Are you a student entrepreneur with a business startup that you’d like to rapidly accelerate this summer? If so, the Summer@Highland 2009 program may be just what you need.
In its third year, Summer@Highland is an innovative program designed to provide selected student/university-affiliated entrepreneurs with the environment and resources for advancing their startup initiative/company to the next level. Participating entrepreneurs/teams will receive a financial stipend and complimentary work space in either our Lexington, Massachusetts or Menlo Park, California office. The teams will have access to Highland investment professionals along with further resources for injecting real-world advice, insight and perspectives into the entrepreneurial and company-building process.
We are accepting applications for consideration in this year’s program through April 9, 2009. If you’re involved with a high-potential startup, we encourage you to consider applying.
What we’re looking for in 2009
We are especially interested in having you spend the summer with us if:
• You have a leadership team with vision, passion, and drive
• Your initiative is built around a breakthrough idea that is scalable and monetizable
• You’re pursuing a large addressable market opportunity with a product/service that has the potential to be highly-disruptive in its area
• Your business initiative is already showing momentum and (ideally) some demonstrable market traction (i.e., you’re well beyond concept)
• You’re operating in a sector that we focus on – information and communication technology, digital media, life sciences, advanced materials & semiconductors, cleantech
• You can direct us to some advisors who see your business’s potential as you do
Particulars of Summer@Highland 2009
1. The program is open to current undergraduate or graduate students, post graduate docs, as well as recent grads (December 2008 or later). At least one participating member of the team must meet this criterion.
2. Teams can comprise 1 to 4 persons.
3. A single person team will receive a $7,500 stipend for the summer, if selected.
4. A multi-person team will receive a $15,000 stipend, if selected.
5. Participating teams are required to work full time for a minimum 10 weeks on their initiative. Start and end dates are flexible and are to span the period of mid-May through September 2009.
6. Participating teams will need to reside in one of Highland’s offices (Lexington, MA or Menlo Park, CA) while participating in the program.
7. Each participating team will have a Highland sponsor who will be the team’s gateway to advice and counsel from Highland’s investors and industry network.
8. Participating teams in the core Summer@Highland 2009 program are under no obligation to Highland after the summer. Further terms and conditions may apply for initiatives that qualify for and are interested in pursuing seed financing and/or additional involvement by the Highland team.
How to apply
1. Please complete the brief online application (available atwww.hcp.com/summer)
2. Attach to your application (1) resumes/bios for each team member, and (2) up to two referrals/letters of recommendation (recommended). The latter may be from faculty & administration, board or advisory group members, or others affiliated with close knowledge of your initiative and/or team members.
3. You may also consider optionally attaching (1) executive summary of your initiative/company, and/or (2) a link to a 1-2 minute overview / elevator pitch video via YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
4. The deadline to submit all materials associated with an application is end of day Thursday, April 9, 2009.
5. The application deadline for consideration in the 2009 program is Thursday, April 9, 2009.
6. Selected projects will be notified via email no later than May 1, 2009.
Please direct any questions regarding the program tosummer@hcp.com and we will do our best to address them.
