Prepare to Make a Difference

The UC Entrepreneurship Academy offers:

• An opportunity to explore and communicate the market opportunities of your research and ideas.
• Hands-on workshops to guide you through the steps necessary to address the technical, business and market validation of your idea.
• Lectures, discussions and interactive activities led by UC Davis faculty and leading investors, industry executives and entrepreneurs.
• Mentoring sessions to focus your approach and hone your pitch.
• Develop a network of professionals who can help mentor and connect you as you move forward with your career or new venture.

Entrepreneurship is a mindset, or a transferrable skill, that can improve all existing practices, including our own lives. I learned that facing and reducing uncertainties efficiently and effectively at each step is key to ongoing development.

Innovate Together

The four-day academy will take place in-person at the UC Davis Alumni Center, with lectures, talks by guest entrepreneurs and industry experts, and individual and small-group activities. Participants should come prepared to engage and grow through discussions, teamwork, and the energy and experience of meeting fellow Aggie Innovators from across campus.

Meet Your Instructor

Joe DiNunzio is the executive director of the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and an assistant adjunct professor at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. He is a senior executive with three decades of creative, technical and business leadership creating new ventures and building successful organizations.

The academy also features sessions with guest entrepreneurs and other business leaders and industry experts.

Implementing an idea is just the beginning of building a successful company. Establishing connections, building teams and persistently pushing forward are instrumental in growing a company. 

• APPLY TO THE ACADEMY

• The academy is open to UC Davis upper-division undergrads, graduate students (master's and doctoral), postdocs and faculty in all fields. There is no charge for UC Davis participants to attend the academy. We may accept non-UC Davis participants by invitation only.
  
  Applications for the September 2021 academy will open in early August.
  
  Questions? Please contact Senior program Manager Niki Peterson. 

• THE PROGRAM

• DAY 1

  Time	Session	Location/Speaker
  8:00 a.m.	Coffee, Tea + Refreshments	Buehler Alumni Center UC Davis
  8:30 a.m.	Introduction and Course Overview	Professor Andrew Hargadon Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  9:00 a.m.	Innovation Exercise	Joe DiNunzio, Executive Director Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  9:45 a.m.	Break
  10:00 a.m.	On Innovation	Andrew Hargadon
  11:00 a.m.	Making the Leap and Prep for Tomorrow	Joe DiNunzio
  12:00 p.m.	Lunch	Buehler Alumni Center Outdoor Patio
  1:00 p.m.	Intellectual Property	Vicky Lee DLA Piper
  2:00 p.m.	Innovation Exercise	Joe DiNunzio
  3:00 p.m.	Break
  3:15 p.m.	Defining the Problem	Joe DiNunzio
  4:00 p.m.	Elevator Pitches	Joe DiNunzio

  DAY 2

  Time	Session	Location/Speaker
  8:00 a.m.	Coffee, Tea + Refreshments	Buehler Alumni Center UC Davis
  8:30 a.m.	Elevator Pitch Exercise	Joe DiNunzio
  9:15 a.m.	Market Validation: From Lab to Market	Joe DiNunzio
  10:15 a.m.	Break
  10:30 a.m.	Business Validation	Joe DiNunzio
  11:30 a.m.	Lunch	Buehler Alumni Center  Outdoor Patio
  12:30 p.m.	Technology Validation	Joe DiNunzio
  1:30 p.m.	Venture Canvas Exercise	Joe DiNunzio
  2:30 p.m.	Individual Work Time	On Your Own
  3:45 p.m.	Mentoring Session	Virtual, Zoom

  DAY 3

  Time	Session	Location/Speaker
  8:00 a.m.	Coffee, Tea + Refreshments	Buehler Alumni Center UC Davis
  8:30 a.m.	Innovation Exercise	Joe DiNunzio
  9:15 a.m.	Network Growth Mindset	Joe DiNunzio
  10:15 a.m.	Break
  10:30 a.m.	The Team, Milestones and Resources	Andrew Hargadon
  11:30 a.m.	Lunch	Buehler Alumni Center  Outdoor Patio
  12:30 p.m.	Path Forward Panel	TBD
  1:45 p.m.	Develop Your Pitch – Compete to Present	On Your Own
  6:00 p.m.	Deadline to Submit Your Pitch	Canvas Learning Site

  DAY 4

  Time	Session	Location/Speaker
  8:00 a.m.	Coffee, Tea + Refreshments	1213 Gallagher Hall UC Davis
  8:30 a.m.	Plenary Pitch Session	1213 Gallagher Hall UC Davis
  10:30 a.m.	Next Steps + Graduation	Joe DiNunzio
  11:30 a.m.	Networking Lunch	Gallagher Hall Foyer

  Note: To obtain maximum benefit from the academy, we encourage participants to attend all sessions.

• MOVING FORWARD

• The academy will introduce you to the innovation and entrepreneurship landscape at UC Davis and beyond. You'll gain the tools to take your entrepreneurial experience to the next level.
  
  Big Bang! Business Competition
  Little Bang! Poster Competitions
  
  Visit the Davis Entrepreneurship Network website for a complete list of related events, resources and other opportunities at UC Davis.

• CALL FOR MENTORS
• An integral part of the academy experience is the opportunity for participants to engage with industry professionals. If you are interested in serving as a mentor for participants at this academy—and/or at one of our other entrepreneurship academies—please click here >