Information: Innovation Incubator Application
Information: Innovation Incubator Application
In summer 2018, HIP will pilot the Innovation Incubator for one team of students working on a collaborative project. An 8-week program, the Innovation Incubator will support that team’s project development, with the goal of significantly advancing that concept’s readiness and marketability. Such projects are designed and defined broadly, and the end result may take the form of a marketable product, a creative work for public release, an organization or company, or another form of social innovation.
The document below outlines what will be required for the submission.
Applications are open and close on Sunday, Feb 18th @ 11:59pm.
Shortlisted teams will be notified to schedule presentations on or before Tuesday, Feb 27th.
Address any questions to Shayna Nickel, Haverford Innovation Program Manager.
Haverford Innovations Program:
Innovation Incubator Fellowship 2018
Application
Incubator Overview:
The Haverford Innovations Program (HIP) works to catalyze the creative and strategic thinking of students around a problem, need, or question, with the goal of fostering new solutions and opportunities through creative entrepreneurial learning projects.
In summer 2018, HIP will pilot the Innovation Incubator for one team of students working on a collaborative project. An 8-week program, the Innovation Incubator will support that team’s project development, with the goal of significantly advancing that concept’s readiness and marketability. Such projects are designed and defined broadly, and the end result may take the form of a marketable product, a creative work for public release, an organization or company, or another form of social innovation.
The team will commit to working on their project for the full 8-weeks onsite at Haverford College. Students are not expected to have their product ready to launch by the end of this period, but they are expected to show demonstrable and measurable progress—progress that will be defined at the program outset.
Learning Objectives
During the course of the program, the team will learn how to take their project through discrete stages of planning, testing, and implementation. Participants will apply techniques focused on primary and secondary market research in tandem with a project management and development process methodology. Foundational skills constructing financial plans against short and long-term project goals will provide a toolkit for future iterations and goals. Participants will be encouraged to show versatility and flexibility in this development process, since they are expected to encounter multiple challenges that they will need to overcome.
Eligibility
Haverford students of all year are eligible to apply, but must be part of a team of at least two persons and no more than four, who fulfill different roles and responsibilities. Applications and presentations should reflect this team ethos and practice, and these will be an important criteria for project assessment.
A teams may include non-Haverford students or collaborators, but those persons will not be eligible for stipend or Haverford housing.
All team members are expected to spend the entirety of their eight weeks on campus, and may be disqualified from participation if they cannot fulfill this commitment. During this 8-weeks, teams will be required to attend daily and weekly meetings, workshops, and mentor meetings. They must work on their project for 40 hours/week during this 8-week period.
At least one team member must have participated in a HIP workshop or reviewed support materials in the form of workshop decks,and instructional videos, before submitting their application.
Acceptable substitutes for HIP workshops are:
Design Thinking, Fall 2017 (Materials)
and/or
Business Model Innovation Canvas, Fall 2017 (Materials)
Award
Each member of the incubator team will receive a work stipend to cover on-campus summer housing costs for the 8 weeks and remaining funds to cover food and other expenses (equivalent of apx. $3,600 per student). Students on financial aid will also have their summer earnings requirement covered.
The team will also receive up to $3,000 grant for project expenses. There must be a budget for this $3,000 included in the Incubator application (see below), and the funds must be spent or committed during the summer session.
Required: Team Information
· Project Title
· For each group member: Name, Year, Major, Minor, Concentration
· What role or focus will each group member have during the incubator.
· Primary contact for your team.
· Provide a resume for each team member.
Required: Project Information (500 Words)
· Pitch: Briefly describe your project and its social, creative, and/or marketable value. Include the problem(s) or topic(s) that you are addressing, the solution or treatment that you are proposing, and who you imagine your audience/user/customer to be. Marketplace: How will solution or creation be different or unique from what’s already available to your market or audience, who is/are your main competitor(s), and how will your work be distinguished from theirs?
· Incubator Goals and Timeline: What goals would you like to accomplish within the 8-week period? What does success look like to your team? Please provide a rough project timeline for the 8-week period.
· Has at least one member of your team attended 1 of the following or reviewed the workshop material(s) online.
o Design Thinking, Fall 2016
o Systems Thinking, Spring 2017
o Design Thinking, Fall 2017
o Design Thinking, Fall 2017 (Online Materials)
o Business Model Innovation Canvas, Fall 2017
o Business Model Innovation Canvas, Fall 2017 (Online Materials)
o Tri-Co Hackathon, Spring 2017
o Tri-Co Hackathon, Fall 2017
o Impact Investing (Haverford)
o Social Entrepreneurship (Swarthmore)
o Other relevant materials for review specific to the for the 2018 Incubator can be found here.
Optional: Collaborators (if needed, 100 words)
· If you have a collaborator(s) outside of Haverford College please describe them, their role, and benefits to your project.
· Your team is expected to have a leadership (i.e., decision-making) role. Please explain what leadership role and control you have within the product or project development process.
Required: Budget
· Please provide budget breakdowns for 1) your project’s development (as much as you know); and 2) the 8-week incubator.
Optional: Broader Haverford Context (required, 100 words)
· Does the project relate to your academic work and/or co-curricular activities on campus? Do you expect it to relate to future academic work and/or co-curricular activities on campus? Please describe connections.
It is expected that you will discuss it with a faculty or staff member at Haverford who will provide a recommendation for you if called upon.
Required: Faculty Recommender
Please list name and contact number for your recommender. Note: one is required for each student (it may be the same person).
PRESENTATIONS
Shortlisted teams will be asked to give a 5-minute presentation and Q&A on their project. Details will be provided at a later date.