What is the EPIC Lab?
The EPIC Lab is a free virtual bootcamp that teaches idea creation, R+D, market research, proof of concept, and strategic partnership fundamentals for aspiring social venture teams and founders that will help students facilitate social venture startup ideas and prepare interested student teams to submit their social venture concepts for End Poverty Innovation Challenge.
You can expect...
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An intimate passionate community of social entrepreneurship students from both undergraduate and graduate Colleges and Universities at the same stage
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To learn from experienced Social Venture startup founders and Special Guest Speakers from the worlds of Finance, International Development, and Business.
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Experimentation, iteration, and validation – Lean Startup methods and imbed them into your social venture!
The EPIC Lab will teach you how to:
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Develop a founder passion driven mindset needed to be a top-performing social entrepreneur
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Brainstorm a social venture idea which meets a compelling need that the poor have
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Market research the heck out of it to make sure your idea meets real market needs
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Do a thorough customer development strategy and crisply articulate a customer persona
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Develop your proposed product or service to minimize costs and improve outcomes
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Develop business intuition around common sales and market tools and:
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Sales cycle length
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Unit economics
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Promising customer acquisition channels
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Develop a set of excel spread sheets that can demonstrate your venture’s sustainability
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Design the proof of concept and road test it to affirm it has what it takes.
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Developing a scaling strategy utilizing strategic partners and customers
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Create a great pitch using power point and video for prospective social impact investors, angels and others.
miss a lab? find them here.
FAQs
How is the EPIC Lab different from an accelerator program?
→ Unlike accelerators, we don't take any equity in your social venture to participate in this course... though we can't promise that the Social Ventures Foundation won't want to invest in the future!
What is the time commitment?
→ You should expect to spend 1 hour each week on the EPIC Lab. The Lab invite for each week will be shared once you’ve been accepted into the program and you attend all labs.
Can my co-founder or other team members join the program?
→ Yes. The more the merrier.
What if I’m not based in the US?
→ The Epic Lab is open to anyone from anywhere in the world. We will record every session so if you can’t make it due to time zone issues, you’ll still have access to the same information.
Will my lab participation help give me a better chance to pitch the EPIC 2020?
→ We think so. We are serving up experiential education from “doers” not talkers or critics. You involvement will give you the tools to improve your social venture and that should give you an edge on those who don’t attend.