Entrepreneurship
Founder Foundry: Forge Your Entrepreneurial Skills
| Jan/08 | Mon | 01:00PM–04:00PM |
| Jan/09 | Tue | 01:00PM–04:00PM |
| Jan/10 | Wed | 01:00PM–04:00PM |
| Jan/11 | Thu | 01:00PM–04:00PM |
Join the MIT Entrepreneurship Club and alumni-founded Futures Forge this IAP to practice the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur or professional!
Science tells us there are a few key attributes and skills that drive almost all job performance and career success, whether as an employee or entrepreneur. And they probably aren’t taught in your classes. How do you improve your grit, adaptability, team leadership, motivation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills? Sign up to find out!
Integrated Challenge-Driven Learning
No lectures! Lead your team through rapid learning and experimentation to complete challenges, competing and learning from other teams:
Operate a logistics system to get at least 40 "special sodas" to thirsty Engineers! Get a budget and build the best (small) roller coaster you can! Redesign lame consumer products and pitch your new products to “investors!”
What You’ll Learn
- What skills & attributes really make the difference in your career (and why)?
- Where are you strongest in these?
- How can you develop them quickly?
- How do you apply them in college and your career?
- AND… learn some of the secrets to accelerated personal growth!
Your Facilitators
Erik Fogg, MIT ‘09 course 2 & 17
- Serial tech entrepreneur (ProdPerfect, HelmetHub)
- Raised $27M and grew team to 60
- Education / politics author
- Master Assassin
Nat Greene, Oxford/Cambridge Engineering
- Founder/CEO, Stroud International
- Won best small consulting firm for 10 years straight!
- Problem solving author
- Skiing/rowing junkie
SIGN UP HERE: https://www.futuresforge.org/iap
How to Write Winning SBIR Grants
| Jan/30 | Tue | 03:00PM–05:00PM |
How to write winning SBIR proposals.
Free funding from Federal Government to commercialize your deep technology research.
Anywhere from $150k to $2M of free federal government funding for your startup.
Topics: Tuesday Jan 30, Day 1: Overview, Admin, Winning Strategies
- Overview of SBIR plus STTR
- Review of the 11 agencies who fund SBIR/STTR
- DOD, NIH, DOE, NSF, EPA, NASA, USDA, ED, DOC, DOT, DHS
- Administrative stuff -- boring but really important
- Is it really free? Non-recourse funding Comparison with VC or Debt financing
Thursday Feb 1, Day 2: Winning Strategies
- Timing and calendar management
- Applying while in school
- Generative AI enhancements
- Review process details or “what happens after I press submit?”
- Advanced strategies to ensure success
Who is this for?
- Current or graduated Students
- Undergrad, Grad, MBA, PhD, etc.
- Anyone seeking funding for their technology-based product or company
Prerequisites: Watch Ben Schrag’s Intro to SBIR from NSF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OePUxtd2TjM
It’s a good overview of the SBIR / STTR program from NSF, which is one of the best SBIR programs.
IAP: Legal Dos and Don'ts -- What to Know When Starting Your Startup
| Jan/29 | Mon | 12:00PM–01:30PM |
Starting a company is not just about technology!
Increase your knowledge and attend the Deshpande Center’s IAP course, “Legal Dos and Don’ts: What to Know When Starting Your Startup.” This seminar will feature expert insight into the legal issues to consider and minefields to avoid when you start a company.
VMS Enterprise B2B Sales for Startups Boot Camp
| Jan/16 | Tue | 10:30AM–04:00PM |
| Jan/17 | Wed | 10:30AM–04:00PM |
Kent provides entrepreneurs starting a new venture and business school graduates with basic sales knowledge, skills and tools for success: how to target enterprise sales opportunities, manage a sales process, acquire customers and generate revenue.
Learn “qualitative” aspects of selling, with emphasis on how to navigate an organization, overcome obstacles and objections, build buyer team consensus, and negotiate to close deals. Attendees will troubleshoot “failed sales case studies” and recommend corrective action or behavior.