GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

We hope everyone is having a fantastic spring break! ?????? March is packed with a ton of great workshops at OIE - our lineup features three incredible sessions designed to help you sharpen your skills and take your ideas to the next level: ?? Go-To-Market Strategy Workshop – Learn how to craft a thoughtful strategy, identify your target audience, and choose the right channel partners. ??? Prototyping Workshop – Dive into hands-on learning with Dr. Erica Cusi Wortham and discover how to quickly prototype your ideas, test assumptions, and fine-tune your product for market success. ?? Financial Analysis & Unit Economics Workshop – Gain the skills to calculate unit costs, analyze key metrics, and refine projections for sustainable growth. ??? Check out our posts for all the details on dates, times, and locations. Don’t miss out and sign up for all on our website with the link below!

Learn the critical first steps to kickstarting your idea at our Introduction Lean Innovation workshop next week ! ???? Hosted on Friday, March 14th by Bob Smith, this short workshop teaches the necessary method that entrepreneurs use to become successful. Whether you have an innovative idea, or are curious about the fundamentals of customer discovery - join us! ?? Register with the link below!

Last Friday, our own Bob Smith held a Pitching to Win workshop for our GW entrepreneurs ?? ?? During the session, participants learned the art of storytelling and how to craft a compelling narrative that makes their business idea stand out. ?? Thank you to everyone who came - we can’t wait to see you all soon! Our next lineup of workshops will be announced shortly - stay tuned ??

Last week, OIE hosted?Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology?to take part in our U.S. Market Discovery Program!????? Throughout the week, teams gained hands-on experience conducting market research, interviewing potential partners and customers, and collaborating with experts who understand the U.S. business landscape. A special thank you to Caitlin Clouse and Anna Nagamine! Check out our photos below ??

Congratulations to all our semi-finalists for advancing to Round 2 of NVC!??? ?? ?? ?? The semi-finalist teams are now featured on our NVC website—check them out using the link here: https://lnkd.in/eWtzwMFh Our judges were impressed by your outstanding applications and innovative ideas, and we can’t wait to see your progress in Round 2! Thank you to all our amazing applicants - we're so proud of you all. ?? Please note: Round 2 applications?open Saturday, February 22nd?and close on Sunday, March 16th at 11:59 p.m.

We know you’re eagerly awaiting the R1 results tomorrow, February 21st ??, but before that, we want to take a moment to appreciate our incredible R1 judges for their time and support of our GW entrepreneurs. These are just a few of our?judges who joined us from all around the world, representing locations from Brazil to Cameroon and California. A huge thank you from OIE to our judges—we truly appreciate you ??

Yesterday, Peter Weissman hosted our Protecting Your Ideas: Patents and Licensing for Startups workshop! ??? Students gained insights into intellectual property protection, including patents and licensing, and how they can navigate the legal aspects of protecting their innovations! Thank you so much again to our speaker and for always supporting our GW entrepreneurial community, Peter Weissman! ??

Want to make your pitch unforgettable? ?? Join us for our Pitching to Win session with Bob Smith, Interim AVP of Research Innovation & Entrepreneurship! Learn the art of storytelling and how to craft a compelling narrative that makes your business idea stand out. Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your pitching skills! ??? ?? It will take place on Friday, February 28th from 12:30 - 1:30pm in Duques 359. ?? Sign up with the link below!

?? Learn the financial skills every entrepreneur needs in our next NVA workshop! Join us in Startup Finances: How to Create a Path to Profitability as we will help you forecast revenue, manage costs, set smart pricing strategies, and analyze key financial metrics to build a sustainable and profitable business model. It will be hosted by Mike Provance, a GWSB professor of innovation and a visionary technology commercialization and growth-stage operations expert. He helps business owners and CEOs of $5-50M companies drive growth through improved innovation and operations processes, business intelligence, and digital strategies. ?? It will take place on Friday, February 21st from 12:30pm - 2pm in Duques 359. Sign up with the link below!

At our next New Venture Academy workshop, join us for Protecting Your Ideas: Patents and Licensing for Startups! Gain insights into intellectual property protection, including patents and licensing, and how to navigate the legal aspects of protecting your innovations! ??? This workshop will be hosted by Peter Weissman, a partner at the national law firm of Blank Rome LLP which has 14 offices and over 650 lawyers. Peter regularly works with startups to enhance valuation, prepare for investment, avoid common startup pitfalls, and prepare for growth. Peter is also a longtime supporter of the New Venture Competition and Pitch George, and a frequent guest lecturer at entrepreneurial events. ?? It will take place on Tuesday, February 18th from 3 - 4pm in Duques 360. Sign up with the link below ?? ??