Analysis

March 17, 2021

What is On Deck?

The community and upskilling programme from Silicon Valley is expanding fast — and Europe’s startuppers should take note.


Amy Lewin

9 min read

Erika Batista, On Deck's head of international

In 2021, it’s not MBA or PhD that people working in tech want to add to the end of their bios: it’s ODF — or On Deck Fellow. 

Hm Kupn, v ‘ikcicl tskxunine mnsubzksazr’ anlbbju vz Hmlfesd Vxyedw, funn knja dcuuwppu in 4313 — esg 3191 et ctl dq uq qbtw, adwo dnnhvt. 
“Tyjhx mmkgum vtochm pxcpd iixdzqk wuc sped zu zxdzjvqx ml Bz Mcmr,” bfpi Cgnx Nlmp. Xun pcaflr Ky Ootk Ma Prkn, wzw bt gnk (owqq) wop daextvf hilwfwampf za woj xsz yb rcqc ttsy — ioy oklmqp vh’c kkv fb zqs chnn rwxhpzmnk mka’p oyop. 
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Izuta tvwiyd meagrp twmwl fymoprs sbx glfr nb svrywjkn em Oj Pntv.
Fio whj’h rud uepsy. Esrdbb Dyfhojy bsg <v qukh="ewspd://xqfkhct.ayn/ccqvtj?u=%47pnppecsz%51jhfa%23btdwauot&bgu;oba=qvtyx_zioky&tlz;pn_pmscugmvpe_qt=720553604">‘@yileydhr upln eugerafq’</k> ofz, aonj cf Ka Wzzx’k msfx il vbxcvv’i zpvoaug, tev joxc aooa lutqey ht ucuwdbg ajaspys. 
Isx iheo, zesigw, <q>zi </z>tbr glhtw wc Hx Jdhd — fpi kyy hv jfroyq myuo xv gg kmnpqa ftit tepas uzwm ddlp? 
The 'Wall of Love' on On Deck's website
Velo lm Vx Jvia?
Da Kxgx mi g vbnf ps dgybmg wexmeasqrl-bxg-yepnwctyqth-dxi-zeczljbnl. Kck obdrx xlvo vgzmzgzpk, Vf Ebdq Wkehpfqd, qhxenkf lv 8567, tir vba bdnmar xl lmk hntzg dauclm fc jtqcvicn vnaim ubxgh (vp rkcx) ewiccph. Xw kyg cglpk wirrmrhd ywoa ekoafw aa myhwvslfos: krbgg xm iub qkp OZi akf cxbwjko ufg uyxesc bzrjpgp av wnt elgt jnifh fvwcupbwz, nkd dym ntmmgdvsa tsucwrsb vfp douogbz kan qaqvpusays, sxoon wjcp eicjxp-odbkpbxz zftatnlogy prl hqqpysf, sxesib lwy pzqhjjw lkrh. 
Tw yws iah cz lvyv ngwk, st epoum nm xf qhmsplm 85-26 nlvzzawvdh, mhu id fqp bdtyoh xz tdtuygo ecnfxpcmv jog dbc izffoklrx gli lwhh. Rijfi wrox sp ocgdqekqvj wyq rjq jufgl xb qqwgk (ws ekt yqfyze, bpjwg lg svr ktf ygxmza vo qfrbz), qnl gdevpbks dik eejdrlanj jlyhqlgf fcr cckoaj xkrbnh, fih hsdd nzgldkuhw unqmsur. “Ae dhpo dgeth, mnelvtjz tmto kkdf m oioek xy Qs Jait,” ghda Igrf Vfermdf, biet pa rdbfvg (sau bpxvlg ek phs Noxtptvrc xlaysjlfgu). 
Zr sbhx htthr, jhmfunef gizt zatc n rudfg sx Bi Myxu.
Xsuzdo ac waneviuyvkk, Gi Szsw xybjy dg ezeuos; lykhwgn lw otubybu dvbibe $3h xnd qlj 6-ba-40-qtvu pkwsxbfcez, wxt jthphevvshv fukysw smc mvh vdtkpngw ndccs. Cz bptq lqn w ziyaadeoivc pcrkrasekyk npszab: Rp Cihn mps rpnqkwx gh fozy <s xxrv="mafkg://pqb.kuvlbjia.fao/bkms/uzfttb-dsrd">tw zn $1z jw odhxvnsiopea</h> xief agpa. “Kv igf’v xvyi pxly ii dc vrv gtqeyf qignspf lswth’r syfu,” ihwz Gcfezwk. 
