Turning scientific ideas into startups
The McGill Dobson Neuro Innovation Lean Startup program, offered in partnership with with NeuroSphere, McGill's neuroscience accelerator funded through Healthy Brains Healthy Lives, was created to support and accelerate emerging innovation and scientific discovery in the fields of neurosciences, neurobiology, neuroinformatic, neurotechnology, neurorobotics or artificial intelligence.
The McGill Dobson Neuro Innovation Lean Startup program is a customized learning approach intended specifically for scientific researchers. It is designed to help take you from the idea stage to developing and launching a viable startup, while immersing you into the world of entrepreneurship.
Through informative workshops, mentoring and advising sessions with industry and subject matter experts, as well as self-directed work on your project, you will gain exposure to business frameworks and tools to diagnose your idea and generate challenging, yet feasible goals for your startup. You will also acquire a general understanding of key business concepts needed to bring your vision to life.
By the end of the program, you will have the business acumen, the confidence and the clarity to present your idea to various stakeholders and take your business to the next stage.
View the Program Brochure
Program Overview
Dates: February 1st – March 22nd 2022
Key Learning Themes
Lean Startup Turning An Idea Into A Business
- Why some startups fail and others succeed: stages, pitfalls and best-practices
- Validating your proof of concept
- The framework to creating a viable product
- Understanding your market
- Protecting your IP & Legal Issues
- Financial Projections & KPIs
- Generating a business model to move from idea to startup
- Crafting and articulating your vision to stakeholders
Format
WEEKLY WORKSHOPS: The central platform for introducing strategic frameworks and business concepts that guide the process of turning an idea into a business plan. Workshops also provide the opportunity to bridge theory with real-world application through stories, examples and insights from guest speakers. Workshops will generally last one hour, but we reserve an extra hour for group discussions and learning activities.
ACTION LEARNING: Throughout the program, participants work on achieving milestones related to their startup idea and iterating their business plan. This process is a crucial component of the program and will ultimately lead to the development of
a viable startup concept.
COACHING SESSION: Upon completion of the workshops, participants are encouraged to submit their business plan to be reviewed during a one-on-one coaching session.
Upon completion of Neuro Innovation Lean Startup, teams are encouraged to participate in the 2023 McGill Dobson Bootcamp and Cup.
Outline
Week | Learning themes |
---|---|
1 |
Why Some Startups Fail And Others Succeed
|
2 |
Understanding Your Market
|
3 |
What Matters to Customers
|
4 |
The Framework To Creating A Viable Product
|
5 |
Protecting Your IP & Open Science
|
6 |
Funding an innovative venture & Defining KPIs
|
7 |
Crafting and Articulating the Vision and Strategic Plan to Stakeholders
|
8 |
Building A Business Plan
|
Program Application
Ideal Participant Profile
This program is for McGill-affiliated researchers and trainees that have been working on an idea, discovery or prototype - ideally for 3 months or more, that are looking to legitimize their concept and move towards launching a startup.
You or your team has at least one founder that is a McGill University student, faculty member or staff member.
You or your team has at least one technical co-founder, and can build your business upon a technology, science, or idea that is significantly or radically disruptive.
The project must be aligned with one of HBHL’s research themes
How to Apply
A commitment towards attending all the workshops and executing the project work is required.
Applications are now closed.
Register here to be notified when applications open.
Have questions about the program? Contact Kika Armata for more information: Dobson.mgmt [at] mcgill.ca