Where Entrepreneurship STARTS in High School
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Regarding Power Pitch:
"After having seen hundreds of business plan presentations over the years, these young people put the greater Chicago tech community to shame last night."
- Ron May, March 7, 2012
"I think who ever coached those kids on how to present should be doing it with adults too."
-Nancy Munro, President, Chicago MIT Enterprise Forum
TALENT is an extra-curricular inquiry learning program helping Illinois high school students get new business ventures off the ground. The CoolHub.IMSA project space is used to promote events, encourage collaboration and communication with IMSA alumni, entrepreneurs and investors. Much of the prototyping work takes place outside CoolHub.IMSA in workshops, labs and focus groups.
Schedule Fall 2012 and beyond
Sept. 10, 8 pm - Game Night, 8 pm -- Game Night: Ventures to Vultures. This session features Ventures to Vultures, an IMSA TALENT game invented IMSA Alums Michael Mirksi and Sid Sapru (both IMSA 2010) and refined by Kevin Baker (IMSA 2011). Quick Draw Fun. Turn your Big Ideas into Money. Find out more about TALENT. Everyone is welcome. FLYER
Sept. 24, 8 pm -- Game Testing Team Competition. Join a team and get in the action. Help your team turn a profit in its first year of operation. This fast-action, interactive group simulation game (developed by TALENT leaders) challenges your ability to manage money and customers to move a business forward in 12 months. Everyone is welcome.
Oct. 1, 8 pm -- My Entrepreneurial DNA. Are you ready to be an entrepreneur? Few entrepreneurs can "go it alone." They need to supplement their skills with those of other team members. Find out what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, start to examine your strengths and weaknesses, start to look at team building. Special Guest: Joe Abraham. Video
Oct. 15, 8 pm -- Power Pitch Info Night: Find out about Power Pitch from past participants and how to pitch a winning start up in this year's contest. What are you thinking about presenting at Power Pitch? Do you want to pitch alone or as part of a team? Video
Oct. 22, 8 pm -- Live from 1871 featuring MyServista, an overview of their business, their team, experience with IMSA intern Matthew Rasmussen and lessons learned. Video
Oct. 29, 8 pm -- Working Session: What's your Big Idea? Meeting with Serial Entrepreneurs Moon Xia and Andy Parker. Video
Nov. 5, 8 pm -- Show me the money. Moises Goldman. What's a lean startup? What's bootstrapping? How much money do you really need to start a business? Where do you get the money? Where to go for capital, differences between angel investors and venture capitalists, risks to take and risks to avoid. Document Video
Nov. 12, 8 pm -- Workshop: What are your Big Ideas?
Nov. 26, 8 pm -- Working Group. Testing our new card game: LTV (working title--help us think of a better name).
Dec. 3, 8 pm -- Protecting your Idea (IP). Special Guest: Anna Remis, IMSA class of 1997.
Dec. 10, 8 pm -- Live from 1871 featuring StudyCloud and their lessons learned.
Jan. 7-11 (Intersession) TBA
Jan. 14, 8 pm -- Anatomy of Great Pitches.
Jan. 28, 8 pm -- Working Groups: Pitch practice and feedback.
Jan. 31 -- Deadline for Power Pitch registration
Feb. 4, 8 pm -- Elevator Pitch Workshop.
Feb. 11, 6:30 pm -- Power Pitch Dress Rehearsals by Appointment (see Jim or Carl)
Feb. 25, 6:30 pm -- GREAT MINDS @ 1871: Sam Yagan
Feb. 28, 6 - 8 pm -- Power Pitch Prelims at IMSA. Individuals and teams present their concept or demonstrate their product or service to qualify for the Finals. The format is similar to a science fair. Six businesses will be selected for the finals.
Apr. 8 -- Internship Opportunities through TALENT
Apr. 14 -- Application Deadline for TALENT UPgrade Camp
Apr. 29 -- Announcement of Acceptance for TALENT UPgrade.
Power Pitch Finals in Chicago. Individuals and teams have 8 minutes to present their product or service. Six businesses compete for cash prizes.
May 20 -- TALENT Entrepreneurs and Mentors Dinner
July 14 -- TALENT UPgrade Residential Design Camp starts.
