Create a company, grow your future

The Studio combines the entrepreneurial challenge of a business plan competition with the product creativity of a hackathon. With your busy schedule in mind, the program is spread out over a week and includes only a few hours of required programming to maximize your flexibility.

Start by forming a three-person team. No team? No problem: register as an individual, and we will match you with team members who have complementary skills! Next, gain product, market intelligence, and company development skills through expert workshops with leaders from venture capital firms like Pioneer Square Labs, cutting-edge startups like Unscrambl, and distinguished faculty like Foster’s Emer Dooley. With this entrepreneurial toolkit, you will then have one week to design and present a basic business idea and prototype (no technical proficiency required). Top projects will have the opportunity to pitch before a distinguished judging panel, and all participants can network with startups at our mini-career fair. At the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a startup idea to build on – but more importantly, the skills to launch or continue along your entrepreneurial journey.

What will you be creating?

Depending on your interests, you'll be able to build and contribute to different parts of your startup. You might choose to work on a business plan, marketing materials, minimum viable product (such as app designs, website prototype, etc.), and more. All team members will also prepare a pitch deck for a final presentation that will be judged alongside the materials you each developed for your team's startup.

What events can you attend?

Highly experienced speakers, focused workshops, social events, and more! Please note that this is an event held mainly in-person. We are featuring a variety of different speakers, including current and past entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs are currently or have been part of successful ventures, while other entrepreneurs are UW alumni or current UW students engaged in entrepreneurship across campus and throughout Washington and beyond. We'll also offer workshops that will help you kick-start different parts of the startup you are developing. Although all events are highly encouraged, you can choose what events will help you the most to develop as an entrepreneur and when developing a pitch deck and related materials needed for your startup!