Are you a Vilnius University student eager to harness your knowledge in a real business? If you dream of exploring entrepreneurship, the VU Tech Hub invites you to register for a 6-month pre-accelerator program. During this time, Vilnius University (VU) students will be guided through the startup creation process by experienced lecturers and mentors. The program offers 45 of the most motivated students the chance to not only develop essential entrepreneurial skills but also to find team members, join the startup ecosystem, and connect with investors.
"We see a strong appetite among students to learn more about setting up a business and to get help with their business ideas, so we want to help them do just that. Students will develop real businesses and solve real problems, but most importantly, they will have the opportunity to discover other motivated students who bring different competences and can become their business partners," says Gediminas Rumšas, Vice Dean of the VU Faculty of Economics and Administration.
The program unfolds in two phases, beginning with a dynamic first month where all participants converge to engage in team-building exercises and tackle diverse business challenges. This initial period serves as a ground for forging meaningful connections and identifying potential teammates from a pool of 45 carefully selected students representing various disciplines from all Vilnius University.
The other 5 months are dedicated to forming a team and continuing work on a specifically chosen startup idea, with participants engaging in workshops covering topics such as defining the problem, identifying target customers, analyzing competitors, crafting marketing and sales strategies, and learning how to pitch to investors.
"The program will be intense, but we have no doubt it will be highly beneficial. Our team has been working with startups for over four years, so we understand how challenging those first steps in business can be and how important it is to build a community around you to share experiences and grow together. This is exactly what this program will offer," says G. Rumšas.
Why should you participate?
- Opportunity to meet a co-founder: The program gathers individuals from diverse backgrounds and skills, allowing you to network and even collaborate to assess compatibility.
- Gain business development skills and knowledge while creating your own startup: Engage in workshops led by top-notch experts in innovation, business strategy, marketing, sales, and more, with personalized mentorship.
- Network with investors: Present your ideas to various investors, business angels, and network within the ecosystem.
- Access to state-of-the-art co-working space: Utilize meeting rooms and shared workspaces at VU Tech Hub (located in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration)
- Prizes and partners offers: The best performing teams will be rewarded with prizes (TBA).
Who can apply? Vilnius University students, who want to learn about business creation and try doing a business themselves, also students who will start their studies in September 2024. The participants will have to provide information about their skills and briefly explain the motivation to paricipate in the program. 45 selected students will be selected and informed individually.
What will the program look like? The program will start on October 24. During the first month, activities will take place on most weekday evenings starting at 4 PM. For the following five months, group activities will occur on Monday evenings and occasionally on Thursday evenings, also starting at 4 PM. The program will end in April.
When to apply? The applications will be accepted until September 29. Application form: https://forms.office.com/e/Y3G05FvhzU
Want to know more? Join us for Info Day on September 19th at 4 pm at the VU Tech Hub, located on the 2nd floor of Building II in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Saulėtekio al. 9. For more information about the event, click here.
