FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of urban innovation are we talking about?
With Urban innovation we mean new solutions for products and services that solve a complex city problem (i.e. renewable energy, parking apps, innovations in water & waste reuse, urban agriculture and green spaces, e-health, new education models, affordable sustainable housing).
During the Bootcamp, we will be focusing on 3 urban innovation themes:
> MOBILITY & PARKING: an example of a problem we might be trying to solve with a product or service is "How might we make Treviso accessible to all (Residents, Tourists and Businesses)?"
> SMART SERVICES: "How might we make city services more user-centered (save time) and convenient (save money) for citizens and enterprises?"
> GREEN & EMPTY SPACES: "How might we transform the Green & Empty spaces of Treviso into opportunities for social, economic and environmental regeneration?"
We are looking for solutions that:
1. Build on the creative ideas of young local innovators (under age 35) from across the Province of Treviso (entrepreneurs, professionals, educators, public administrators, NGO's);
2. Are good for people, for the local economy, and for the environment;
3. Can achieve measurable city change through radical collaboration among civil society, universities, businesses, government, and NGOs to help scale up solutions that work.
Why an Urban Innovation Bootcamp in Treviso?
Cities are at the front‐line in responding to global challenges of resource scarcity, youth unemployment, and ageing populations. Across the world, public authorities are demanding better and more cost-effective ways to deliver services that are inclusive, build on the promise of new technologies in a context of strained budgets and intensified future risks. To meet these objectives, it’s imperative for local leaders to generate innovative urban ideas. Collaboration of professionals across industries and sectors is needed to create new solutions and opportunities in order to face these 21st century city (urban) challenges. By using open data, adopting new technologies, collaborating across sectors and leveraging the talents of their most creative citizens, cities and their citizens are increasing their capacity to tackle the the big challenges themselves.
The Urban Innovation Bootcamp brings together university students, social entrepreneurs, industry, local government, businesses, civil society and thought leaders to engage on the future state of innovation in the city of Treviso. During the Bootcamp they will collaborate to test new solutions and scale up those that work. Collectively they will explore technologies, new business and financial models and innovative design approaches to improve the lives of Treviso citizens, boost the economy, create youth employment and reduce the environmental footprint.
How does the Urban Innovation Bootcamp work?
The Urban Innovation Bootcamp aims at helping scale the innovative ideas of five companies/entrepreneurs/organizations founded by young people from the province of Treviso.
The innovative ideas we will choose to be a part of The Bootcamp are those with the potential to bring large scale benefits to the citizens of Treviso and to regenerate the environment. Specifically, we will focus on those products and services in the fields of Mobility & Parking, SMART Services, and Green & Empty spaces. The ideas could come from a young startup, a local small business, a non profit organization, and also from young teams working in the municipality or in one of the city’s service providers.
The Bootcamp will create multidisciplinary TEAMS, each assigned to one of the 5 products or services. Each TEAM includes four university or recently graduated students from different disciplines and one or two mentors with relevant technical/business expertise, who follow and support the work of the TEAM.
Together the TEAMs go through an action-packed journey of field exploration, design, prototyping and testing. TEAMS will be working towards answering one main question: “How might bring our innovative product/service to scale and improve the life of citizens in Treviso?” In searching for the answer, TEAMS will redefine a more user-centered product/service, innovate on the business model, and explore partnerships with the city’s stakeholders.
What are the expected results at the end of the 8 weeks?
At the end of the 8-week programme, each TEAM will have helped the local innovators put in place a plan to scale the product or service across the city of Treviso. The plan will be evidence-based and will include:
> A user-centered Prototype to make sure that the solution is adapted to meet the specific needs of people in Treviso.
> A Validated Business Model describing how the solution can be economically sustainable and creates value to the city’s stakeholders.
> An Impact Roadmap that identifies the organizations to be involved, the resources to be mobilized and the actions to be taken for the product or service to scale.
What are the requirements to apply as part of an Innovation TEAM?
You should apply to the Urban Innovation Bootcamp if you (see also the criteria in the competition announcement):
>Are a student at the Ca' Foscari University or other univeristies (Laurea Triennale, Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale, or Masters)
>Are a recent university graduate (under 30 years old) from any International or Italian university;
>Have a B-1 English lanugage certificate and a good knowledge of the Italian language;
>Are interested in trying to tackle a big and compelling social problem in Treviso and want to be part of social change;
> Have a positive optimistic attitude and works well with others;
> Want an exciting alternative to the usual internship;
> Are interested in gaining a meaningful work experience to put on your CV, continuously learning new skills, expanding your professional network, and becoming a part of a startup culture with potential for real impact.
When does The Bootcamp start? How much time do I have to dedicate to the Bootcamp?
