This section will present a university competition (The Start Cup 33) for devel- oping entrepreneurial learning among students and staff. The Start Cup (SCV)’s aim is to develop research and technological innovation in order to promote the development of the Veneto Region by supporting and rewarding the Region’s creative human capital. The SCV initiative also aims to disseminate entrepre- neurial culture, particularly targeting professional and academic sectors that are still unfamiliar with entrepreneurial approaches and entrepreneurial man- agement techniques.
The authors, who were not directly involved in the competition, analysed data and reviewed documents concerning the competition by collecting information from the project’s web site, regular news and updates issued by the organising committee, and the competition’s statute and core rules. In addition, interviews were conducted with organisers and participants and the authors attended a selection of key competition, communication, and training events.
The Start Cup competition was initiated in Padova (Italy) in 2002 in a wealthy and dynamic Italian region, whose economic model is based on small (often family based) enterprises and is known as the North-East model. The competi- tion was initiated by the Vice-rector in charge of the Technological Service at the University of Padova, with financial support from ‘Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo Foundation’ (private bank sponsor). It was inspired by a similar project initiated by the University of Bologna two years earlier, drawing on a format designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition). In Padova the project was managed by the University.
We would like to thank the Start Cup Veneto organisers, in particular Ms. Elena Pavan, for time spent with us and all the information provided for this chapter. www.startcupveneto.it The theories of experiential learning help us to understand how, in the entre-
preneurship field, the analysis of the experiences, trough reflection and integra- tion, becomes new knowledge that can be used for new entrepreneurial ideas (Kolb, 1984; Mezirow 1991).
Which key elements turn experience into a learning experience? (Reggio, 2010) First of all, there is the reality element: an activist perspective suggests that
through the contact with and interactive experience of events, people, envi- ronment and objects, we generate a learning process, e.g. ‘reality’ is the main ingredient for the creation of learning. Further elements are continuity and processuality: experience doesn’t match up with a single isolated event, it is
generated by the non-linear connection of multiple events, which are not lin- early and consecutively interrelated. Each person designs her/his own learning plan and personal and professional development by connecting events and con- texts and by attributing to them different degrees of consistency. The simulta- neous management of projects, even under risk conditions, the ability to avoid making the same mistakes again, and the capacity to learn to detect and to understand context signals are important features that contribute to effective entrepreneurial skills.
We can also identify problem solving elements: ‘gaining experience’ means
examining reality and the self in relation to reality. Freire (2007) stresses the difference between ‘staying in the world’ – e.g. being in a context without man- aging the relevant processes – and ‘staying with the world’ – e.g. being in a position to identify problematic issues, opportunities, to generate questions, and to look for answers. For people who work with the management of start-up projects, it becomes relevant to increase effectiveness in opportunity recogni- tion, and effectiveness in coping with the liabilities of newness (Politis, 2005).
Learning through experience requires an ability to problematize reality and a critical elaboration of ‘reality’s material’ (Dewey, 1951).
A last element is complexity. The prior elements implied that experience
involves both practical aspects as well as relational, cognitive and emotional ones. Only by the interaction of all these dimensions is the learning process properly generated.
Schön (1983) draws attention to knowledge in action, a feature of common
practice knowledge which often occurs in a spontaneous way and which is partially unconscious. Through reflection, the professional can bring out and criticize tacit understandings that have been built around the repetitive experi- ence of a specialized practice and eventually reinvent a new way of setting the problem. As a result, we should not consider the process of thinking and the process of acting as two separate realms: reflection in action occurs especially when the results do not coincide with the expectations. In fact this triggers a feed-back process implying the re-analysis of what has happened, starting an investigative process guided by reflective thinking. Most reflection taking place during action is triggered by a surprise experience. It forces entrepreneurs
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In 2013, there were 108 teams involving a total of 397 people in the competi- tion. All of them had an academic background, business experience, or worked in nonprofit organizations. Participants were encouraged to share their expe- riences and integrate their skills in order to work together to face common challenges by developing research ideas in the business sector according to the social and economic context.
