Agenda
Explore the agenda and detailed descriptions of each session.
February, 26th
Floor 24
IE Tower
17h30 - 18h00
18h00 - 18h30
Welcome Coffee
Warm welcome with coffee and light refreshments while completing registration.
Opening Words and Program Information
The event will begin with opening remarks from Prof. Ikhlaq Sidhu and Prof. Paris de L'Etraz. Following this, Angela Rella, Program Coordinator, will deliver a detailed overview of the program, walking students through the agenda and key activities planned for each day.
Ideas Presentation (Part 1)
In this session, students who have a project idea will deliver an elevator pitch focusing on the problem they aim to solve, their proposed solution, and the target market. While presenting an idea is optional, this is a great opportunity to share concepts, find potential teammates, and refine ideas for further development.
Team Formation
In this session, students will connect with peers from diverse backgrounds to build strong, multidisciplinary teams. Through different phases, they will explore potential collaborations and finalize their teams. Students have until Thursday, February 27th, at 20h to form their teams.
February, 27th
Floor 24
IE Tower
18h00 - 19h00
19h00 - 20h00
20h00 - 21h00
February, 28th
IE Tower
09h30 - 13h30
09h30 - 13h30
Design Thinking
This session introduces Design Thinking, a human-centered approach to solving complex problems and driving innovation.
Students will understand the following concepts:
Empathize: Understand user needs by seeing the world through their eyes.
Define: Clearly articulate the problem and focus on specific user needs.
Ideate: Generate a wide range of ideas through brainstorming and collaboration.
Prototype: Build low-fidelity prototypes to bring ideas to life.
Test: Gather feedback, refine solutions, and iterate quickly.
Design Thinking is a practical, iterative process used by leading companies to create meaningful solutions.
It is about doing, learning, and improving essential skills.
First Look: Presentation & Prototype
In this session, students will present their problem, solution, prototype, and technical approach, focusing on the value proposition and benefits. Professors Ikhlaq Sidhu, Robert Polding, Paris de L'Etraz along with mentors will provide feedback during the 3-minute pitch and 3-5 minute Q&A (for each team).
Teams and Mentors Connect
In this session, students will reflect on the feedback received in the previous session and engage with mentors to refine and adapt their prototypes. It is an opportunity for teams to gain further insights, improve their ideas, and continue developing their projects with expert guidance.
March 1st
Velazquez 130
10h00 - 13h00
March 2nd
Area 31
10h00 - 12h00
12h00 - 16h00
March 3rd
Floor 24th
IE Tower
10h00 - 15h00
15h00 - 17h30
17h30 - 20h00
20h00 - 21h00
Ideas Presentation (Part 2)
This session provides students with additional time to elaborate on their ideas, refine their concepts, and connect with potential teammates. Through interactive discussions and networking, students can explore collaborations and form diverse, well-rounded teams to bring their ideas to life.
Business Narrative Development
This session helps students craft a compelling story around their project by refining their value proposition, clarifying their problem-solution fit, and structuring their pitch. The focus is on developing a clear, engaging narrative that effectively communicates their idea’s impact and potential.
Teams and Mentors Connect
In this session, students will reflect on the feedback received in the previous sessions and engage with mentors to refine and adapt their prototypes. It is an opportunity for teams to gain further insights, improve their ideas, and continue developing their projects with expert guidance. They will need to prepare now for the second presentation on Sunday, March 2nd.
Teams and Mentors Connect
In this session, students will reflect on the feedback received in the previous sessions and engage with mentors to refine and adapt their prototypes. It is an opportunity for teams to gain further insights, improve their ideas, and continue developing their projects with expert guidance. They will need to prepare now for the second presentation at 12h.
Projects Previews and Feedback
In this session, students will present brief previews of their projects and receive valuable feedback from Professors Ikhlaq Sidhu, Robert Polding, Paris de L'Etraz along with mentors. It is an opportunity to refine ideas and solutions before the final presentation.
Final Fixes and Refinements
This session allows teams to make last-minute adjustments and improvements to their projects before the final presentation. Students will have the chance to fine-tune their prototypes, integrate feedback from mentors, and ensure their solutions are polished and ready for the final showcase.
Semi-Final Presentation
In this session, all teams will deliver a 90-second Elevator Pitch designed to capture the audience's attention and generate interest in their project.
After all pitches are presented, the Internal Jury will deliberate and select the Top 5 Teams to advance to the Final Round.
Final Presentation
The five selected teams will have the opportunity to present their full projects in a 5-minute presentation—3 minutes focused on the business idea and 2 minutes for the tech demo. This will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A with the External Jury. After deliberation, the jury will announce the three winning teams.
Closing Cocktail
The closing cocktail offers an opportunity for students, mentors, and guests to celebrate the completion of the program.
18h30 - 19h00
19h00 - 20h00
20h00 - 21h00
14h00 - 15h00
17h30 - 20h00
20h00 - 21h00
Get To Know Each Other
Students will be able to build connections, and create a collaborative atmosphere from the start. This opportunity will be ideal to encourage engagement, foster teamwork, and set a positive tone for the program by helping students feel more comfortable sharing ideas and working together.
Chat with a Keynote Speaker
A conversation with a keynote speaker on ideation and what makes a great idea. The discussion will cover key elements of strong ideas, practical guidelines, and insights from the speaker’s entrepreneurial journey, including major challenges and lessons learned. The goal is to inspire students to think big and develop impactful solutions.
Mentors Allocation
Mentors will have the opportunity to select the teams they will mentor based on their expertise and the project’s needs. This ensures a strong alignment between mentors and teams, providing tailored guidance, insights, and support throughout the program.
Tech Session: Web & AI
Web: This session covers the essentials of full-stack web development, focusing on back-end architecture and a brief overview of front-end components. Professor Robert Polding will provide valuable insights into back-end systems and workflows, helping students build a strong foundation. The session will also explore practical ways to connect back-end and front-end architectures effectively.
AI: This session explores the practical application of AI in development, focusing on deploying AI models within a PythonAnywhere backend using the OpenAI API. We will expand the baseline code with a primer to incorporate AI functionalities such as voice-to-text, and image and video interpretation and creation, concluding with a bonus segment on prompt engineering.
Final Project Presentations
General Guidelines
