In San Francisco, coming up with creative new business ideas is one of many things people do for fun. So what better way to spend a weekend than getting together with other aspiring entrepreneurs to think of ways to create a better world through business? That’s exactly what students at Hult San Francisco did at our start-up weekend, powered by Google for Entrepreneurs, to produce imaginative ideas for the 2015 Hult Prize challenge.
Changing the world in a weekend
Start-up Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their start-up ideas are viable. The theme of this weekend was the challenge set this year by former President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative for Hult Prize competitors – to build sustainable and scalable social enterprises to address early childhood education in urban slums and beyond.
Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees brought their best ideas and inspired others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday, teams focused on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing lean start-up methodologies, and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening, teams demoed their prototypes and received valuable feedback from a panel of experts.
The creative and well thought-out ideas that came out of the weekend got everyone fired-up for this year’s Hult Prize, always a focal point for our socially-entrepreneurial students at Hult San Francisco. The practical, fun, and focused nature of the weekend also resulted in strong new connections being made amongst the attending entrepreneurs. We’re excited to see what these networks produce in the future.
Exploring career options with the experts
Elsewhere on the San Francisco campus, career development was front-and-center for students attending our Career Discovery events. Ideal for those exploring which function and industry is right for them, the Career Discovery series provides an opportunity for students to get insights and answers from executives working in their field of interest. This Fall, Hult San Francisco have welcomed panelists from a wide range of companies including Accenture, Future State, MachineZone, GetInsured, MapR Technologies, and Charles Schwab.
Speakers gave an overview of what students could expect from careers in the finance, consulting, marketing, and tech industries, and shared their own professional experiences. The intimate and relaxed setting of the Career Discovery events enables students to ask questions and network directly with those already established in the fields they’re considering. Students find it’s a great way for to explore their career options and decide early in the year which path they want to take.
Undergrads settle in San Francisco in style
Also this fall, we welcomed our first freshman year of undergraduate students at Hult San Francisco. Your first weeks as an undergrad are all about getting to know your classmates and settling into your new home. Our Welcome Week and Orientation events introduced our freshmen to each other, and the city, in true San Francisco style with a tour of the city, a Giants baseball game, American Sports Day in the Park, and outings to local neighborhoods and surrounding cities. The week ended with a boat cruise party on the Bay – music, food, watching the sun set over the city, and talking long into the night. Welcome to San Francisco, undergrads; we think you’re going to like it here.
Kickstart your career right next door to Silicon Valley by studying at Hult’s San Francisco business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog #HeadingtoHult: Preparing for undergraduate life in San Francisco. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.