Startup School

Startup School is a weekly workshop series that provides know-how and training to successfully launch and grow a startup. Learn more about each workshop and register to attend one or all workshops that are relevant to your entrepreneurial journey.

Startup School is free and open to all students, researchers and faculty in the NYU community. Space is limited and therefore we ask that you register only for workshops that you definitely plan to attend.

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Tues, Sept. 20: Getting to Product Market Fit Part 1

Have an idea for a startup but not sure where to begin? Come hear from startup experts about how to turn that idea into a viable business. Learn a step-by-step methodology that will help you get beyond the idea phase and on the path to a successful startup venture.

Tues, Sept. 27: Getting to Product Market Fit Part 2

In this second of a two part series, you will learn how to put the customer development methodology into practice. Learn how to test your concepts with users, customers and partners as you search for a repeatable and scaleable business model.

Tues, Oct. 4: Sizing Up Your Market & Competition

As a startup founder, there are a few key questions you should be asking before you get too far into building your venture that will help you evaluate whether it's worth the investment of your time and resources. Things like: how big of an opportunity is this? Who else is trying to address this opportunity? How will our startup be different from the competition? Come learn about how to get the answers to these, and other critical questions that will help you assess the opportunity.

Tues, Oct. 11: Acquiring Customers

Every successful startup needs a concrete strategy for attracting customers efficiently and effectively - if you don't have customers you don't have a business! Come learn about what makes a good customer acquisition strategy and discover which tactics are right for your business.

Tues, Oct. 18: Testing Your MVPs & Prototypes

How do you know if the product you're spending all that time building is actually something a customer would use, or better yet, pay for? This workshop will teach you how to test out your product concepts with customers before you spend weeks or months building it.

Tues, Oct. 25: Building & Growing Your Team

Any early stage startup investor will tell you that a startup's team is one of the most important factors they consider when making an investment decision. Furthermore, the ability of a startup to successfully implement its strategy is dependent on having a team in place that possesses the required skills and capabilities. This session, led by a successful entrepreneur from the NYU community, will help you think through what kind of skills your startup requires, and how to go about building the team your startup needs to succeed.

Tues, Nov. 1: When & How To Raise Venture Capital

At some point in time, nearly every startup will require outside capital to help it grow and scale. This workshop will introduce the different sources of financing for startups at each stage of growth, and will provide specific tactics you can use to successfully raise the funds your startup needs.

Tues, Nov. 8: Measuring & Monitoring Metrics that Matter

As a startup founder, how do you know if you're doing the right things for your business? How will investors know if you're on the path to building a successful scalable venture? Come learn about what metrics you should be paying attention to as you launch your startup, and what data investors will be looking for when making an investment decision.

Tues, Nov. 15: Legal Essentials for Startup Founders

Come hear from a legal expert who specializes in startup law discuss the most common legal mistakes entrepreneurs make and what you need to do to avoid them. Learn about how to incorporate your business, set the terms of ownership among the founders, and other legal nuts and bolts you need to consider in the early days of your startup.

Tues, Nov. 22: NO STARTUP SCHOOL

Tues, Nov. 29: Managing Your Intellectual Property

This workshop, led by an intellectual property expert, will help you evaluate whether you should be taking steps to protect your startup's intellectual property. It will cover the different methods for protecting your IP (patents, copyrights, etc.) and will provide some specific guidance on how to go about putting IP protections in place.

Tues, Dec. 6: Storytelling & Pitching to Investors

One of the most critical jobs of a startup founder is communicating the vision and mission of your startup to the external community. Storytelling is a critical skill for hiring the best talent, attracting the right advisors, and convincing investors to put their money into your venture. This final workshop in the Startup School series will teach you how to effectively tell your startup's story.