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START-UP PROJECTS

Many of the leading technology start-ups in Switzerland have worked with IMD MBA or EMBA participants

Objectives

  • Provide hands-on learning experience in entrepreneurship and new ventures for the IMD MBA and EMBA classes.
  • Provide input and support to regional early stage companies, to improve their chances of funding and success.
Why do a start-up project? How to apply Calendar Contact us

Why would you want to apply?
The IMD startup competition provides a unique opportunity for regional technology startups to benefit from the insights of a team of experienced IMD MBA participants who have been screened to participate in one of the toughest business programs in the world.

  • Benefit from their concentrated help to crack some of your most resistant business challenges
  • Gain fresh thinking to refine and validate your business model or provide new momentum to fund-raising efforts
  • Get outsiders to test your concepts and help you develop the most appropriate development routes

What are the benefits of working with MBAs?
The class of 90 MBA participants, are a group of high caliber, experienced (average age: 31) and international students.

  • Up to 15 startup projects will be selected to receive the dedicated support of a team of 5 to 7 MBA participants for a period of up to 3 months, between January and March, under the supervision of an IMD Faculty member.
  • The team normally put an average of 6-8 hours on the project each week, for a total support package equivalent to at least 500-600 work-hours.
  • The team will focus exclusively on business-related issues of the new venture, e.g. customer value proposition, supply-chain management, market entry strategies, etc. helping to develop critical components of its business plan to a point where they can potentially be presented to new funding sources.
  • They will provide managerial or technical support (but not substitute for the entrepreneurial team).

There is a clear expectation that you will open up completely in terms of strategy determination and will capitalize on the opportunity offered to work with the team.

What type of projects can you use the fulltime IMD MBA participants for?
The winners of the Start-up competition provide IMD participants with the real-life startup experience they need as part of their training. As such, we never select projects that do not involve the students in the strategic / business model discussions of the startup, i.e. the issues that lie at their heart. This eliminates startups looking for students to run only a market study, a competitive analysis or similar limited commercial activities that do not give participants true insights into the company.

While market analysis is usually an important component of a project, it should not be the only one; the participants should get involved in issues such as validating the customer proposition and the business model, developing the market entry strategy, etc.

Examples of previous competition winners
Endosense, Primequal, Axovan, id Quantique, VisioWave, AC Immune, LyncéeTec, SpinX, TheraStrat, Wavecall, TheScreener.com, NexThink, Bulane, Keylemon, Bacula Systems, ViSSee, basisnote, Stereotools, Logifleet, Hyperweek, Sysmosoft and Memonic.

Selection criteria
We are looking for early-stage companies that have a solid chance of market success, have a team that is curious and willing to open themselves up to a small group of management "students," can provide a good learning opportunity for our participants and whose timing fits with the IMD programs.

More advanced startups facing development issues are also considered. 

Qualities we are looking for
  • A real venture with an established team and demonstrated resources.
  • Willing to work with IMD over at least three months, starting January 2012.
  • The venture must have at least one person working on it fulltime.
  • The venture must be independent (not a subsidiary of an existing, established company).
  • Demonstrated willingness to integrate the MBA team into the b-plan development process and communicate freely with them about the company, its finances and its technology.
    (A 3-year standard NDA can be requested).
  • The new venture should ideally be locally based. Ventures further away (Paris, Grenoble, Frankfurt, etc.) have to incorporate the need to travel to Lausanne in their budgets and time agendas.
  • Preference will be given to technology-based enterprises (not a formal requirement).
  • Ability to cover incidental expenses incurred by the participants on behalf of the startup (for example phone calls if an industry survey is conducted, printing of reports, etc.). This will be discussed upfront with the startup before any expenses are incurred.
  • The quality of the opportunity and the commitment of the team will be determining factors.

Application Process
Please email a two-page executive summary to pulcrano@imd.org before November 1, 2011 and use this link to provide us with essential information about your company.

Your executive summary should provide a clear and concise description of your product/service, your current team, the market you plan to enter, your competition, your timeline for implementation and your expected financial needs for 2012. If the jury has questions, a short interview, either in person or by phone, may be requested.

A team of IMD Faculty with extensive experience of entrepreneurial activities, with advisory support from Switzerland's CTI/KTI Startup organization and VentureStart, will select the projects.

We will contact selected teams on November 14th, 2011, and expect a formal commitment quickly afterwards.

Startups failing to provide a strong commitment to support the project and to dedicate time to moving the projects forward with the participants will be immediately removed from the program.

Deadlines and timelines

Timing Activity
November 1st, 2011 Deadline for submission
November 14th, 2011 Formal notification to all selected candidates
December 3rd, 2011 Deadline for accept/decline response from selected candidates
January 18th, 2012
(subject to confirmation)		 First meeting between companies and their MBA teams at IMD.
January 21st, 2012
 On-site day for MBA students at the company's office, if feasible
January - March

MBAs work on project
End March, 2012 MBAs make final delivery and presentation to the startup.

We look forward to working with you on your future project. Please get in touch if you would like any further information.

Jim Pulcrano
Executive Director
Email: pulcrano@imd.ch
Tel: +41 21 618 02 24


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