Have you ever had a brilliant, innovative idea that you wanted to share with the world, but didn’t have the opportunity to do so? Luckily, Texas A&M students don’t have to look any further for that opportunity. On October 2, the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship is hosting McFerrin Methods: Finding Your Idea, a workshop designed to help students get started coming up with a big idea for the Raymond Ideas Challenge.
Sophia Bishop, a program coordinator for the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship, says the workshop is an event where students can talk about ideas.
“In my experience as a staff member, students want to participate in the Raymond Ideas Challenge, but don’t know how to develop a proper idea for the program,” Bishop explained.
However, after the presentation by Steve Tinkle at the McFerrin Methods workshop, students will likely feel more confident in their ideas. Tinkle, a serial entrepreneur and strategic growth advisor, will lecture on the Lean LaunchPad methodology, a startup business development strategy that institutes a process of validation through customer discovery.
The Finding Your Idea workshop will conclude with light appetizers, when students are encouraged to network with each other and community member attendees.
Then, the day after the workshop, applications open for the Raymond Ideas Challenge, and will be accepted from October 3 to October 21. All majors are encouraged to apply, from freshmen to doctoral students. Applicants must submit a creative video highlighting their concept, and over the following months, local entrepreneurs and scholars will judge each submission. On December 6, the top 40 applicants will present their ideas and be challenged with questions from judges. Winners will receive monetary rewards and are encouraged to continue working with the McFerrin Center to take advantage of training opportunities and other competitions.
The McFerrin Methods: Finding Your Idea event is free and open to students and members of the community. “We’re trying to get both students and the community engaged in discussions about entrepreneurship,” says Bishop.
Be sure to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcferrin-methods-finding-your-idea-tickets-48493708989
