Applications for the Spring 2010 semester are now being accepted. The IA experience provides exceptional educational opportunities working with Connecticut based high-tech entrepreneurial ventures and significantly differentiates the learning experience of the student. Students, who are competitively selected to be members of teams, will get a unique, in-depth, 360-degree exposure to the venture and its entrepreneurial founders. The goal of the IA is to make a significant contribution to the venture’s success – while providing a truly differentiated education and experience for the student – and exposure for you as a future entrepreneur.
We anticipate recruiting 12 students for Spring 2010 semester. We are looking for bright, creative, out-of-the box thinkers who have an interest in start-up, high-tech businesses and who, preferably, want to work in or start their own entrepreneurial venture. The expectations are high – both in terms of the student’s time commitment and in the contribution made to the team and to the entrepreneurial venture. The student can expect to significantly differentiate her/himself at the recruiting table or to gain valuable business experience and contacts if planning to start a venture in the future.
You should read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to the right which will provide more detailed information on the IA.
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Each IA team typically composes a mix of graduate (historically MBA, MS, MA, JD or PhD) and undergraduate (historically Engineering, Business or CLAS) students from different disciplines with different business and/or technical expertise. While the IA operates out of the business school, students from all schools who have the interest, talent and entrepreneurial aspirations are strongly encouraged to apply. Undergraduates who apply have typically completed 5 or more semesters. For honors undergraduates the IA experience can possibly form the foundation for an honor’s thesis.
The full-time spring program starts on Friday January 15, 2010 (an orientation day) and finishes on Friday April 30, 2010.
Student Benefits
The IA projects are semester long full-time projects. In compensation the students get:
- Exceptional educational opportunities
- Challenging and differentiating work experience
- Spring 2010: A mix of competitive financial compensation and 6 academic credits
- Experience working closely with multi-disciplinary student teams and faculty mentors
- In-depth hi-tech entrepreneurial venture exposure
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the proprietary nature of the projects at the Innovation Accelerator, as well as the time demands of participation, applicants cannot have other employment affiliations during the program.
The Innovation Accelerator (IA) is one of the primary outreach initiatives of the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) housed in the Management Department at the School of Business. The IA assists entrepreneurial ventures in addressing myriad challenges associated with the identification and capture of business opportunities through interdisciplinary project teams of students that innovatively solve complex business issues for technology-based entrepreneurial ventures under the guidance of UConn faculty, with the involvement of the founders of the participating venture. The teams help move innovation forward and the client venture closer to market by engaging in consulting projects such as performing comprehensive market analyses and associated market-entry strategies, developing strategic roadmaps and sustainable business models, fleshing-out business plans, evaluating the market feasibility of emerging technologies, and constructing customer relationship strategies.
Student Experience
Please read the following student testimonials describing some student's personal experience at the Innovation Accelerator.
Team Profiles
Innovation Accelerator projects are tackled by student teams (typically 3 graduate and 1 undergraduate per team) mentored by a team of cross-functional UConn faculty, together with the entrepreneurial founders from the client venture.
Project Areas
We offer a broad array of projects which will require knowledge and skill sets across many functional disciplines. Projects will be conducted at the new CCEI / Innovation Accelerator facility that opened in January 2008 at 222 Pitkin St. in East Hartford.
Application Process
To apply send an email to InnovationAcceleratorApps@business.uconn.edu. Attach to the email 1 - a current resume and 2 - a cover letter. Both documents should be in MS Word format. In the cover letter please include your current GPA and elaborate on your creative out-of-the-box thinking skills, your work ethic and your interests in entrepreneurship.
Applications will be reviewed as received but the Application deadline is October 9, 2009 and interviews will start shortly thereafter. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted by e-mail. If you have questions, please contact Luke.Weinstein@business.uconn.edu.
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