PSL-iTeams 2021/2022

Objectives:

The skills you will acquire during this program can be grouped into four areas:

• Conceptualizing the idea and brainstorming: to help you develop your imagination and show innovation in thinking “outside the box” with regard to building an image for your project and choosing how to present it (business model canvas, pitch, etc.).
• Go-to-market strategy and market research: to help you identify your project’s market and target audiences and address your users’ needs so you can build a value proposition and MVP (market studies, digital strategy, operational deployment, etc.).
• Project development & management: to help you make use of appropriate tools to structure your project’s development, identify the team member skills you need and organize the work.
• Legal & financial issues: to help you become familiar with the legal aspects of starting a business, develop an intellectual property strategy and establish a funding plan.

Program:

Participants in the program will be grouped into multidisciplinary teams and given the task of developing a technology transfer strategy (proof of concept, market, business model, etc.) for project concepts.

During that process, you’ll receive support from professionals in the worlds of business and technology transfer while attending workshops and training modules.

For each project-idea assigned to a team of students, the scientific advisor who proposed the idea will be present for selected meetings to provide scientific expertise and his or her perspective on potential applications.

Students will also receive support from a business mentor, who will provide expertise in developing the project and putting together a business model.

Program: Six months, from September 28, 2021, to March 29, 2022

• 24 hours of workshops (every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., excluding vacation periods)
• 8 hours of team work sessions
• 6 hours of scientific and business coaching as a team
• 3 major events:

— Initial speed-dating session (September 28): The scientific advisors provide a brief presentation of the projects. Multidisciplinary teams are then established and the projects are assigned.

— Mid-term oral defense (December 14): before a jury made up of professionals from the industrial world and experts in entrepreneurship.

— Final defense (March 29): Students defend their project and its business model before a jury playing the role of investors. Awards will be given to the best projects.