The Florida Gulf Coast University Student Runway Program is an excellent opportunity for you create your own startup business or organization. The FGCU Rist Family Institute for Entrepreneurship and its network of mentors will help guide you through the process by offering business instruction, mentorship, and general support. Students who participate in the program will have access to the latest business planning and prototyping software, as well as other resources that will give your startup the competitive edge. At the end of the program, all students or student teams will have the opportunity to pitch to an Independent Investment Committee that will determine which businesses will be eligible for grant funding to be used to accelerate their launch. Upon completion of the program, students will be ready to launch and grow their own startup companies.
If you are accepted into the Pre-Program Phase of the Runway Program you will receive an email from Scott Kelly during the first week of the spring semester inviting you to the Pre-Program Orientation Workshop.
Program Dates:
The Pre-Program Phase will start during the second week of the Fall 2024 Term. (Last week of August 2024)
Program Location:
Lucas Hall - Finemark Incubator
10501 FGCU Blvd. S
Fort Myers, FL 22965
Program Requirements to Pitch for Seed Funding:
- Attend ALL required workshop topics and complete each respective deliverable**
- Meet weekly with an assigned Runway Program Faculty/Staff Mentor to set up and maintain goals.***
- Validate assumptions about the opportunity and your offering (product / service / app / etc.)
- Complete a Lean Launch Business Plan with Financial Projections.
- Each Workshop deliverable is designed to help you build the business plan and pitch.
- Create a 5-Minute PowerPoint Pitch Video for a Judged Preliminary Pitch Competition.
Pitch Competition for Seed Funding:
- Participants will be judged and selected to move on to a Final Pitch Competition by vetted community leaders, business owners, and investors.
- Selected Preliminary Pitch Finalists will present their businesses and startup requirements in a Final Pitch that will be judged by a vetted group of independent angel investors and venture capitalist.†
- Judges will select businesses that they deem to be most validated and prepared to be awarded equity free funding.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at dke@fgcu.edu.
- This application is for the Fall 2024 Semester.
- *Lucas Hall is located on the FGCU campus adjacent to the Counseling Center and Dunkin'.
- **Workshop Topics change each week and are available at several different days and times.
- ***Participants may only miss a total of three (3) meetings with their assigned mentors with reasonable notice. Additional, or multiple unannounced, absences will result in disqualification from the FGCU Runway Program
- †Final Pitch is in-person, date is subject to change and may be conducted after the last day of classes.
