Entrepreneurship Development Program

Drawing from the vast culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at MIT, this unique course introduces participants to MIT’s entrepreneurial education programs, technology transfer system, and global entrepreneurial network. It covers the entire venture creation process, from generating ideas to building viable global businesses, with a special emphasis on the nurturing roles of corporations, universities, governments, and foundations.

This program leverages MIT's culture of high-tech entrepreneurship to help entrepreneurs, corporate venturing executives, startup companies, and others involved in entrepreneurial environments learn what they need to develop ideas into successful businesses, and how to increase entrepreneurial opportunities in their corporations, institutions, and regions. Through lectures by senior MIT faculty, visits to local startup companies, and live case studies with successful entrepreneurs, participants will be exposed to the content, context, and contacts that enable entrepreneurs to design and launch successful new ventures based on innovative technologies. Specially designed team projects give participants hands-on training and practical experience developing a business plan, while networking events bring participants together with members of MIT’s entrepreneurial community.

TAKEAWAYS

The concepts, tools, and frameworks covered in the program will enable participants to:

• Create, identify, and evaluate new venture opportunities
• Interpret customer needs and quantify the value proposition
• Start and build a successful technology-based company
• Understand how the process of starting new ventures may vary geographically and culturally
• Leverage new science and technologies from corporate or university laboratories
• Develop winning business plans
• Scale startups to be globally successful
• Navigate the venture capital investment process
• Obtain feedback on personal entrepreneurship skills
• Enhance and expand their networks

Sample Schedule—Subject to Change

DAY 1 SAMPLE

• Theme of the Day: Idea
• 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Registration & Networking
• 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM Welcome & Program Overview
• 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM MIT Spirit of Entrepreneurship
• 4:00 PM - 6: 30 PM Idea Pitch and Team Formation
• 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM Wrap-up

DAY 2 SAMPLE

• Theme of Day: Defining Target Customer & Value Proposition
• 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM Overview of the 24 Steps and Determining What Can You Do For Your Customer?
• 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM How to Get Started: Who is Your Customer?
• 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Primary Market Research
• 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM The Path to Final Deliverables and Lunch
• 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Customer Product Mapping
• 3:30 PM - 3:45 PM What Did We Learn Today?
• 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM Team Working Sessions
• 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Simulation Lab: Defining Target Customer
• 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Simulation Lab: Quantified Value Prop
• 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM Simulation Lab Debrief

DAY 3 SAMPLE

• Theme of the Day: Product and Competitive Advantage
• 12:45 AM - 1:45 PM Lunch
• 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM Breakfast
• 07:30 AM - 09:00 AM Entrepreneurship and Ecosystem Meetings
• 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Networking
• 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM High Level Product Specifications and Iterating (A/B Testing)
• 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM How to Build a Great Product
• 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Dilemmas in Launching Entrepreneurial Organizations
• 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM What Did We Learn Today?
• 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM Team Working Sessions
• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Simulation Lab: Product
• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Simulation Lab: Competitive Advantage

DAY 4 SAMPLE

• Theme of the Day: Business Model, Pricing, and Go To Market
• 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM Breakfast
• 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Meetings
• 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM Networking
• 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Capturing Value
• 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM Cost of Customer Acquisitions (COCA)
• 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM Lunch and Check In: How are we doing? Where are we going?
• 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM Intro to Entrepreneurial Marketing
• 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM What Did We Learn Today?
• 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM Team Working Sessions
• 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Simulation Lab: Business Model/LTV
• 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Simulation Lab: Go to Market/COCA
• 7:00 PM - 9: 30 PM Celebration Reception and Dinner

DAY 5 SAMPLE

• Theme of the Day: Financials, Financing & Exit Strategy
• 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Financial Literacy
• 10:15 AM - 11:30 AM Financing the Entrepreneurial Venture
• 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Entrepreneurial Leadership & Culture
• 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch
• 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM What VCs Look for in Startups
• 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM What Did We Learn Today?
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Final Presentation Overview
• 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Team Working Sessions
• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Final Presentation Coaching Lab

DAY 6 SAMPLE

• Theme of the Day: Final Presentations and Close
• 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Team Presentations with Judges
• 10:45 AM - 12:45 PM Final Presentations with Judges
• 12:4 5PM - 2:00 PM Celebration Lunch and Guest Speaker
• 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Awarding of Certificates
• 3:15 PM - Program Concludes