| Programs | ideasLab Student Acceleration Program

ideasLab Student Acceleration Program

Oops! Looks like you’re late and the program is already underway.

Don’t worry and feel free to write to us if you already have an idea! We’ll remind you when registration for the next batch opens 🙂

🕧Start:

The program is running

Duration:

11 weeks: 19.09-01.12

Format:

Hybrid

About the Program

What is the ideasLab Acceleration?

🔹It is an 11-week program for student teams from any HEI in Ukraine who have an innovative idea, want to test it for viability and turn it into an actual viable product. The hybrid format of the program allows participants, both online and offline get the same experience.

🔹 The program is based on a unique combination of two approaches – the use of practical material to develop ideas (Learn-by-Doing) and learning from own research and discoveries (Learning-by Discovering).

🔹Furthermore, it is the only acceleration program in Ukraine that provides student teams not only with knowledge, and space to work but also grants of up to 200,000 UAH at the stage of the idea validation.

Objectives

🔹 Student-oriented

Give students an opportunity to try themselves in the role of entrepreneurs, receive the necessary tools to turn their ideas into viable products, as well as find like-minded people and develop entrepreneurial skills and competencies.

🔹 Global

To promote the emergence of serial entrepreneurs from students of different fields through training and nurturing a global entrepreneurial mindset. As a result, to increase the growth of global startups with Ukrainian roots and accelerate their development in the early stages.

Program Structure

The program consists of three stages:

I. Initial Market Validation (3 weeks)

The stage focuses on defining the problem/need hypotheses, their scale, growth, and potential solution. The transition to the second stage takes place through Pitch Day, where the jury selects up to 10 teams that receive ₴ 30,ooo 💸 for further idea validation. Teams that do not qualify at this stage will not be able to continue participation in the program.

II. Customer Development (4 weeks)

Stage focuses on the validation of hypotheses, customer research, and value proposition definition. The transition to the third stage takes place through Pitch Day, where the jury selects up to 5 teams receiving ₴ 60,000 💸 each. Teams that do not receive grants continue participating in the program and work on their startup, and if certain metrics are met will be able to participate in the final Pitch Day.

III. Marketing & Sales (4 weeks)

Stage of testing the value proposition and building a Go-to-market strategy. The program ends with the third final Pitch Day, in which the jury selects up to 3 teams, receiving ₴110,000 💸 for further product development. Teams that do not receive grants will continue to receive all necessary support and benefit from ideasLab.

IV. Growth_Alumni Support

Ongoing mentoring support after the program focused on helping the team in sales and growth 💻.

Still, have any questions? – Contact us, we are always happy to help!

Contact person: Olesya Opirska ✉
e-mail: opirska@ucu.edu.ua

Who can participate

If you:

✔ Student of any university in Ukraine;

✔ You have a team of 2 – 4 members;

✔ You have an idea for a startup;

✔ You have a goal and are ready to persistently go towards it;

✔ Ready for challenges.

🔵Students are considered to be persons enrolled in a higher education institution for the purpose of obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Selection Procedure

The acceleration program consists of three stages and up to 15 teams enter it.

Key dates:

10.09 – Deadline for applications.

11.09-15.09 – Selection of teams for the acceleration program ideasLab.

By 18.09 – Your team will receive an answer

19.09 – Start of the program

FAQ

🔵 How to get to the ideasLab acceleration program?

First of all, fill out the application. Without it, we won’t know that you have cool ideas that can change the world!
The second stage of selection is Jumpstart – this is 10 days before the start of the program itself, during which we will tell you where to start checking whether your idea will fly and give time for initial market research. (Read more in the “Selection Procedure” section)

🔵 What language is the program in?

Educational modules and workshops will be held in Ukrainian and English. Also, a significant part of the terminology is in English.

🔵 Do I have to pay for the program?

The program is intended for students and is free 💸.

🔵 Can I apply to the program without a team?

It is way more difficult to work without a team because the time will come and you will have to look for someone for support and help. That is why the program is focused on student teams. However, if now you feel that you want to implement your idea in life regardless of anything – of course, we will be glad to see your application and will definitely consider it!

🔵 If there is a member in my team who is not already a student?

ideasLab is a student program, so we focus on students.

🔵 Is it possible to apply if there are more than 4 team members?

Here, everything depends on the clear allocation of roles and the contribution of each member of the team. If there are more than 4 of you, but you work as a mechanism and everyone can answer the question “What is my role in the team?”, then we don’t mind either 🙂 You must understand that the whole team must be involved in the program!