IdeaStorm - Sloanies Don't Just Play With Numbers-They're Creative Too
Adam Blake MBA'11, Slava Menn MBA'11
Issue date: 12/8/09 Section: Humor
Pharmaceutical drug screening improvements, software that lets you play pinball across two iPhone screens, a coat-rack that locks your coat in place, and solar powered beach coolers are just a small sampling of the concepts that have been discussed in a newly established forum for business idea brainstorming at MIT, called IdeaStorm. From silly ideas to established businesses, IdeaStorm facilitates creative idea discussion and connects people across industries and functional expertise.
Started over a couple of beers at the Muddy Charles Pub, the biweekly event began early this semester as an informal forum for Sloanies to pitch ideas to each other. Several venues were explored, including BHP, but eventually the irresistible whiteboard walled rooms of the E-Center became home. From the beginning the focus has been on providing an informal setting for students to get feedback on business ideas that have been rolling around in their heads. However, the event has also become a forum for people without ideas to get the creative juices flowing by brainstorming on challenge questions or business concepts proposed by others.
Although continuous morphing of the format is the norm, IdeaStorm 7 held on December 2nd included the following segments:
- Challenge Question (15 minute warm-up discussion on the topic d'jour)
- Unrehearsed Elevator Pitches (15 minutes for anyone to toss their ideas out for group discussion)
- Phase Deux (15 minutes of brainstorming to progress the best elevator pitch concept)
- Founder's Dilemma (15 minute brainstorming session led by an entrepreneur working on a business that has progressed beyond the simple idea stage)
- Idea summary and mingling
One of the missions of IdeaStorm is to foster connections across the MIT campus and beyond. To that end, sessions have already attracted the interest of MIT undergrads, MIT grad students from multiple science and engineering disciplines, Harvard Business School students, faculty, VC's, PhD's and of course the omnipresent Sloanies. With an abundance of entrepreneurial energy floating around, IdeaStorm was conceived as a way to bring like-minded people together, and it seems to be accomplishing that goal.
Going forward, IdeaStorm will be back next semester bigger and better than ever. It is rapidly becoming a mainstay of the Sloan Entrepreneurship Club, and continues to expand its reach beyond the pool of talent in course 15. The vision is for the sessions to serve as a catalyst and first step for students to turn passing ideas into early stage companies. For those interested in flexing their creative muscles, sign up to receive IdeaStorm updates with the Sloan Entrepreneurship Club or email one of the authors of this article directly.
Started over a couple of beers at the Muddy Charles Pub, the biweekly event began early this semester as an informal forum for Sloanies to pitch ideas to each other. Several venues were explored, including BHP, but eventually the irresistible whiteboard walled rooms of the E-Center became home. From the beginning the focus has been on providing an informal setting for students to get feedback on business ideas that have been rolling around in their heads. However, the event has also become a forum for people without ideas to get the creative juices flowing by brainstorming on challenge questions or business concepts proposed by others.
Although continuous morphing of the format is the norm, IdeaStorm 7 held on December 2nd included the following segments:
- Challenge Question (15 minute warm-up discussion on the topic d'jour)
- Unrehearsed Elevator Pitches (15 minutes for anyone to toss their ideas out for group discussion)
- Phase Deux (15 minutes of brainstorming to progress the best elevator pitch concept)
- Founder's Dilemma (15 minute brainstorming session led by an entrepreneur working on a business that has progressed beyond the simple idea stage)
- Idea summary and mingling
One of the missions of IdeaStorm is to foster connections across the MIT campus and beyond. To that end, sessions have already attracted the interest of MIT undergrads, MIT grad students from multiple science and engineering disciplines, Harvard Business School students, faculty, VC's, PhD's and of course the omnipresent Sloanies. With an abundance of entrepreneurial energy floating around, IdeaStorm was conceived as a way to bring like-minded people together, and it seems to be accomplishing that goal.
Going forward, IdeaStorm will be back next semester bigger and better than ever. It is rapidly becoming a mainstay of the Sloan Entrepreneurship Club, and continues to expand its reach beyond the pool of talent in course 15. The vision is for the sessions to serve as a catalyst and first step for students to turn passing ideas into early stage companies. For those interested in flexing their creative muscles, sign up to receive IdeaStorm updates with the Sloan Entrepreneurship Club or email one of the authors of this article directly.
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posted 1/26/10 @ 11:07 AM EST
That's funny ))
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