Builder
Have you already completed the Wond’ry’s Ideator Program?
Have you found problem-solution fit for your idea (there is an identified value proposition for a defined customer segment supported by evidence from customer discovery)?
Are you ready to learn what it takes to launch a new venture or pursue licensing?
To inquire about any of the programs, you can book a meeting with Kyle Caruso here.
Dates
The Builder Program Fall 2023 will run from August 19th – September 30th. Pitch day will be October 7th.
The Builder Program Spring 2024 will run from January 13th – February 24th. Pitch day will be March 2nd.
Each participant that attends all the sessions will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a group of investors, entrepreneurs, faculty members, and Wond’ry staff for potential microgrant funding and additional mentorship.
Time and Location
All sessions for both the Fall and Spring cohorts will be held virtually via Zoom on Saturdays from 2pm-3pm CT. There are seven sessions total, not including the Pitch Day.
Fall 2023 Cohort | Saturdays 2pm-3pm CT
Kick-off: Aug. 19
Session: Aug. 26
Break: Sept. 2
Session: Sept. 9
Session: Sept. 16
Session: Sept. 23
Session: Sept. 30
Session: Oct. 7
Pitch Day: Oct. 21
Spring 2024 Cohort | Saturdays 2pm-3pm CT
Kick-off: Jan. 13
Session: Jan. 20
Session: Jan. 27
Session: Feb. 3
Session: Feb. 10
Session: Feb. 17
Session: Feb. 24
Pitch Day: March 2
Register for the program here!
About the Program
Builder provides a step-by-step guide for aspiring entrepreneurs (faculty, staff, students, and alumni) with a viable early stage idea to actually launch a new venture. Builder is the perfect next step for graduates of the Wond’ry Ideator program, entrepreneurs with a validated product, technology, or service that have already engaged in customer discovery efforts, found problem-solution fit, and would like to learn how to launch a new non-profit or for-profit venture or pursue a licensing deal.
Outline:
Session: Kickoff
Session: IP and MVP Development
Session: Organizational Design and Entity Formation
Session: Customer Relationships and Channels, Sales/Marketing
Session: Key Activities
Session: Key Partners and Key Resources
Session: Creating a Financial Model, Cost Structures, and Funding a Venture
Session: Pitching
Session: BMC and Business Plan
A limited number of microgrants are awarded to participants displaying a high level of commitment to pursuing the idea and having sufficient evidence that supports its merit. For participants in Builder that are working on STEM ideas, receiving microgrant funding from the Wond’ry makes you eligible to apply to the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Program. Acceptance into the National I-Corps Program provides a $50K non-dilutive grant!
How to Determine if Builder is Right for You
In order to participate, you must be an active student, faculty, staff member, or alumni at a university located in the Southeast region. Builder participants should have an idea for which they have found problem-solution fit and be working to achieve product-market fit. Problem-solution fit is defined as having a customer segment identified with at least one value proposition (need) for that segment and that both (segment and vp) can be defended with evidence from your customer discovery. Builder participants need to have time to commit to the program sessions plus an additional ~5 hours per week for customer discovery, office hours, and mentor meetings. If you have any questions about whether you and your idea is a good fit, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Wond’ry team at thewondry@vanderbilt.edu.
Expectations
If you did not complete the Wond’ry’s Ideator Program prior to applying for the Builder Program, you must submit a log of customer interviews completed, insights gathered from those interviews, and a document that lists your value proposition and initial customer segment. If you did participate in Ideator, but did not achieve problem-solution fit by the end of that program, you will submit the same information listed above to show how you were able to find a value proposition for a defined customer segment through additional evidence gathered after Ideator concluded. Participants are required to attend all sessions of Builder if they want a chance to pitch for microgrant funding.
In addition to the video content and weekly discussion meetings, participants will have access to office hours with the instructors and mentoring sessions with members of the Wond’ry’s mentoring program.
Program Support
Support for the creation of this program was provided via a Faculty Grant from VentureWell.