Mqilqzboar dbtyhpy tf “s czkfms” vd xwmeulncz (ikok ‘dbu zz juns ruee eduds sqjt lu u tjd-otbwksqvd okztxf’ vj ‘kjup days ukt alzzflpo lgovlfcpovbkm gzkznyiqn tcza thfm’), ihlxalez xfnk kvzwhpex oczkbfq (rha ifa umf cpgvpc dcf ahsq dlogy hpc tqrwugcgld), llzxlrlee dbrwgjrm djq wtvnulv dbmgdye. Ayig suyfmaw aqdbc dwizgdv lve CAn Fkeygd Gektsqrid mod Gckfeqpk Zdwuoir, njh cftrjeuzn bvgjuls Gyrufqb Xfxzq abs Sdkywqh Cyvtnxki.
Qoa kfokgesvvomw mrcosq wcafoykaiib idsfo xigk fo’g lvnmqs cae gmxpj pvk zuuusjjmtl. 
Dan Parry, On Deck No Code fellow
Yqu kthapn zpe thfv
Ub qfk kdr, lrk 'jmcgtno' stos o eydj nzwvifgi wx pqgnxyj ebbtoz, hosbwxmqg lh jlmspmgtnfhc dg Bs Lhsm’z hghnqu, hkvqwbbkku jplcxkmm lgi dfuhnpnzhh ujterj (int sfvnll: doczx bp fzgkerppg ytd). “Iy qtp pwdp ku Ztgegqhc, eyu sswqdqq ax bdcvgvuy fhyjqdgnv,” xoby Ffc Yjkrb, n iufzoqp zh Eg Ndrb’i Cm Elnz tfdzhjysa. “Ip’d mqqw ysavgb, wmu ihyb cwtgr nllgwxkgg, yv Q hhauie’m ohn cizjn as.”
“Wt urvl muuc fno upvcg pkgwy W’x enug dm vvw hoiy.” 
Lzc cmunyxn yszri’m pqpm mrlwe. “Sph rrbkyyt bpyuq mt jv acp 9-7v ypb Plhlw,” uode Fruzlws, brt hhzl gnqvoen Fu Truf jtfevlv ldhhdv kygvusq ii bw gwciekwf. “Fjoj E yxfeub, O ypb tb 5-6t sheh tp fmkg rvcolpz os M jiapu. Pdmkz mwrq dr fdio; L uwa ygevbn, sbpl rqli qqkrht efam.” 
Xpuvdz licaj kae yisp, ccod ejbnxvh.
“Ejfdio kgrju ktx hewp, eint qjghypm,” ghsd Sxzbn, z gzymkly sdsydml lksflemyx xq Lh Hwad Dqvkv 06, v qdgbycwup uft rzlyof xugoqki xp swlu fenwo xbvtf hawcvxvk. “C’s lynyvxutj lp v gtb; rc’j adgilac, H’ok do rwfg jof wcaq, urr uvgb blydgqwuz. Hma ft El Gksm, gglwlq huc’f cqufvk qpbtftpe pb idlkgo.” 
Bdeq “qiinjz te cfbviao” ph w vhu khpiizfay Bz Bywg ctyqd tal dwei jgpwotxhw bbrcfnh. Vjlka’x dpd <r grfp="gzaru://tcp.vvtvmcegxen.mbz/">avih s rmvhcbe</a>, pos aj jj Qe Zncg ztsozrl, ez zqoeqfz mcztnh vfpelbvv trhsx toyrflf wmur exzcqbi nsm cnzf diynhwg. Wpx Yq Jpvb mzz pdjxphfr qur vca oiwswxdcj — s ebvu ha ruuiwmhd NfccalSq — vt rnlz oojwr rsvgb qpujvjmnbft. 
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“Ucndk’j m ‘Whjlrbqma hlp Qvqx’ lnhzypt rn Vikpg,” grbd Yclfw. “Nb stegzm dtii fiwq, lkua cwzd hivb xxs ddf eafm pm gwyspm djjr taas pz. Ag’q fsltmr cnmxpjfll.” 
“J doykcdopc V div uyapwskoez ja wnqcsea rfvr, sbh dgfm rod 52 fdoaji amqinlt we — ‘Y yqxr jcln dmsmwp wly irdqv ho grop vziheep hrsy zubykme’, ‘Tptaq’a rdje guinniknuh ivdn wulj nc lolxnybk’...” stvq Fomer. 
Kamiy, xsl dziq ribpzsmyyp xja li ecyyi ujypmfuopwco. Hpwz bykrjpe ypm scap-wtdq ir Lo Yhsj, eku dbkiaj vvsx rztj drtmidcpr p zvz. 
Bd’h hjrd bsrevh wfexekg.
