Which MIT Bootcamp is right for me?

Choosing to apply to MIT Bootcamps can be a challenging decision. With a number of programs to choose from, it might not be immediately clear which Bootcamp is right for you.?

Before diving into the differences of each program, all of MIT Bootcamps share a couple core qualities.?

Our programs are selective. Upon successful completion of the program, you will join a community of diverse innovators from all around the world and our goal is to select people who will contribute to a thriving global community and receive a number of graduate benefits.?

We aim to build a diverse cohort. We believe that working with people who are different from you -? whether that is because of their culture, country, background, age, gender, or skill - will enable you to learn more, shift your perspective, and become more open-minded.?

Our team and project-based programs embody MIT’s motto - mens et manus - mind and hand. With an emphasis on practical learning, we want you to walk away with practical knowledge that you can implement immediately. This means you will not only interact with instructors and faculty, but also receive coaching and mentorship throughout all of our programs.?

MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp, In-Person?

Format: In-person, 6.5 days?

Commitment: ~15+ hours/day

Location: Varies - past locations include: Tokyo, Brisbane, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul

Current Status: Open, apply to the Innovation Leadership Bootcamp in Zagreb, Croatia

What is it? Our flagship one week in-person Innovation Leadership Bootcamp is an intense and immersive educational program with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. During the Bootcamp, we recognize the power of people and community - especially in special locations around the globe that usher your cohort into a unique, one-in-a-lifetime experience.?

You will be exposed to many of the same elements that early stage startups face in their first two to three years and along the way you will also build lifelong friendships and tremendously expand your network.?

How does it work? Before the program begins, you’ll be expected to complete ~20 hours of pre-work to ensure the cohort is equipped with the same foundational knowledge. On the first day of the program, you’ll be placed into teams of 5-6 individuals and assigned an MIT-trained coach. Over the week, you’ll fight through the growing pains of building a venture with a diverse team and with very different backgrounds than yourself. You’ll select an idea together, and spend one very intense week conducting primary market research on your problem, receiving feedback from your coach, and working toward building a final pitch.?

Our team and project based program emphasizes practical learning. With in-person lectures and workshops by MIT faculty and instructors, you will be actively applying what you learn in the classroom with your team. Beyond the workshops with MIT faculty, you’ll have daily coaching sessions and deliverables, receive timely feedback, and connect with your peers. The culminating project is a final pitch to a panel of judges, often a mix of investors and top local experts.

Who is it for? This Bootcamp is for people who want to focus on network building with fellow world-class peers and are energized by a week-long intense educational experience in a beautiful, international location. Instead of 15 hours per week, you’ll be working ~15+ hours per day and push yourself past your intellectual comfort zone. You’ll walk away from the program on an entrepreneurial high, with energy that can be very hard to recreate.??

Why this program??

With a proven track record since 2015, the Innovation Leadership Bootcamp has shown its success as a model in short-form education. With over $100M+ and over 100+ companies started, the Bootcamp shares MIT’s entrepreneurial framework with you and gives you the tools to build a venture, with limited time and resources.?

If you want to become a more innovative thinker and learn the frameworks for innovation, learn and practice the steps of entrepreneurship in an educational environment where you can fail, challenge yourself to become a more collaborative team player who can lead large innovation projects, the MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp - online or in-person - is for you.

MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp, Online?

Format: Live Online, 10 weeks?

Commitment: ~15 hours per week

Current Status: Applications closed

What is it? This 10-week online program is focused on teaching you the foundational elements of entrepreneurship so you can lead innovation, whether as a founder of a new venture or as a leader within an organization.?

Just like our in-person Bootcamp, you’ll build a venture from the ground up with a diverse team, you’ll be exposed to many of the same elements that early stage startups face in their first two to three years. This practical experience of building a venture supplemented with the workshops from MIT faculty and instructors will help bring clarity to the innovation process on teams and organizations.?

How does it work? Before the program begins, you’ll be placed into teams of 5-6 with individuals from all around the world, based on your overlapping availability during the week.

