Microcompany Experience

In their first course in entrepreneurship, students create their own teams and launch a microcompany funded by the University.

The microcompany course begins with each student pitching an idea to the class. The students in the class evaluate the ideas and choose the ones they like. Those who pitched the top ideas become team founders. The next step is a career day where founders recruit other students to their team based on the skill set they will need to successfully launch their business. Each team then gets a $5,000 investment from the University, and they move to launch their microcompany.

The experience lasts for a full academic year, and students are encouraged to continue their company after the course ends. At the end of the year, the students pay back the original investment and spilt the profits among the team's members and a social venture of their choice. By the end of their first year in the program, students will have built a diverse team, launched a company and repaid an investor.