LeapIN HIGHLIGHT REEL: Weeks 8+9
Highlight of weeks 8+9 of our Business Accelerator
Fanshawe College's Premiere Business Accelerator Program
Launching Fanshawe College founders towards success in their start-ups.
The LeapIN Business Accelerator program is a real world, hands-on learning experience designed for early-stage Fanshawe College founders to validate their business ideas, establish a minimum viable product, and build a roadmap for implementation to launch their startup.
It’s also a heck of a lot of fun 😃
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MAY 2022
Not sure if you qualify for this program or want to learn more? Get in touch with our team here.
Program Highlights
12
Weeks of
Programming
36+
Expert-Led Workshops
20
Spots
Available
$5000
In Funding
Per Company
What is LeapIN?
The road to being a successful entrepreneur begins with a passion for an idea, a plan based on research, experimentation, and analysis, and the persistence and courage to pursue the vision. Whether you have always dreamed of being an entrepreneur or recent circumstances triggered starting a business, Leap IN is designed to introduce you to the key elements of successful entrepreneurship and give you a safe space to learn, grow, and launch your start-up.
LeapIN focuses on teaching new founders how to create businesses that fulfill customers' emotional needs (e.g., solve problems, achieve desires, etc.) via an iterative process consisting of devising and executing experiments to validate assumptions. This process is called the Lean Startup approach to entrepreneurship and utilizes the Business Model Canvas and Customer Development tools to combine theory with a ton of hands-on practice. You will be getting your hands dirty talking to real customers, partners, and competitors as you encounter the chaos and uncertainty of real start-up life. You’ll practice evidence-based entrepreneurship, learning to use your business model canvas to brainstorm and stress test your assumptions and determine if anyone other than you would want to buy your product/service. Based on the customer and market feedback, you will begin to develop and iterate your product/service or concept and build/design something customers would actually buy and use.
Each day will be a new adventure in and outside of LeapIN as you test each part of your business idea, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build a strong foundation for your company, grow your network, become a better business leader.
You will leave each day with the tools needed to help your business idea move forward!
Program Overview
The 12-week program is split into 2 phases:
1) Finding a problem worth solving:
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The Fundamentals of evidence-based entrepreneurship
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Understanding lean start-up methodology and business model canvas
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The importance of experimentation
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Understanding customer problems
2) Finding a solution worth building:
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Customer Discovery and Problem Validation
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Financial Modeling
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MVP and Prototype Design
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Experimentation
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Pitching and Storytelling
Other topics that will be covered:
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Goal Setting
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Leadership
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Market Research
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Financial Statements
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Legal
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Small Business Taxation
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Branding
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Website Creation
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Google Analytics
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SEO and SEM
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Social Media Marketing
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Content Marketing
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Public Relations
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Sales Strategies
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Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Purpose Business
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Community Building and Networking
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Public Speaking and Presenting
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Health and Wellness
Program Dates
Program Registration Deadline
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March 1st, 2022
Program Dates
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May 10, 2022 – July 28, 2022
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Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
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Program Hours | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
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All applicants must available for these hours
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Options will be available for in-person or online participation*.
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*program format subject to change due to COVID-19
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*LeapIN will be following all COVID-19 restrictions and adhering to public health guidelines.
Who can apply?
Must be a current or former Fanshawe College student.
Must attend a minimum of 90% of the program sessions
(in person or online).
Must be eligible to work in Canada.
Must dedicate a minimum of 25 hours a week to your business and program activities.
Must have a reliable internet connection and computer to participate.
Must attend bi-weekly business advisor sessions to aid in growth.
Business Eligibility
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Any legal idea for a physical/digital product or service is eligible
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Ideas can be a for-profit, social enterprise, or non-profit business model
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Business concepts must be beyond the idea stage:
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You can demonstrate some evidence of idea validation and have undertaken some form of primary and secondary market research
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Reasons to Apply
Funding
Up to $5000 of funding to help with your business growth.
Accountability
Bi-weekly progress check-ins with Leap Junction business advisors.
Networking Opportunities
You will have many opportunities to grow your network and community by meeting and talking with fellow entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
Demo Day
A day to celebrate you and all you have accomplished during the program.
Flexibility
Join from our office or anywhere in the world. We have options for both in-person and online participation.
Meet Like-Minded People
Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely road, but not at Leap. You will be working in a space with other like-minded entrepreneurs who can offer advice, support, and motivation!
Business Services
Access to a network of professional service providers.
Office Space
Inspiring work and meeting space will be available for the duration of the program
*COVID restrictions.
Workshops
Curated workshops from industry/subject matter experts and business advisors.
Mentorship
Opportunities
Access to experienced entrepreneurs.
Co-op Credit
Current students enrolled in a Co-operative Education Program at Fanshawe College may also be eligible to use this program as their Summer co-op term. In order for this program to be considered as your summer co-op term, please confirm eligibility with the co-op office in advance by emailing coop@fanshawec.ca.
Testimonials
My experience with the LeapIN incubator was wonderful. We covered lots of topics touching on all aspects of running a business as an entrepreneur. Personally, I really enjoyed the guest speakers that were brought in and the trips we took to other businesses. Having the ability to connect with other successful entrepreneurs. was an inspiration and very helpful as they provided insight into my business. The discussion on corporate social responsibility still sticks with me to this day. We have a charity event every year as a part of Extra Life to raise funds for the Sick Kids hospital here in London.
It's a great feeling to be able to give back to the community that supports us being in business in a way that lets us use our product. The hardest thing to learn for me as an entrepreneur has been learning what you're good at, what you're not good at, and when to hire someone to help. As entrepreneurs, we never want to let go of the control we have of every detail of our business because we want to be perfect. The LeapIN incubator assisted me in identifying these skills which have assisted in the continued success of both my businesses. Any potential or current entrepreneur who has not taken ( participated in) an incubator would benefit greatly from the knowledge that is passed on through the LeapIN incubator.
