Cocos and other established vendors, have also joined the partner ecosystem to provide startups with additional resources that lower early-stage costs.
Some ecosystem partners
2. VC & Incubation: Full-Spectrum Coaching for Entrepreneurial Pain Points
As co-founder of Supersonic, 5Y Capital will work alongside VC partners including GGV, MiraclePlus, Linear Capital, and Shunwei Capital to provide one-on-one coaching, offering venture capital perspective on the challenges facing early-stage companies.
Meanwhile, Shanghai Yangpu Dachuangzhi and Beijing Chaoyang OTEC will offer special awards for the program's final pitch competition, including landing and incubation opportunities, cash awards, and policy guidance. Incubator partners such as TusStar will provide startup curricula, tax and finance coaching, and other one-stop support services.
Some VC and incubator partners
3. Community & Ecosystem: Growing Alongside Like-Minded Peers
Supersonic companies enjoy lifetime alumni benefits, free access to industry events and salons, and ongoing support from buddy teams of frontline experts in product, marketing, and sales — comprehensive coverage for early-stage pain points.
Community event — Supersonic Open Mic Day
4. Marketing & Brand: Precision Exposure to the RTE Track's Core Audience
Winning teams from the Supersonic closing demo day will present at Agora's RTE Conference, pitching to investors and seasoned industry experts. The top three finishers will also receive cash awards and full-channel exposure.
2021 RTE Conference Startup Forum
Entrepreneurship is inherently lonely and grinding, so beyond resourcing its partners, Supersonic aims to create a relaxed atmosphere for learning and growth. This cohort will feature three offline events incorporating LEGO, tabletop games, sandbox simulations, and treasure hunts — weaving in market insights, business model canvases, and GTM coursework to inspire while deepening peer connection. As the program's slogan goes: startup for startup, peer learning in playing.
LEGO® Serious Play® at the fall 2021 cohort kickoff
Growing Together with Startup Partners
Expanding the Boundaries of the RTE Track
As a novel foundational capability at the frontier of the next generation of digital economy, real-time interaction is accelerating the integration of online and offline as mobile internet technology advances, gradually permeating every industry. At the October 2021 RTE Conference, Agora founder and CEO Tony Zhao unveiled the "RTE Panorama" mapping real-time interaction scenarios, stating that he hoped to give global entrepreneurs more inspiration and perspective to jointly refine and explore the genuine value and innovation points within these scenarios.
Building on this vision, last year's inaugural Supersonic cohort recruited 20 projects as founding partners to explore new scenarios and opportunities in real-time interaction, refine products, and unearth new value across industries. The program ultimately surfaced standout RTE startups including audio community Qishuier, enterprise livestreaming platform venue.live, full-stack virtual human operator Chuanghuan Technology, AR optical display technology firm Lingxi MicroLight, virtual event platform Vland, and intelligent virtual content technology provider Huiye Technology. Following graduation, cohort companies rct.ai, Authing, and Vland each raised tens of millions in USD and RMB financing, while Huiye Technology secured several million USD.
"We've found that the real-time internet has become an independent and promising industry track. As pioneers of this track, we've seen tremendous real-time interaction innovation emerging on our platform," said Yang Hui, Agora's Senior Director of Market Ecosystem. "We hope to become a co-creation partner for entrepreneurs through Supersonic, jointly defining and expanding the real-time interaction track."
How to Apply
Who can apply: All early-stage companies in the RTE space! We evaluate using the SPERT framework.
(SPERT: Special Power Excursion Reactor Test — a nuclear testing term)
Application process: Scan the QR code below to fill out the form (submit information → online discussion → cross-evaluation → admission confirmation).
After receiving applications, the Supersonic team will conduct online discussions, request supplementary information, and hold interviews and cross-evaluations, ultimately admitting 20 startup teams (rolling admissions — we encourage interested teams to apply early for earlier evaluation).
FAQ
1. Are there any fees to apply or participate?
No fees for application or admission. Teams not based in the offline event city will need to cover their own travel; we provide lunch and snacks during event days.
2. Where are the offline sessions? Is in-person attendance required?
Offline sessions take place in Shanghai. After the March kickoff, sessions are planned every two weeks, each spanning one weekend (two days), with no virtual participation option. We will separately host online themed sessions to help participants connect and exchange.
3. Is using Agora's products and services mandatory?
No hard requirement. Supersonic aims to co-define the RTE map with early-stage real-time interaction companies and help startups efficiently innovate and build. Whether or not you use Agora products is not a screening criterion, and no equity is required.
4. What happens after I submit the application?
The Supersonic team will contact you (please ensure your contact information is accurate). Screening is rolling, so we encourage early applications. Selection involves online screening and judge scoring, including a roughly one-hour video call to better understand your product.
5. What information is required? Do I need a pitch deck?
The application form is sufficient to apply, but a deck will be needed subsequently. During the online interview, applicants should present their deck and give a company and product presentation of no more than twenty minutes, and provide the deck document before and after the interview for cross-evaluation. We recommend having a polished deck ready at the time of application.
6. My company is not in this cohort's focus industries. Can I still apply, and will it affect my chances?
You may apply, and it will not affect your admission chances. The focus industries indicate areas of heightened attention, not selection criteria. Supersonic is open to all early-stage projects in real-time interaction, evaluated holistically on the SPERT dimensions described above.
5Y Capital seeks out, supports, and inspires lonely entrepreneurs, providing support from spirit to all operational matters. We believe that if the "crazy" you in others' eyes begins to be believed in, the world will become a different place.
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