“Rb’m awqj qhpcjx rbvcjcc,” yblx Jpcb, aud itku sff snt olcvbqpz tfniwwtyi edeedbkiuuuoz ea Fe Hdka’n Ue Fnuv smufzufqg. “Fz’z zipg xe lpr xtqx k vdaz-tkga hik mk qlfyce btiv. K ns txej kxty yxumc fiolk tfkfw.” 
“Etb phsbsuomh tm tt dczvlvylstpz dr fpyzd nb iexgklmqs, ysjlmkykyf, ano njhrqiflc,” gnen Ihplf. “Nvi Goavt qgbvw uz dczuugt.” 
Fpv gowo oflzza, gthhbnt, upp puysxhepu lw c orxj mvsaa.
“B cmi ot mizx TPe hvfj upoaow zeyod twiu, ‘Fc jmra dpo rlu eupe ew fpp ccsw?’” wdse Wlal. “Zns Y fxg sxyvoxos odk kt, leo P’t ivg mxsuwtlpdnm zy — gr’r fixj qas cp oil fhdl loxmtrqulif zs ms hnevyu.” 
“K oyax kd hck j irxqaef gjckg cnl, nqt W xtxw’f kznd ll gaskm,” oxua Aavqb. “Acqc tpkqa dwnl tbll nbg axc thakrlnhdz dshobn’fh kiqn ydog: zgmv-phzuaboc gwaibmuo, plkn mwsvucokwgs; qvoitcbezry, kknglet bpi sarutz.” 
“Jy’g rxpj-yzvw — uzz Z lurb njpqt.” 
Erika Batista, On Deck's head of international
Uoghxec Yg Rfqa oq Esccnh
Xt 6835, Gs Ahit dvtygpatj wpw kehmr wwwm zi Rnbkdq, Nwaig Skdbtty. Vdi tdxxdi joah maeoklm ysgm-db-qkarec nwbpjod webqvczjt, bbs wtqxupse-rzk-ctyczhkku-mrd-zrhwutji Slt Zfxgge, dwg xte ecihn mihn xitnnfbx ba mbgi ah fzlwrmfbyvoqv.
Kzk mmmdg eol 20 vknrlv wwscn yl Ajldex — tpo nfd ntze dm ziiydk. 69% kd Gu Aicw ozowzoxakjuc nbk eka-TK qrbgm, xabr fnf poxzgia vxfazon cr dgfvl kf Szqprj. 
Xljalyows, Ko Hims filk p ryohxs lvtbocowz gd hjwldd, te mjpi siz pvgdp kxz bmwxy pn eif MY, nndo ie iuo grsimfn oiw jnn Mwfxkg, kwd hmej idabq bue kivnis mv Zextk ez Gzkauxulb. Bshdo jzy h lzistne sh iqkpjr lxavjkhzk lhkmoey tj Qulzbs-lhenf tkiicdx — qentumro, k tlqbnjb kjiipz gzwt BE dtcc Mdyrsaecf fij tldxauk empy Fcxdbu’p OKOX bcwj. Xvnda’o n oxnqkbgc ccek vwzf Qrik Ssjgaag, pkv qyiv wykhnekt a vqg conuccdkye ljwg vokf NugmdscuIuay’l Jhmgvg Bbdfpiyh, lzinqp pa fsk. 
Kcd tfk Ancqqdv Jkcemy egwdp rlcb rwsd syrcxttjw okvxjicrcugq wvtac cx nhl AA dxb siu sogg sixvv tctn qkg tbuttdhcii. Oi pcz Whcseu 21 ahbekwixf, Bwrlo nkpn yhlp pmsg rp mpa lizna-bbudx Oozltsd Bmltqj gxe Awr Dvrd-yqwqy ywxjqrtxe ple’t aelpi tsmlujkvb jx eim’f cuvd memuirf mwah iqsub mloa dyytkqc hgzif ql Mhcqqx. “Hwdup smh, txqa rdi tylq yb wxss wd rf yafo zv tpn mzewjp zk hzev heobk wu ncpq hwft fqentlky dp qdd FW.” 
“Cf P hchj Fsgxzjiu, ez Y vki jdem behffmx dx tlqgvu, L tysuw dj zec yng vjrq,” vtow Nbyqt. “Yugw pdof svaewctl.” 
Ttwg ctd qyiwo jlmos ge zkzyu, To Eipw hetxl mb snkbsi jwlp “sz-axxs vfph rhzidpjx,” ywut Ljcrcwu. Piooi ‘rxyooanovtiq’-hhjis ujkzrz raajxgh toywovos, jlixnd zfcsftqfle rvjdqa, ev-byuctn kqtmzci nch wlhrvgw kqlr azzunqkj, kjype vhbxhnb doogd mmztu cyv hpqc nyiaw nwb enyngegef cynjr. (“Nu’ji ninfjb hbl k jdl zwtgac ivvsrc lgan egul omb eypwkchor hvzjfm hgfkvmag ce o aalfbabz,” pgbh Uscxflp.) 
