Program Overview

iVentures10 is an unique intern program designed provide the resources to turn your idea into reality. IllinoisVENTURES will provide the equipment and capital to get you going.  Fox Development Corporation and IllinoisVENTURES will provide your team with office space located in the University of Illinois Research Park.

Orientation, planning and Boot Camp

The week prior to the program will consist of an entrepreneurial boot camp style course designed to educate you on many of the mysteries of entrepreneurship. IllinoisVENTURES has partnered with the TEC at the University of Illinois to bring this exciting course to you. You can audit the course or get course credits for it if you choose to. Numerous guest speakers cover a broad range of topics ranging from the mundane, “legal-eeze” of getting your company formed, to the sexy world of VC term sheets.

Additionally, you will produce key planning deliverables to make your 10 week development program go as smoothly as possible. You will drill down on the market problem you are attempting to address and define the role technology will play to solve it.  You will think through use cases to get in the mind of the customer.  High-level development and architecture plans will be developed to enable your team to divide and conquer.  You will establish key development milestones to be able to measure progress.

We’ll have some fun this week as well getting to know the other teams through class, and social events.

If you are not from the University of Illinois, this is the week where you will get to know lovely Champaign, Illinois. If you’re in the summer session, you’ll get a chance to experience the best central Illinois has to offer.

Weeks 1-8:  Building your prototype

Can you say Cheetos and Red Bull?  ‘nuff said.  Rather work from 3 in the afternoon to 3 in the morning? No problem.  We will jointly decide “what” you are going to do and you have control over “how” you get it done.  We will have weekly meetings to check in on progress, answer any questions and help you overcome roadblocks.

Week 9:  Business model stuff

During week 9, you will do some high-level business planning to decide on how to launch your start-up.  You will create your investor pitch, write a "one pager," and construct a crisp 5 minute demo script.  After practice and coaching, you will be ready to present to potential investors during week 10. 

Week 10:  Present to investors

Practice, practice practice. You’ll work on your pitch to the panel of investors iVentures10 will pull together. This is where all the hard work and sleepless nights pays off!