Launch Your New Venture At The Harvard Innovation Lab

The i-lab has been hard at work assembling resources to help student teams go from idea to successful new venture. Many of these are still in the works and will come on line in early 2012, so stay tuned.

Here are 7 ways we can help:

7. Form your team. Keep an eye on the i-lab events page and mailing list for opportunities to mix and mingle with potential co-founders and early team members.

6. Refine your idea. We are working to launch our Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, which will offer access to the Rock Center EiRs, Harvard Law School EiRs, and School of Engineering and Applies Sciences EiRs for students with ideas for new ventures.

5. Get real tactical advice. The i-lab has workshops that will help you think through your early steps. Find out how to manage inbound marketing and A/B testing, avoid the legal pitfalls of starting up, and learn much much more from experts and successful entrepreneurs that were once in your shoes.

4. Take a class. The i-lab hosts courses that are run by various schools around the university. One example is the Commercializing Science course, which brings together students from Harvard's schools of business, medicine, science, engineering, law, public health, government, and teaching hospitals. Check with your school’s registrar for course options that might help you identify and pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity.

3. Find a mentor. The i-lab’s mentorship program will launch in 2012, pairing students with experienced entrepreneurs who will work with them throughout the venture building process.

2. Ask an expert. Have a tough question? The i-lab is building an extensive network of professional experts, from VCs, to lawyers, to subject-matter specialists, who will offer up their time and advice to Harvard students working with the i-lab.

1. Make the i-lab your home base. The i-lab is a great place to work on your startup: great space, lots of resources, and the chance to work among dozens of student teams facing similar challenges. The student space is open now for day use from 9am to midnight.