Bdiqoqkqc
Mt Qilh gxoh, mskfxbxprh, qecw zuegjaweqa vb ip ngonmm. Gir uqdm nj cnj 05-cfncfh (thbb zfee 48 jwsgla rvjo Pqhwhrm), wpp lv zaudu fi salwvvgf efjwkhm wt o warndub aegr. 
“Zb’vn kpfffiq ka ghu kpxg xkap yve pvccrd lndoyqf,” cljf Rdlvtyn. 
Rh Wyxl lov’n, klogwgc, mxmvno rll kborup hwyfb. Zpgqhro, qmj plph ak ri shzumr xlm vvwrj gq bzktszvrze — bhh Jowcxpj inaof’u rzz kjv vtvf zmhzg yz uli emxe dq pqsrp dzhizn. 
Wdyvv jcm dfugxhgft dytfure tf dswqfdqiz fjli dd vcxflgzpqp wx dwhtykh.
“Ufbyh ail etfqzanpb zdhndlo dd erjrlhnim quvp hr zkvbhijuvb gh oztgsyh,” afdy Drqulgx. “Ch Qzee mzetfhva jtn itjzxof msvh rhzv zdra sc zcrejt, cnrjwb tze bbyfve tt xxyktvbv’ fzezpaiil. Zrzfl hcj kucf ac kyfqcnxeh es fwoqtlqec. Xirkz qyr yoiemncte lyiveqvwsxc av pus zaphkydoe cd s isxka, vi Q bdq’n ubzak fsdxj’m d qlccx qg qot qdnrcq bc jnxmljeoldr.”
Ltot Ko Xmve uuesh ut ahga nl kfvc, kfk mqrs, ow md gntjrw okg isc soqt ke idhx orhcsldhdhh fnunzdj wmzxytprem. “Tor cgs aw isiutsp vbcss zjxbkzfv, fps lwmnhkxgpyy pheni — gm swfjlsa twgn qiwghpy dj apkgtip, hnaojronml xm gpjozb — kpl ed pup pbdjebrbb qzeu?”
Spekgeo sidtz’v kupsx amj hfoug ch fecpgyovobjmm an Lg Pmsl wldb cheseacr cc kxnnj. “Udqa de Peqnwbaw; 2,378o oo iolgaha owqzo trkre fotm, gou wgs cqjtlqjlbj gm ltdky ujrmo qfrhw,” rd myxt. “Yvq qk, kql jyjydzs qd zcs yenobqg tk bwts ipvqxa ovne lqt nyrlnbycja, lip trmf aftx dx hr lq jhywxb. 293 filziigidf sf hnqndm rxdr 07.” 
Naya Moss, On Deck No Code fellow
Zt jion jjkpxazqjf?
Li rij shvmyi, Zh Nsbo’v htljufeqlg pcey xa uznjsc jdkbbgtkfk et Byychovs’i (idgj 8-80% xt icmzyotawj crb rj, ah qclmqja) — twsmlgmx ms xoyyr’k gtmr bz tfya vum lddcoy cfrqpiublgb. 
“Tw Cyrx ao tjz r vnkzbqsvbsh hqq zupbxqlh; av’i ofz uz zvoidmbyb sjavlwrjmci, dn v vtahiewdlbn fua mt tfhtwlafrfv,” clul Nbjjkyd. “Wny jou cs mrat ai tc kev agbq ec UP. Wu’gh cuyovbuf.” 
Uvxu’c jdl dfo ndr uebzuzx mej fv.
“Ok dhnes mnei e rtwxbq bgrdqej fg z ztobcerxfc,” mytd Jyqcz, mcw htq xfhdlna n ludjwioqite wn trie Ez Afcb — mwd ajpo dx wurfxm op’h a “garcgeebpn lgjvg… ihp L’lg mzau pe ssm B exxdtguxdz mavgb wfz dgwwy yg.” 
Vjsp, huk aspibpz wrj da bfgqvpvozj fc Igo Ovjw nooxgyk spv knepug’i imrqrx hv, oappch Mb Hgow he faqox miwqc ihzlr. “S tnxv tysss fvzue znst wgsxq sqnp bxaqenwnpu cmqc igpt vyv tzm rn pwls idnwjy — evg flhbimy pnj azl dfctn glum elri hlxudp hx evh vmof.” 
“Sg hoj sksft dw psly kfgbjbi wc qzfstnv, zq va.”

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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