Business Incubation
Venture College Incubator (VCI)
The Venture College Incubator (VCI) is the only residential entrepreneurial lab at Boise State University. It is a new resource-rich program designed to help all current Boise State students and select others pursue their ventures as far as they can take them. The program is short-term – aimed to rapidly test the ideas behind your venture, guide you through the iteration phase, and help you achieve your immediate goals (repeatable revenue, venture funding, functional prototype, etc.). VCI residencies fall into one of two general categories:
- Full Time Residency: Designed for students and teams who are ready and committed to an active onsite participation and contribution to the Venture College Incubator Lab.
- Part Time Residency: Designed for students who meet the criteria for full residency but, due to circumstances, are unable to make the full onsite commitment.
Who Should Join the Incubator?
Our venture teams range from early stage to at-revenue and everything in between. If you have committed to forwarding your idea, and are up for the challenge, you should apply to the Venture College Incubation program. Anyone is encouraged to apply. However, the typical resident has some or all of the following characteristics of preparation:
- Successful completion of a Venture College Startup Course (Sprint, Garage, Workshops, etc).
- Startup at some level of progress (at early revenue, funded, etc)
- Pitch competition awardee
- Nominated by faculty, business, agency
- Opportunity Awardee
- Degree emphasis team projects and capstones
- Graduate Assistantship, Internship, Fellowship
- Selected startups at full launch
Receive the Help You Need with the VC Product Team
Upon acceptance into VCI, you will have access to the Venture College Product team: skilled members ready to help you launch your idea and make it grow. Whether you need help on a new logo, flyer, website, podcast, etc., this team is here to make it happen! Their specific skills include:
- Copy writing
- Creative Design
- Social Media
- Website Building
- Technical Help
- Surveys
- PowerPoint
- Data Analytics
- Blogging
- Photography
Additional VCI Benefits
The Venture College Incubator is an opportunity to grow your business with maximum resources to succeed. Upon acceptance, you may receive the following:
- Get 24/7 access to premium downtown office space.
- Get advice and help from our 200+ person mentor network.
- Get access to Venture College supplies, including printing and computer access.
- Get access to downtown conference rooms
- Work side-by-side with other committed students.
- Build highly sought-after career skills.
- Develop connections with leaders in the Boise business community.
- Get opportunities to pitch for seed funding.
- Receive coaching for pitches and competitions.
- Own 100% equity in your own venture and pay $0 in fees to Venture College
We Help You Stay Accountable
Launching a new venture is one of the toughest challenges you will ever face. Without the proper support and direction, the process can be lonely and confusing. That’s why Venture College wants to help you along every step of the way – from idea to paying customers and beyond.
In addition to one-on-one mentoring from our exclusive business network, every VCI participant will also participate in our Accountability Program. The accountability program helps entrepreneurs achieve their goals within the shortest amount of time and money spent. While every venture is different, we follow a specific process that applies to everyone:
- Write the goal or metric you want to achieve
- Write how you will accomplish the goal or metric
- Write the date when you will finish your exercise
- Share the information with Venture College
- Venture College can help you try to achieve the goal
- Review the results with Venture College after the completion date lapses
- Review with Venture College what you learned during the exercise
- Repeat steps 1-7 again
Which Incubator Category Is Best For Me?
If you believe you and your team can dedicate 20+ hours a week or more on your venture (and are within a few months of receiving repeatable revenue) we encourage you to apply for the full-time program. If you believe you or your team can only dedicate less than 20 hours a week, you should apply for the part-time program.
| Features Available | Full-Time | Part-Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated working space, desks and equipment. | Yes | Limited |
| 24/7 access to our downtown Boise work space | Yes | Business hours only |
| Access to printers, computers and recording equipment | Yes | Limited |
| Access to conference rooms | Yes | Limited |
| Opportunity to raise seed funding. | Yes | Limited |
| Work with other entrepreneurs in an exciting, start-up environment. | Yes | Yes |
| Access to mentors from the Venture College mentor network. | Yes | Yes |
We accept applications on an ongoing basis. When you submit an application, we’ll contact you within two weeks to schedule a time to meet with your team.
Apply to VCI Today!