There are analogue competitions all over Italy and the winners of each of them access the final round of the Premio Nazionale Innovazione (National Innovation Award), the national award for the most innovative projects. The competition involves three main steps between March and October. During the first part, participants are invited to draft a short document outlining a core business idea: it should briefly describe the type of (product or service) innova-
tion: what the team would like to achieve, the target context(s), key innovation elements, specific features and expected results. The idea should fall within one of four potential business sectors: Life Science, ICT – Social Innovation, Agri-food – Clean-tech, Industry. In order to support participants in their net- working and drafting activities, SCV organized during this phase (usually in March-May) seven events focusing on key issues such as: developing a busi- ness idea; practical tools to draft a business plan; assessing business potential, market analysis and marketing strategy; communicating a business idea. In a second stage, all ideas were evaluated by a Scientific Committee. The com- mittee was composed of two members from each of the three participating universities. They included professors as well as professionals from different business sectors (accounting, marketing, financing, etc.). Only twelve ideas/ teams could access the second phase. During the two-month second phase, the teams were supported by business angels 34, expert consultants that help par- ticipants to draft the economic and financial part of the plan. Teams received tailor-made support in order to adapt and develop their core idea in relation to feasibility elements, concrete opportunities, constraints, strengths and weak- nesses, simulating a possible implementation of the business plan in a real world context. The last phase involves the evaluation of the business plans. The assessment was done first by external referees and then by the Scientific Committee. The top five business plans were allowed to enter the National
competition for the best ideas and plans from all over Italy. They received a monetary award to initiate their entrepreneurial project and turn it into a real- ity. These innovative projects have the opportunity to grow and to implement the project ideas based at a private business incubator in the local economic dis-
trict – with continued collaboration and support from the three universities. The assessment was based on the following criteria: originality (40%), feasibility (40%) and attractiveness for the local market (20%). For each criterion, asses- sors awarded a mark, from ‘0’ to ‘8’ for originality and feasibility and from ‘0’ to ‘4’ for attractiveness. The final evaluation was the final sum (maximum ‘20’).
The ‘Business angels’ is a concept developed in the US Center for Venture Research and initially referred to influential individuals supporting financially a business idea and giving support by mentoring people in the development of their ideas. Initially the Scientific Committee decided to open the competition only to
people affiliated to the university: students, graduates from all disciplines, aca- demics, professors. The rationale was to provide them with the opportunity to develop an idea and to find economic and training support to transform it into a viable entrepreneurial project. Later, taking into account the dynamic socio-economic context and the opportunity to develop a dialogue with the local economic district, the Start Cup management group extended the com- petition beyond the university. Eligibility was restricted to teams of at least three people, possibly reflecting different areas of knowledge and competences. Potential participants were encouraged to create networks. Even if they did not know each other at the beginning of the planning process, they were stimulated to collaborate and received specific training on how to prepare a business plan in order to develop their ideas.
The SCV Management chose the ‘business plan’ as the main tool to be used by the teams. It consists of a formal document describing the core business idea, the product/service, the market distribution and possible competitors, the strategic marketing and operational plan, the business model, human resources management and the financial-economic plan. It may also contain background information about how the organization or team attempts to reach those goals: it should be not only a formal statement, but also a first step in planning, part of a process that includes regular revision and review. Since businesses need a plan on how on to run and optimize growth and development, the plan consti- tutes an important preliminary draft which outlines the route an organization intends to take in order to generate revenues.
The organizers offered further support for the winning teams such us Start cube and a business angel network. The first is a business incubator which
provides the necessary infrastructure for new business creation or spin-offs: offices, meeting rooms, facilities with reasonable rents, advantageous condi- tions to reduce the costs of business start-ups. The business angel network is a
meeting space for new entrepreneurs and private investors willing to invest in a start-up company with a high innovation potential. All these tools offer the possibility to develop the business idea, taking into consideration the projects’ feasibility in relation to structural and economic conditions, bureaucratic national and local measures, and possible constraints.
In 2005 Verona and Venice Universities started to collaborate with this business plan competition, giving rise to a regional project entitled Start Cup Veneto (SCV). In this way, SVC could count on three local support committees. They organized seven meetings/training events spread over the three local sites, over a period of two months. Between 2002 and 2012, as many as 3,388 people par- ticipated in SCV. 182 of them were awarded the Cup/support. Over the years the rules changed: initially only three teams would be granted support, while in the last few years the Cup has been providing five awards every year.
www.startcube.it
CRITERIA
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Originality Idea already existing on
the market, copied by an external source.
Partly original idea, with some innovative additional elements added to an existing product/service.
Strongly innovative idea, apparently not existing in the market.
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Feasibility Not feasible idea, because of
technical impediments or lack of competences within the team.
Almost feasible idea, in need of some changes or extra competences by the team.
Feasible idea both in terms of team’s competences and plan to address criticalities.
mARk
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4
Attractiveness Market is limited or too
crowded and competitive and there is no possibility for the new enterprise to survive.
Market limited op- portunities and type of competitors define the new enterprise as risky.
Attractive market and good opportunities for the new enterprise that has a potential to respond to existing needs.
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attractive for young people. This seems to be reasonable, because on one hand, the competition is well connected with the university and may be a bridge from university to the labor market and on the other hand, it provides a friendly, informal and flexible format. SCV is therefore supporting the community of young students or alumni already existing within the three universities, adding value to the idea of collaborative new business, creating networks that may combine different competences in order to identify and implement new ideas. As an example, the following business ideas became start-ups (still alive) in previous competitions: development and production of new generation nano- technology biosensors to combat doping; development and production of bio- medical chips solutions, diagnostic kits; sound reproduction of phonograph records from record photographs; biopsy forceps for endoscopic digestion, able to speed up medical tests. These are, indeed, high-tech enterprises, accessible to young people who are academically highly qualified and able to access the networks of support. They confirm the idea that in order for new enterprises to be successful, they need, besides personal capacity, strong external support.