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Babson Hosts Summer Entrepreneurship Program for Bulgarian Students

America for Bulgaria

Babson College is serving as host for a Summer Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) administered by the Institute of International Education, providing a short-term, non-degree, experiential learning opportunity for 30 Bulgarian students from all accredited universities in Bulgaria and for young professionals under 35 years-old.

During five weeks of intensive entrepreneurship training, participants learn the business fundamentals necessary to succeed at any entrepreneurial venture. Classes are taught at leading U.S. business schools, such as Babson College, by renowned faculty and successful U.S. entrepreneurs, and executives. The curriculum consists of both core business classes and functional skills.

Topics covered include:

Functional Skills

  • Communication
  • Design Thinking
  • Leadership
  • Negotiations
  • Effective Teamwork
  • Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback
  • Networking

Business Skills

  • Business Model Canvass
  • Market Research & Experimentation
  • Feasibility Analysis
  • New Venture Strategy
  • Entrepreneurial Finance
  • Professional Selling
  • Business Presentation
  • Go to Market Strategy

Projects

Business concepts learned in the classroom are reinforced through practical application to the team venture projects. As part of SEP, participants work in teams (ideally five to six people per team) to develop a new venture.

Participants’ progress is gauged through daily individual and team assignments related to the venture projects. Participants learn how to successfully present (“pitch”) their ideas through almost daily presentation drills (“rocket pitches”). Midway through the program teams give a short presentation on their venture ideas to a small panel of faculty for feedback. At the culmination of the program, each team gives a fully developed presentation to a panel of investors and seasoned entrepreneurs. The goal of these presentations is to receive valuable feedback from the panel about the viability of the venture idea business plan.

About

SEP is part of the Bulgarian Young Leaders Program (BYLP), which is sponsored by the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF), aims to identify Bulgarian students of exceptional caliber as well as promising civil service professionals and educators and provide them with unique entrepreneurship and leadership training in the United States. ABF believes that the Bulgarian Young Leaders Program will not only train individuals to become catalysts for Bulgaria’s continuous civil society development and economic growth, but that it will also increase mutual understanding and ongoing collaboration between young and aspiring leaders in the U.S. and Bulgaria.

The BYLP incorporates four major components:

  • Summer Entrepreneurship Program (SEP)
  • Principals’ Training Program (PTP)
  • Junior Justice Professionals Training Program (JJPTP)
  • Educational Leaders’ Training Program (ELTP)