Tribe Ventures Accelerator
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What is it?
Tribe Ventures gives William & Mary students beyond the idea stage a fully immersive
experience in entrepreneurship. Tribe Ventures is a two-semester acceleration
program that builds on the existing traction of W&M student-led ventures of all types.
Moreover, Tribe Ventures is a highly competitive program that comes with a $1,000
award, hot desk workspace, and startup assistance from experienced
entrepreneurs.
Benefits and Expected Outcomes
Tribe Ventures isn’t just a cool space to work on your side hustle. The added benefitsto your teams include:
- Ability to have one-on-one conversations with highly experienced and skilled
experts in entrepreneurship, public speaking, marketing, franchising, product
development and many other expertises - Space to work alongside and learn with other Tribe Ventures and Launchpad
companies - Access to a network and programs to help you reach customers
- Learning and applying skills that embody entrepreneurial thinking
- Applications to funding opportunities
- New products/processes/services that benefit society
- Student-owned companies
- Student inventions
How does it work?
Tribe Ventures starts with an application. Ventures will be selected based on the
following primary selection criteria:
- Evidence of prior progress and/or traction (Tribe Ventures is not the right fit for
idea-stage ventures - we have Rocket Connection and Rocket Pitch for that.)- Progress might be customer interviews, prototype development, or
maybe even revenue
- Progress might be customer interviews, prototype development, or
- Articulation of a clear and compelling business model
- Strength of the team
Tribe Ventures dedicate 10 hours per week to activities which support
entrepreneurial thinking applied to their product/service/process idea. These activities
may include:
- Mentor Office Hours - meeting with a wide variety of experts to hone their
business model and strategy - Customer Discovery - talking to customers to gain insights into the viability of
their business model - Team meetings - working on their venture
- Cohort meetings - Tribe Ventures meetings with Hub entrepreneurs
- Venture Showcase - preparing for and presenting their Tribe Ventures at the
Hub’s annual showcase of entrepreneurs
