Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be on a team, either within an organization or with your own startup, which is trying to evaluate or build upon the commercial value of an idea? The MS Technical Entrepreneurship and Management program (TEAM) provides such an opportunity to its students through a Pre-Seed Workshop.
So what is a “pre-seed workshop” about? It is all about an idea or technology that has not yet been commercialized. It is about a seed of an idea, which has not been sown to reap the benefits. The workshop behooves idea or technology owners who want to explore the commercialization prospects of their creation. High Tech Rochester organizes the program, and Excell Partners is the main sponsor. Most interestingly, the workshop was initiated by a University of Rochester faculty, Professor Mark Wilson!
As a privilege, all TEAM students get to become a part of one of the many teams participating in the workshop. The students play the role of an innovation manager and work with idea owners, field experts, law advisors, seasoned observers, and mentors. Students learn a lot about the practical concerns and ways of commercializing ideas in different industries, while the idea owners benefit from the input and suggestions of students and others on the team. The workshop is two and a half days long; each of the brainstorming sessions is brief but intensive. At the end of the brainstorming sessions, the teams prepare their business presentations and present them in a ten-minute time frame in front of experienced investors who judge the progress of the teams and award the best performing team with the cash prize worth $10,000.
This is truly a unique and realistic experience for a student. Does this sound exciting to you? Get in touch with the TEAM program director for more information!
– Shaival Desai ’14 (MS)
