Program Components
Entrepreneurship Institute Phase I: Nation-Wide
(2013 dates: December 1, 2012 to May 2013)
At National Selection Weekend candidates are assigned to cross-disciplinary teams of 3 co-founders. The teams continue to work remotely on their ventures for the next 5 months while completing their academic year. Each team will be provided with capital, resources and mentorship while it works to invent, launch and sell a product or service focused on the mobile or tablet environment (mobile apps, web apps and services designed for mobile or tablet devices or targeted at players in the mobile environment). Teams will compete against one another to create the most successful venture as measured at the end of the summer (mid-August 2013) .
Entrepreneurship Institute Phase II: Toronto
(May to mid-August 2013)
Phase II of The Entrepreneurship Institute takes place in Toronto and consists of in-class instruction taught by internationally acclaimed faculty and Canadian business leaders, directed by one of the Rotman School's top-rated professors, Ajay Agrawal. The other professors teaching in this program will come from around the world to teach award-winning short courses on topics critical to entrepreneurs with long-term, internationally competitive business strategies. These will include such topics as:
Strategy and Innovation
The Economics of Entrepreneurship
Economics of the Internet
Data Analysis
Entrepreneurial Strategy in Technology Markets
“GettingItDone"
Business, Government and the Global Economy
Entrepreneurial Finance
Creating New Ventures
The Entrepreneurship Institute will also include workshops on venture finance, negotiation, sales, marketing and project management and will provide frequent access to Canadian business leaders. These entrepreneurs and executives will be the subject of business case studies and will guest lecture throughout the program. The courses taught at the Entrepreneurship Institute are appropriate for students with a broad range of academic backgrounds.
Click here to see Faculty from the 2012 cohort
Entrepreneurship Institute Capstone Event: Venture Day
(mid-August 2013)
The Entrepreneurship Institute concludes with Venture Day - the program's annual Capstone Event. Venture Day marks the culmination of the program; 36 young entrepreneurs showcase their startups to investors and business leaders from across North America, and officially graduate from The Next 36 program. Inspirational keynotes are delivered by successful entrepreneurs such as Graham Weston, Chairman & Co-Founder of Rackspace, and high-performing participants are recognized with annual awards including Valedictorian, The Satchu Prize and Outstanding Venture. For the first time in 2012, Venture Day was webcast live to the world, bringing total viewership to more than 700.
Watch the webcast of Venture Day 2012 here