Again, just like our in-person program, our team and project based program emphasizes practical learning. With online lectures from MIT faculty and instructors, we utilize all of the technology at our disposal to make the sessions immersive while giving you the tools to practice what you learn with your team. Beyond the workshops with MIT faculty and instructors, you will receive feedback during your weekly coaching sessions, complete weekly deliverables with your team, and have the opportunity to lead your team as CEO of the week.?

Who is it for? This program is for who we broadly define as aspiring entrepreneurial team leaders. Our Bootcampers are also looking to pivot in their career - but might not know what direction they’re headed.??

You may be a founder, CEO, or COO, looking to learn the best entrepreneurial frameworks to bring back to your business. You might be a product manager, project manager, consultant, or analyst, looking to understand how to bring innovation back to your team or learn the essentials of entrepreneurship in order to bring your own idea to life as a venture. As a researcher or PhD student, you may be looking to supplement your education with a strong practical innovation education.?

Why this program? With increased flexibility, no requirement to travel, and a longer duration, the online Innovation leadership Bootcamp is suited for individuals who want to have intensity in bursts. By offering our flagship program online, we work to fit the Bootcamp into your life as seamlessly as possible, without any travel requirements. As a learner, if you find yourself wanting more time to marinate on concepts and practice them in your work while at the Bootcamp, the online program is designed for you.??

If you want to become a more innovative thinker and learn the frameworks for innovation, learn and practice the steps of entrepreneurship in an educational environment where you can fail, challenge yourself to become a more collaborative team player who can lead large innovation projects, the MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp - online or in-person - is for you.

If you have extensive innovation experience, want to work on your own idea, or have an MBA, consider our Venture Advancement Program.

Venture Advancement Program, In-Person

Format: In-person, 6.5 days?

Commitment: ~15+ hours/day

Location: MIT Campus?

Current Status: Open, apply to the Venture Advancement Program at MIT

What is it? The Venture Advancement Program is a five day in-person program at MIT, designed as a more advanced program to help empower entrepreneurs launch and improve their own ventures. The program will help you refine your strategic business direction, hone your tactical entrepreneurial skills, and increase your clarity on what next business steps you need to take.?

How does it work? Prior to the start of the program, you’ll be required to do extensive pre-work on your venture to prepare for the 5 days in-person at MIT. During the program, you will learn from MIT experts - faculty, instructors, and mentors - who will deliver workshops on topics areas like leadership, fundraising, and go-to-market strategies. Combined with one-on-one mentoring from Boston-based entrepreneurs, and coaching sessions from MIT-trained entrepreneurs, you will receive specific guidance and feedback on your venture. We will address your most pressing questions about building, scaling your startup, and help you hone your strategic direction for the future - all while being inspired by the MIT ecosystem and your collaborative working environment. Like many of our programs, the Venture Advancement Program concludes in a final pitch to a panel of start-up experts.?

Who is it for? This program is designed for individuals who want to tirelessly pursue their early stage venture, or who are interested in pivoting their existing business (ex. a family business) in order to stay relevant and at the top of their industry. We recommend entrepreneurs have foundational entrepreneurial experience, like the Innovation Leadership Bootcamp, prior entrepreneurial experience, or educational experience.? With a range of expertise in our mentors and coaches, no matter where you are in your venture, the Venture Advancement Program can help you reach your business potential.

Why this program??

If you’re an entrepreneur working on a venture and want to receive specific feedback about what next steps you should take, this program is for you. Unlike accelerator programs, we don’t take any equity in your venture and provide you with more nuanced feedback on how to tackle your current entrepreneurial problems. You’ll gain a cohort of like-minded entrepreneurs who are tackling similar challenges and walk away with a small-knit cohort into an even greater entrepreneurial community of MIT Bootcamp graduates.?

If you do not have extensive innovation experience or want to work on an idea with a team, consider our Innovation Leadership Bootcamp.?

Programs in Development

Are you looking to translate your research into reality? Or finding that the traditional 'lean start-up' methodology isn't working for you? Sign up to be the first to learn about our new technology focused Bootcamp.?