Students’ entrepreneurial ventures to be supported by new program
“Pitch your idea. Build your team. Start your business. Before you graduate.”
Four short sentences sum up the dynamism of an exciting new Emerson program that is designed to support the creation of student business ventures.
The Emerson Accelerator, which launches with an information session on Friday, March 14, is an extracurricular program open to undergraduate and graduate students, no matter their department or concentration. Accepted applicants will receive seed funding, mentorship, and space on campus to work on their ideas.
The Emerson Accelerator is a two-year extracurricular program designed to support the creation of student business ventures.
President Lee Pelton, who has made a commitment to advance innovation at Emerson, said, “This is an exciting moment for the Emerson entrepreneurial community. The E3 program offers our students a strong curriculum in entrepreneurialism that gives them necessary tools for shaping business…. The Emerson Accelerator will complement E3, providing an extracurricular opportunity for start-up teams to launch their businesses and learn as they go.”
Jake Bailey ’14 and Tripp Clemens ’13, who were student entrepreneurs while at Emerson, developed the idea, and Stanley Miller, an adjunct professor of management, finance, and accounting, will manage the program. The Emerson Trustees and Overseers are supporting the effort.
“I don’t have to tell you that the new economy coming out of the recession is all do-it-yourself,” Clemens told BostonInno.com, noting how strong the school already is at design and creativity. “At Emerson, we’re already thinking about how we can brand ourselves and market our skills. We’re thinking how we, as individuals, can be sustainable.”
A group of four industry leaders from around the country will hear student pitches. Successful teams will be mentored by successful Boston entrepreneurs.
Applications for the Emerson Accelerator are online. Two information sessions will be held for students. The first, which will help students prepare to apply, is Friday, March 14, from 9:00 to 11:00 am in the Charles Beard Room; the second, which is a workshop for those who have drafted applications and are seeking advice and pitching practice, is Friday, April 4, from 1:30 to 4:00 pm in the Bordy Theater.
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