Applications Open for OU Startup Launchpad

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Applications Open for OU Startup Launchpad

candid, students hold up novelty checks at the event

Startup OU has opened cohort applications to its Startup Launchpad programs. Startup Launchpad encompasses all venture creation and launch-related programs at Startup OU, all of which offer industry-agnostic programmatic support to carry aspiring entrepreneurs from idea to launch.

Startup OU’s founder-centric approach ensures aspiring and early founders are supported through all elements of the startup process. The organization's launch programs are adaptive to an entrepreneur’s individual needs, while still tackling common problems all early-stage founders face. Key programs accepting aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders include Startup OU’s Idea Lab and Build Accelerator.

Idea Lab

The Idea Lab offers aspiring entrepreneurs an on-ramp to entrepreneurship. The Idea Lab is a dynamic, 4-week pre-acceleration program aimed at those with an idea for a potential business but unsure whether it is something worth chasing down. The Idea Lab employs a “do it with us” approach, where our team will work alongside aspiring founders to determine if their idea has a meaningful opportunity at becoming a solution to a real customer pain point.

Aspiring founders admitted to the Idea Lab will leverage structured training and mentoring to gain a strong understanding of core startup concepts, while also connecting with others in our community that can help them move their ideas forward. Detailed program offerings and programming schedules are available here.

Build Accelerator

The Build Accelerator is a 12-week, venture acceleration program that builds on insights gained from the Idea Lab and aims to help early-stage founders build: 1) a value proposition, 2) a minimum viable product, 3) a business plan, 4) a go-to-market strategy, and 5) a venture pitch. The Build Accelerator will provide early founders the tools and resources to build their business around the solution they have identified. The program will help founders identify market opportunities, rapidly develop prototypes, and generate a foundational template for their business. Detailed program offerings and programming schedules are available here.

Applications to Startup Launchpad programs will close on Aug. 23, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

About Startup OU

The University of Oklahoma’s starting point for entrepreneurship, Startup OU is an entrepreneurship hub that fosters and champions the next generation of founders and entrepreneurial talent. Our organization serves as an entry point into the University of Oklahoma, state, and regional startup ecosystems; a connection point for startup founders and university resources and talent; and a launch point for university-affiliated and community startups into the state and regional economies.

Startup OU is a space for anyone interested in entrepreneurship. The organization serves aspiring and first-time founders across the central Oklahoma region, with special priority given to university-affiliated founders, including University of Oklahoma students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Article Published: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

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