IDEA ventures are always looking for new resources to help advance their businesses, whether it’s through MassChallenge, Business Model Competition, or Founder.org. These resources are even found within our University walls.
A new program here at Northeastern matches startups with the asset they need most: talent. The Entrepreneurship Immersion Program, a subset of the Entrepreneurs Club, does just that – by pairing motivated students with IDEA ventures.
EIP launched in 2008 and re-structured in Fall 2013 to help students gain an in-depth view and experience into the life of a startup. Nine of IDEA’s ventures will work with students for the semester to provide valued insight into the their own product or service.
Students provide significant benefits in these partnerships. Check out some of the many success stories that were born:
Hey WTF Records:
Hey WTF Records worked with one student in the fall, who was their product management student. Hey WTF Records has had great success as a venture, with 10 signed artists, a radio show, and an apparel line. Their student is now the full-time product management officer and is looking for her own help this semester.
LeanWagon:
LeanWagon took on two students this past semester and worked on promoting their health-conscious mission through blogs and professional interviews. They also extended their outreach to health coaches and wrote articles about their fitness/wellness beliefs, for the purpose of gaining a better understanding of different workouts and health trends.
Samurai Investments:
Samurai Investments worked with five students in the fall. They tested their product (a trend tracker in stocks), worked with the companies’ beta as well as promoted to increase their customer base. Students received an in-depth look behind the scenes of what it takes to run a small investment company, and built a tight knit culture along the way.
tBubble:
tBubble worked with five students as well. They learned how to brand and re-brand their product, creating all new logos and spreading awareness about their business. They attended NEXPO, an IDEA hosted event part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, and had the chance to pitch tBubble to investors, entrepreneurs, and faculty. tBubble helped students experience the competitive music industry first-hand and what it takes to succeed.
IDEA works closely with EIP to promote this program, as well as organize specialized workshops to aid students in this unique learning process. Click here to learn more about EIP and how you can get involved.
Ben Bungert is on the communications team for IDEA: Northeastern University’s Venture Accelerator.
