As we raise the curtain on the 12th edition of The University of Queensland’s ilab Germinate 12 startup accelerator program, let us remember that entrepreneurship happens to wear many hats.
Starting a business and growing it into a sustainable venture sounds like the objective but, along the way, many other goals get fulfilled.
Germinate 12
This piece of news takes precedence. The Germinate startup accelerator program, by ilab UQ is now open for applications!
This program is open to all entrepreneurs – or entrepreneurial-minded people – linked to UQ and wanting to take their business venture to the next level.
The noticeable features are:
- 3 months program
- 10 teams selected
- A team must have at least 2 members directly linked to UQ (Student, staff or recent alumni – within 4 years of graduation)
- $10,000 grant money awarded to each team, no equity taken (conditions apply)
- Entrepreneur In Residence
- Accountability, mentoring and speakers
- Pitch night, at the end of the program, to showcase your product/service to investors and the wider ecosystem
The applications will close on the 25th of May 2018. The short-listed teams will be nominated by the beginning of the following week and invited to attend a 3-days bootcamp where they will try to secure a place in the final 10 teams who will be accepted in the Germinate program. Register on the Germinate program page to receive the link (and template) to the application form.
This program represents a massive investment, in time, efforts and resources by the university and the ilab team. Beyond offering a path to entrepreneurship at university, this initiative delves into a bigger picture.
Entrepreneurial education
Entrepreneurship is not a side topic, rather it is a major learning opportunity.
As such, the Germinate program, like other ilab UQ initiatives, strongly aligns with the goals of academic institutions as well as future employers.
The university strives to empower students and equip them with a broader set of skills which are embedded in the process of building and growing a startup.
Entrepreneurial education also resonates with all, regardless of their level, specialties or studies.
Entrepreneurship mixes project-based learning and problem-based learning with real-life learning. Hence empowering students and giving them the set of skills that employers are now looking for. The ability to make decisions, to adapt, to take on any form of project.
In other words, this entrepreneurial education, through the process of actually building and growing a business, strengthens the employability of students.
Up-skilling and growth
Entrepreneurship is magic. From experience, we see people grow, not only as professionals but also individuals; we witness the wonder of various backgrounds and skillsets colliding to create some startup magic. We help people discover and learn new skills, outside their comfort zone and empower them.
A startup is all about knowledge. With limited means, small teams and a need to move fast, having a varied set of skills is fundamental. But ensuring that every member of the team can understand what is happening and what other members are talking about or working on is actually crucial.
When a developer starts understanding and taking interest in the marketing, or sales, game or when a marketing specialist learns about code and technical constraints then, not only is the business progressing but the whole team is also growing and its members ramping up their skills.
This is what entrepreneurship is about. It is a journey and a path towards gaining experience.
Success may happen, in different forms, failure too but, at the end of the day, whatever happens, every milestone and every hurdle is a learning opportunity and, if seen this way, then the whole entrepreneurial journey can never be a failure.
Just an amazing amount of learning and experience gained.
