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This summer, 10 leaders from local college & university #entrepreneurship centers came together to offer a virtual pre-accelerator to 120+ student founders from 13 local colleges & high schools
The program was a great success.
Here's a thread on what we learned:
The program was a great success.
Here's a thread on what we learned:
First, the what:
AddVenture was a 6-week, virtual pre-accelerator program focused on helping student founders make progress on their early ventures over the summer
It was hosted by @Innov8MD, a nonprofit that supports MD student entrepreneurs
App Page: https://www.notion.so/innov8md/AddVenture-Pre-Accelerator-Program-6911333dd7994f2386526c2fe901298a
AddVenture was a 6-week, virtual pre-accelerator program focused on helping student founders make progress on their early ventures over the summer
It was hosted by @Innov8MD, a nonprofit that supports MD student entrepreneurs
App Page: https://www.notion.so/innov8md/AddVenture-Pre-Accelerator-Program-6911333dd7994f2386526c2fe901298a
Second, the why:
With on-campus programming gone for the fall, the students who are at the *earliest stages* of their entrepreneurial journey are the ones who will get left out, since these are the students that events really serve
So, we needed a top-of-funnel program
With on-campus programming gone for the fall, the students who are at the *earliest stages* of their entrepreneurial journey are the ones who will get left out, since these are the students that events really serve
So, we needed a top-of-funnel program
Many students aren't ready for the formal programs that schools offer. As said to @stephenbabcock @TechnicallyBMR
“An accelerator isn’t meant for you to figure it out. An accelerator is meant to scale what you know works, and we’re trying to help students get to that point"
“An accelerator isn’t meant for you to figure it out. An accelerator is meant to scale what you know works, and we’re trying to help students get to that point"
Third, the who:
Leaders from 10 local college & uni entrepreneurship programs worked together over the summer to make it happen - as volunteers!
They all deserve the world's biggest shoutout. Scope them at the end of this thread!
Leaders from 10 local college & uni entrepreneurship programs worked together over the summer to make it happen - as volunteers!
They all deserve the world's biggest shoutout. Scope them at the end of this thread!
When we put out applications, we were hoping for 20-40. We got *142*
142 students from 15 different #Maryland colleges, universities, and *high schools* applied to participate. We were blown away
In the end, 128 students joined the slack, and ~50 were very active.
142 students from 15 different #Maryland colleges, universities, and *high schools* applied to participate. We were blown away
In the end, 128 students joined the slack, and ~50 were very active.
Forth, the how:
It was a virtual, self-paced program. We wrote an entire early-stage curriculum on @NotionHQ, which also served as the "Hub" for our program
As they went through the program, students filled out worksheet Deliverables, which they submit via @airtable
It was a virtual, self-paced program. We wrote an entire early-stage curriculum on @NotionHQ, which also served as the "Hub" for our program
As they went through the program, students filled out worksheet Deliverables, which they submit via @airtable
We had *daily* office hours for 6 wks w/ our 10 mentors, which students could drop into using mostly @zoom_us
We had 7 topic discussions on salient early topics, like creating an MVP, team building, and networking
Students could reach us & connect with each other on @SlackHQ
We had 7 topic discussions on salient early topics, like creating an MVP, team building, and networking
Students could reach us & connect with each other on @SlackHQ
As deliverables were submit, they were assigned to mentors to provide feedback.
For students who completed all worksheets & attended office hours & discussions, they qualified for Demo Day and 1-1 Mentor meetings
It was designed so students got out what they put into it!
For students who completed all worksheets & attended office hours & discussions, they qualified for Demo Day and 1-1 Mentor meetings
It was designed so students got out what they put into it!
Students filmed their DD pitches on @loom
These are early stage teams, so instead of wasting their time stylizing complex pitch decks, we made it simple:
- 10 slides w/ standardized content
- White background, no designs
-5 min max
View them here: https://www.notion.so/innov8md/AddVenture-Demo-Day-Finalists-Winners-e78fbad839114c0e9b9ae42c7b44b666
These are early stage teams, so instead of wasting their time stylizing complex pitch decks, we made it simple:
- 10 slides w/ standardized content
- White background, no designs
-5 min max
View them here: https://www.notion.so/innov8md/AddVenture-Demo-Day-Finalists-Winners-e78fbad839114c0e9b9ae42c7b44b666
All the mentors volunteered their time, so we decided to crowdsource the funding for the Demo Day prize
Thank you *beyond words* to our donors:
@earlycharm @fearlessbmore @1100Wico
@nickculber @NoOrdnryCherry @eMarketer23 @moprocto
& Emily Burnette, Raquel Shutt, Kelly Ennis
Thank you *beyond words* to our donors:
@earlycharm @fearlessbmore @1100Wico
@nickculber @NoOrdnryCherry @eMarketer23 @moprocto
& Emily Burnette, Raquel Shutt, Kelly Ennis
What made this program possible?
1. #Collaboration - none of us Mentors could have managed this on our own, but 10 of us could
2. Virtual tools - #Notion, #Loom, #Airtable, #Slack and #Zoom were all fundamental to this working
3. Passionate #Student #Founders
1. #Collaboration - none of us Mentors could have managed this on our own, but 10 of us could
2. Virtual tools - #Notion, #Loom, #Airtable, #Slack and #Zoom were all fundamental to this working
3. Passionate #Student #Founders
Lessons Learned?
1. Don't duplicate efforts, work together!
2. Examine what cohort that you serve needs the most attention in these times- for us, it was the earliest stage student founders
3. Learn & use different software programs, they make life exponentially easier
1. Don't duplicate efforts, work together!
2. Examine what cohort that you serve needs the most attention in these times- for us, it was the earliest stage student founders
3. Learn & use different software programs, they make life exponentially easier
We are so excited that this program worked out so well. Stephen Babcock wrote an awesome summary of it: https://technical.ly/baltimore/2020/09/08/addventure-student-entrepreneurs-startups-summer-launch-university-partnerships/
We are so excited to be presenting about AddVenture at the #GCEC conference (though I wish we were going to Vegas 
)
http://www.globalentrepreneurshipconsortium.org/
A quick shoutout to other orgs who do important work with student entrepreneurs: @NFTE, @SEWGlobal, @venture4america, @DentEducation
) http://www.globalentrepreneurshipconsortium.org/
A quick shoutout to other orgs who do important work with student entrepreneurs: @NFTE, @SEWGlobal, @venture4america, @DentEducation
Finally, a HUGE Shoutout to our mentors:
Lindsay Ryan @Univ_System_MD
@wbolger w/ @LoyolaInnovates
@henrymort w/ @UBALTCEI
Jan Baum @TULaunch_Pad
Steph Goldenberg @AaccEsi
@kerrieCarden w/ @FastForward_U
@SammyPopat w/ @UMDResearchPark
Stephanie Chin @mica
Lindsay Ryan @Univ_System_MD
@wbolger w/ @LoyolaInnovates
@henrymort w/ @UBALTCEI
Jan Baum @TULaunch_Pad
Steph Goldenberg @AaccEsi
@kerrieCarden w/ @FastForward_U
@SammyPopat w/ @UMDResearchPark
Stephanie Chin @mica
