Program

After the workshop participants have been selected, they will be added to an online course where several materials and resources will be made available. These resources include, but are not limited to, the ASU Startup School courses, stages 1 and 2. ASU Startup School is a comprehensive and proven framework for developing ventures through a series of facilitated workshops wherein entrepreneurs learn what they need to do in order to develop a successful venture.

• Stage 1 of ASU Startup School is a valuable opportunity for all types of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinkers to advance their ideas into sustainable ventures, including small businesses, social enterprises, high-tech startups, corporate innovators, and community organizers.
• Stage 2 is aimed at more advanced entrepreneurs and ventures, including small businesses, social enterprises, high-tech startups, corporate innovators, and community organizers, to scale their ideas into successful companies.

The format of this 5-day workshop will consist of classroom-based instruction, field trips, mentoring sessions and cultural exchange activities. Below is a short description of each of these components of the 5-day program:

Classroom Instruction

Adopting an entrepreneurial mindset will be a key to participants’ ability to thrive in a rapidly changing world. This workshop will include plenary sessions with keynote speakers and panel discussions with leading industry professionals and entrepreneurs in the agricultural business sector. Depending on where each participant is in their startup journey, they will attend concurrent mentoring tracks that will provide them with actionable knowledge to help them advance their ventures. Upon completion of this incubator-style workshop, participants will be able to immediately apply lean startup and disciplined entrepreneurship methodologies toward the advancement of their own Agri-business venture or within a role as an entrepreneurially-minded industry professional. In doing so, all participants will be expected to practice Rigorous, Evidence-based, Action-Oriented Learning (REAL) throughout the workshop and beyond.

Field trips

ASU has partner with local Agri-business SMEs in and around Champasak to take participants out of the classroom and into the field to learn first-hand from successful businesses that follow responsible and environmentally friendly practices and models. At least 3 field trips will be organized during the 5-day workshop; which could include, but is not limited to the following:

Mentoring component

The 5-day workshop will also include mentoring sessions with successful business owners, conservation/agricultural experts and entrepreneurs, to guide participants to create impactful ventures. These mentoring sessions will run in parallel tracks throughout the workshop, allowing participants to join these sessions according to their interest and stage of their ventures.

Pitch Competition

The 5-day workshop will culminate with a competition where participants will get a chance to pitch their business ventures to a panel of judges, for the chance to win some start-up funds.

After the workshop in Laos, participants will be invited to submit a five-minute video pitch to enter a competition. Additional resources will be made available to the selected finalists. Resources can include, but are not limited to: startup funds, seed grants, additional mentoring and coaching sessions, support to attend other training events and pitch competitions, etc. More information on this competition will be announced closer to the workshop dates.