WHEN:
March 29, 11:00 AM -12:30 PM Eastern Time

ABOUT:
Being a part of an incubation program is a fantastic opportunity for an entrepreneur. Incubators offer a variety of resources, including networking opportunities, mentorship, specialized educational programs, and more. Because they offer so much, it can be confusing for an early stage entrepreneur to understand how to get the most out of this experience.

This Masterclass will address what kinds of incubation programs there are; how an entrepreneur can know if incubation is a good option for their business; how they can best prepare for the experience; and how they can get the most out of the program while they are in it.

The Masterclass will be interactive with chances for viewers to ask questions and network with other participants.
Although this Masterclass will be happening in conjunction with the close of the GIST Business Incubation application, it is meant to be about any incubation program - not just GIST Business Incubation. This class is not meant to answer specific questions about GIST Business Incubation, like an info session would. Any questions will be routed to the proper Program Officer.

Learning Points:

• What kinds of opportunities/resources can you get at an incubator?
• Who best benefits from incubation?
• How do you determine if doing an incubator program is a good fit for you and your startup?
• How do you prepare for an incubation experience?
• How can you leverage the connections you make in an incubator program?
• How can you get the most from an incubation program while you are in it?

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Featuring Lead Instructor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miranda Williamson - Seedspot | Director of Recruiting 

Panelists: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel Lasiti

• Samuel works to address food insecurity in arid and semi arid areas in Kenya. He co-founded Leap Empowerment Development Initiative, a social enterprise working to transform pastoral and rural-agric communities. In the beginning, the main focus of his work was teaching families how to grow swiss chard in backyard planters. 
• Samuel's pathway: 
  • Award winner of Kenyatta University EFSOYC Project in (2019), which allowed him to implement biointensive farming technique in Kajiado County through a seven month pilot project to enhance food security among households in arid and semi arid areas.
  • Alumni of Watson Institute Venture Accelerator Program (Fall 2022) based out of Boulder, Colorado, where he studied social entrepreneurship.
  • International Volunteer Exchange Program (2022-2023) participant at Mennonite Central Committee, where he came to Virginia and learned about regenerative agriculture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexia (Amani) Simbayobewe

• Amani spent five years of his life as a street child in Rwanda. Through the love and generosity of different people, he was able to leave the life of the street behind and become a changemaker in his community. After leaving street life and joining high school, he realized that he wanted to dedicate his time to helping others, like him, who found themselves living on the streets. In 2017, Amani launched Sheer Love Rwanda. In the early days, Sheer Love Rwanda sold handmade backpacks to raise money to provide education to street children. 
• His pathway:
  • Graduate of Southern New Hampshire University at Kepler program with a bachelor’s in business management.
  • An intern at Faith In Action.
  • He worked as a social worker at Unbound, a non-profit organization from Kansas.
  • Alumni of Watson Institute Venture Accelerator Program (Fall 2022) based out of Boulder, Colorado, where he studied social entrepreneurship, and has since taken several trips to the US to visit his Watson connections.