The 4th edition of the unique Pre-Acceleration Program called STARTER – Build Your Startup! has been launched. This program is being carried out by the AGH Academic Entrepreneurship Team at CTT AGH and INNOAGH with the support of the ETEIA project – Energy Transition Entrepreneurs in Action, under the patronage of AGH TECH Startup School.
We invite employees, doctoral candidates, and students of our university who have an interesting idea for an innovative product or service to participate in the program. The workshops are designed for individuals who are in the process of building, planning to build, or considering building their own startup based on their knowledge, technology, skills, research results, including intellectual property.
One of the required criteria for participation in the workshops is having an idea that will be developed over the course of practical sessions, but the level of advancement of the idea at the entry stage is not important.
The STARTER Program includes:
- Business workshops conducted by recognized, experienced experts in creating and introducing innovative solutions to the market – a module carried out as part of the ETEIA project – Energy Transition Entrepreneurs in Action – developing a supportive academic environment for young talents – funded under the EIT HEI Innovative1.
In addition:
- Participation in dedicated training and workshops
- Advisory and mentoring services
- Access to academic entrepreneurship experts
- Networking and promotional activities
The goal of the Pre-Acceleration Program is to provide participants with knowledge and competencies to create and develop new innovative business ventures, including:
- Understanding the necessary conditions for creating an academic startup
- Presenting the stages of bringing an idea to the market
- Ways to acquire key partners
- Principles of financing the entire process.
Outline of Workshop Sessions:
- Business Simulation Game – Introduction to the Workshop Cycle
- Business Model – How to Turn an Invention into a Business?
- Market and Sales Strategies
- Legal and Accounting Aspects – Concrete Examples without Legal Jargon
- Team Management – Leadership Styles, Roles, Team Communication
- Stages of Building a Startup
- Pitching – How to Present Well to Investors and the Industry
- Demo Day – Session Showcasing Team Projects
The sessions will be conducted on weekends, typically on Fridays and Saturdays – more details can be found in the Program Regulations.
Benefits for Participants:
- Knowledge and managerial competencies in developing and market verification of ideas.
- Expert support – collaboration with experienced practitioners in the field of creating and scaling new businesses.
- Intensive networking – active exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feedback during the various stages of shaping the business model for each idea.
- Equipped with tools for summarizing work on the market validation of the idea.
To express your interest in participating in the STARTER Program, you should fill out the electronic application form available at the following link:
Link to Application Form
Basic participation conditions in the Program:
- Having an idea that will serve as the basis for work during the business workshops.
- Being a student, doctoral candidate, or employee of AGH.
- Completing and submitting the application form.
- Receiving a positive assessment of your application by the Organizers.
The recruitment for participation in the Program will conclude on December 11, 2022.
Don’t hesitate – give yourself a chance and Build Your Startup with us! 🙂
Rafał Szczepanik was vice-president of Pracuj.pl for several years and is the co-founder of the company. He built (with five partners) a profitable, thousand-person company from scratch, which is a leader in the online recruitment market and a large listed company. He also created the training company Training Projects and the research portal HRmapa.pl. He has been conducting strategic management training for many years. He trains and advises beginner entrepreneurs in the green energy sector as part of KIC Inno Energy – in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. He has extensive experience in raising Venture Capital funds.
Adam Pasternak is an experienced manager and strategist. He conducted several mergers and acquisitions of capital companies, and managed the restructuring of one of the largest capital groups in Poland (Mostostal Zabrze). He managed many projects related to the creation of strategic plans. He sat on several Supervisory Boards. For over a dozen years, he has been conducting training in the field of planning business, market and competitive strategies, as well as team management (the role of a manager).
