CURRICULUM COMPONENTS
LECTURES
Our educational opportunities for our selected present and future entrepreneurs include sessions facilitated by CTPI instructors, providing a solid foundation in business theory and economics. Theories examined will include entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales strategy, business development and growth, finance, and communication skills.
Successful entrepreneurs quickly need to learn where they lack expertise and therefore require a network of support. These present and future entrepreneurs participate in sessions that will prepare them for the real-life application of theory to achieve inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Topics include visioning, environmental scanning, finance, and fundraising. All sessions take place once per week.
Framework of the Incubator Program:
Week 1. Entrepreneurial Leadership. Building a Successful Team.
Week 2. Visioning and Environmental Scanning
Week 3. Business, Strategic Planning and Modelling. Defining a Business Model Week 4. Business Model Canvas, Operations of SMEs
Week 5. Market Testing and Go-To-Market Strategy
Week 6. Business Planning and Modelling (Personal Session)
Week 7. “Friend-raising”: Networking and Pitching Skills
Week 8. Financial Projections: A Monetary Interpretation of the Strategy and Operational Plan. Sources of Funds
Week 9. Marketing and Sales Strategy
Week 10. Financial Projections (Personal Session)
Week 11. Marketing and Promotion in a Digital Era
Week 12. Building an Organizational Structure. Major Powers in a Corporation Week 13. Business Communications: Customer Service and the Executive Summary
Week 14. Raising Money and Relationships with Investors
Week 15. Pitch Rehearsal Session (Personal Session)
PEER CLUSTERS & MILESTONES
Entrepreneurs often benefit by sharing best practices, challenges, and accomplishments with one another. The CTPI Director coordinates regular entrepreneur cluster meetings to facilitate constructive feedback, group exercises, and peer-support. Participants are also expected to complete bi-weekly milestone deliverables that are assigned to guide the business development process. Each milestone and achieved goal will form a component of the final proof-of-concept, with which the entrepreneur will graduate the program.
COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT
A business will not survive in a competitive market if it lacks customer service, people management skills, and is unable to relate well to clients, vendors, and staff. Students will take both lectures and seminars in key components of business communication skills.
MENTORSHIP
Entrepreneurs will be matched with subject matter experts across diverse industries. The CTPI Program Coordinator will ensure that volunteer mentors from pertinent sectors are available for valuable insight, problem-solving, and networking opportunities.
