Question 1

Am I signed up for all 4 labs if I register for Lab#1?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You are just signed up for all four labs now! We will contact you with more information about each lab via email.

Question 2

Do I need experience or knowledge about startups to take part?

Accepted Answer

No! Our Labs series is designed for students who are interested and want to make their first steps and explore the opportunities in the startup scene. You need no prior experience or knowledge about startups, starting a company or project management.

Question 3

Do I need a business idea to take part?

Accepted Answer

No! It is great if you sign up with an idea for a project but it is not required since you can also form teams with others who already have an idea.

Question 4

Do I need a team to take part?

Accepted Answer

No! It is great if you sign up with a team but we will provide you with several opportunities to join other teams (Networking at Kick-off, Pitch at end of Lab #1, ECN Matching Platform). If you can't wait to meet your potential co-founders, you can create a profile on the ECN Matching Platform and select “I am part of the Entrepreneurship Avenue” when you register right away!

Question 5

Can we join the Labs as a team?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can! If you already found a team you want to work on your project with, please let us know when you fill out the form. Just select "I already have a team" on the form and list your team members!

Question 6

Do I need to be a university student to take part?

Accepted Answer

Our workshop series is designed for students from different backgrounds! No matter your background, we are looking forward to your participation! The more diverse the team, the more innovative the projects!

Question 7

What kind of project/startup idea should I work on?

Accepted Answer

You should work on any idea for a business that you find interesting, no matter how complex or simple. If you are not sure where to start, think about a problem that you have in your personal or professional life (e.g., spending too much money on certain products/services, no motivation to learn a new skill or wasting food). It is very likely that others are also bothered by this problem and would even spend money on a solution. For example, the founders of refurbed who took part in the Entrepreneurship Avenue Lab series in 2017 were upset with how expensive and unsustainable it was to buy smartphones and developed a sustainable and cheaper marketplace for refurbished products.

Question 8

How does the online Labs series work?

Accepted Answer

An online Lab is basically an online workshop designed for you to learn and apply the fundamental concepts of turning an idea for a startup into a real project. After you sign up, we will ask you for a description of yourself or the project you want to work on. For each of the four Labs, we will send you a Zoom link to enter the online workshop environment and ask you for information to match you with experienced mentors and pitch trainers who will support your journey and skills development.

Question 9

What will happen at the LABs?

Accepted Answer

Throughout the lab series you will work on a business project idea that solves a problem and learn how to refine it, understand how to make money with it and how to present it to your customers, business partners and investors.   Lab #1 - The Fundamentals
In the first Lab, you will learn about the steps of implementing a business project and the importance of solving a problem with your business idea. At the end of Lab #1, you will form interdisciplinary teams and define the problem you want to solve with your project and are ready to apply the tips you got about including your customer in your project development.  Lab #2 - Mentoring
The goal of the second lab is to develop your business model and receive feedback from an experienced mentor. We will match your team with one of our mentors - experts in the startup scene, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Our mentors come from a broad range of backgrounds - life sciences, manufacturing, digital industry etc. - and we will make sure to find your perfect match according to your interests!  Lab #3 - Pitch Training
At Lab #3 you will be able to improve your pitch with our trainers and learn how to best present your idea to potential investors. You will be asked to prepare a 1 minute pitch based on the insights you have received in the previous Labs beforehand. At the beginning of Lab you will receive tips about storytelling. Then, a pitch trainer assigned to your team will provide feedback and work with you on further perfection of the pitch.  Lab #4 - Demo Day
In Lab #4 are the online semi finals of the Labs series. It is time to present your progress and final pitch to a diverse jury during a pitching competition. The jury will decide on the top 10 teams who will then have the opportunity to win prizes with their pitch at the final Pitch Award of the Conference on May 31 at the University of Economics and Business (WU) campus.

Question 10

Is there a participation fee?

Accepted Answer

No! Every event is completely free of charge!

Question 11

What is the Entrepreneurship Avenue?

Accepted Answer

The Entrepreneurship Avenue is an event series designed to encourage students to explore their opportunities in the startup scene and try out entrepreneurship first hand. In 2022, the event series spans from March 22 to May 31 and has four components: The Kick-off event at the University of Economics and Business (WU) on March 22, 5:30pm. A mini startup program consisting of 4 online workshops called “Labs” starting at April 5. During the workshop series you work on turning an idea into a viable startup and receive support from startup professionals, mentors and pitch trainers. The top ten teams get to participate at the Pitch Award at the Conference on May 31 to win exciting prizes. Offline networking events in Vienna in cooperation with our event partners in between the Lab series. [Link to subpage] The Conference - the grand finale of the event series - all day at the University of Economics and Business (WU) on May 31.

Question 12

How can I participate in the startup program (Labs)?

Accepted Answer

You need to register on Eventbrite (click here) for the Lab series once. After your registration, you will receive further information on how to join the online event via email.

Question 13

How can I participate in the Kick-off/Conference/offline events?

Accepted Answer

For each event you need to register via Eventbrite. Please note that for the in person events in Vienna, you are required to bring a valid, negative PCR test in order to take part.

Question 14

When is the deadline to apply for the startup program (Labs) of the Entrepreneurship Avenue?

Accepted Answer

The deadline to sign up for Lab #1 of the Lab series is on April 5, 2022, 12am (4 hours before the start of the first workshop).

Question 15

How can the Entrepreneurship Avenue help me develop my startup idea?

Accepted Answer

As part of the Entrepreneurship Avenue you and your startup idea can benefit from the networking opportunities at our offline events as well as knowledge and feedback from accomplished entrepreneurs, your personal mentor and your pitch trainer during the online Lab series. Connect with like-minded students and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the event series Discover the organizations and opportunities in Viennese startup ecosystem during our offline events in Vienna Learn from knowledge shared by successful entrepreneurs Refine your idea based on feedback from mentors during our Labs series  Improve your presentation skills with the support of a pitch trainer during our Labs series  Win prizes in cash and kind to kick start your career and business at the Pitch Award at the end of the Labs series   Meet investors and supporters of your idea at the Conference on May 31, 2022 at the University of Economics and Business in Vienna

Question 16

In which language will the Entrepreneurship Avenue be held?

Accepted Answer

The whole event is held in English as we want to give everyone the chance to participate. However, at the in person events in Vienna, there will be many speakers and mentors who are German natives – so if you feel more comfortable in German, you will certainly be able to network and ask more personal questions in German.

Question 17

Who is organizing the Entrepreneurship Avenue?

Accepted Answer

The Entrepreneurship Avenue is organized by students in cooperation with SIMC and ECN.  SIMConnect – The student organization of WU’s SIMC master program
SIMConnect aims to build the community around the MSc in Strategy, Innovation and Management Control and connects its students with the program’s alumni, faculty and external partners. The student-driven organization offers a wide variety of activities and services, such as the organization of workshops, speeches, and training with corporate partners, as well as the hosting of social events for the active student and alumni communities. Furthermore, SIMConnect represents the students’ voice to the faculty to co-create an outstanding master program.  ECN – The Entrepreneurship Center Network The ECN is a platform for interdisciplinary networking and support for entrepreneurship at universities. We promote entrepreneurial thinking at universities and connect students from all disciplines, subjects, and different universities. We support them with basic funding knowledge, therefore raising the number of university start-ups from multiple disciplines. The ECN supports you as a young founder and future head of a company. You can learn entrepreneurial skills, meet other students with the same mindset and get professional support for your first steps to entrepreneurship.

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