The Urban Innovation Bootcamp is an 8 week program- 5 days a week- expect to work 15 hours a week.
Kick-off event (get to know each other) is October 3rd, 2015
The Bootcamp starts on October 12th, 2015
The Bootcamp is finished on December 4th, 2015
Demo day (TEAM presentations) on December 10th, 2015
What does a week in The Bootcamp look like?
Day 1- All teams get together at the bootcamp hub. The LOOP facilitators will explain what innovation tools and methods you will use that week. A guest speaker will come in and inspire you. You will learn what you need to work on as a team for the end of the week
Day 2- You and your team are out of the building and in the city interviewing and observing, gathering data and evidence, talking to as many people as possible, taking pictures, sketching solutions, mapping etc...
Day 3- Still out of the building gathering data and evidence ...you and your team have a mandatory 20 min office hour with the facilitators so we can make sure you are on the right track and help you open some doors
Day 4- Lab day: all teams come together to the hub, share the information you learned what you heard, saw, felt and thought while out of the building talking to partners, customers, local governement...search for patterns, brainstorm and prototype together. Meet with your TEAM mentors and problem solve together
Work on presentations. Have your Mentor check your presentation
Day 5- Peer Reviews end of every week, teams will make a 8 min presentation in front of their peers and facilitators explaining: What problem are you solving? Which company are you working with? What your assuptions were? What you did this week, how many people and who did you talk too? What did you learn? and What will you do next?
Which are the benefits of going through The Bootcamp?
Through the Bootcamp you will earn:
> You will recieve a certificate of completion of the Urban Innovation Bootcamp issued by Ca' Foscari University;
> an exciting alternative to a stage. The Bootcamp is equivalent to a 2-month stage for students from Ca' Foscari University. Students from Ca' Foscari University need to get the required approval of your department (collegio didattico).
> access to a community made of students, companies, professionals and organizations that support the Bootcamp as teams, donors, mentors or partners. Join an ecosystem of academic institutions, civil society organizations, business leaders, social enterprises and social entrepreneurs who are working towards forming the next generation of dynamic, creative, engaged and “system thinking” leaders. The Bootcamp cohort consists of exceptional people who hopefully will be lifelong partners, advisors, and colleagues to each other after going through this unique experience together;
> 21st century skills for innovation and entrepreneurship through a mix of learning by doing, real-life challenges, inspiring guest speakers, and valuable advice from Mentors. Through this bootcamp you will gain experience, skills and knowledge that will give you the edge when hunting for your next job.
How to apply? How does the selection process work?
Read carefully the competition announcement (bando) on Ca' Foscari University website and follow the instructions on it.
When do applications close?
September 20th, 2015
What are the network opportunities provided during the programme?
During the course of the bootcamp, through various events and the demo day- you will be surrounded by entrepreneurs, businesses, domain experts, and mentors. This will give you an excellent opportunity to network for your next job, make good contacts, learn from like-minded people and gain insight from entrepreneurs that have both succeeded and failed.
Who are the mentors and how often do I meet them?
Mentors are at the core of our programme. They are topic experts, seasoned entrepreneurs and industry professionals that will provide the support and guidance your team needs. They will share their vast industry experience, successes and failures, open doors to their network and business know how through weekly interactions at the bootcamp’s lab days.
How much will The Bootcamp cost me?
We are asking each student to pay 250 Euros.
Am I guaranteed a job or an internship after I finish the program?
The bootcamp provides a platform that exceeds the typical internship and enables you to establish important relationships and networks with Treviso businesses, local government, university professors and civic organizations and become a part of a like-minded community of changemakers. We cannot guarantee a job placement after the completion of the program, but we can be certain that you will have a competitive advantage over your peers after going through the urban innovation bootcamp. You will have completed a very unique social entrepreneurial experience and possess highly-valued sought after 21st century professional skills endorsed by several leading employers, the University, sponsors, and the local government.
What if I accept to be on a TEAM and later I want to withdraw from The Bootcamp or I am absent a lot ?
You are allowed to be abscent 25% of the time required of you at the bootcamp! However your team is not going to like you it and they will suffer.
If you are abscent more than 25% you will not receive the bootcamp certificate of completion.
You can withdraw from the Bootcamp at any time. However you will not be refunded you 250 Euros.
Who is The LOOP?
The LOOP-“Innovators in Development” is a social impact accelerator that is based in San Francisco. We are on a mission to help a new generation of social entrepreneurs develop their entrepreneurial and innovation skills and launch their products or services that will improve urban life, boost the economy, help the environment and create employment for youth! Visit www.jointheloop.org
Whom can I contact if I have more questions?
Please contact The Bootcamp team at trevisobootcamp@unive.it.