Program
program OVERVIEW
The PZ Emprende program is a hands-on ‘learning by doing’ entrepreneurship training program being offered by York University in partnership with Yo Emprendedor. York University’s main campus is in Toronto, Canada, but has had a satellite campus in Costa Rica since 1998. Yo Emprendedor is an entrepreneurial support organization whose main office is in San Jose, Costa Rica.
As a participant in the four -week training program you will gain practical experience in the process of starting your own business. As the central pillar of the program, you will learn and apply the ABEL framework (Ask – Build – Experiment – Learn) to:
- Identify viable market opportunities
- Design minimum viable products
- Acquire customer feedback through live testing
- Subsequently ‘pivot’ your business model in response to such feedback.
Program participants will engage in three separate phases that gradually transition from designing and testing basic product offerings using a group-based format, to building and experimenting with more innovative and complex business models on an individual-by-individual basis. Each phase will include:
- Presentations and facilitated discussions of key entrepreneurship concepts
- Simulated role-playing exercises for ongoing skill development
- Real world engagement in prototype building and sales activities within the local market.
- Engaging with both local and international entrepreneurs
Up to 5 winning participants
Each of the three phases will conclude with a competition that recognizes the teams/individuals who demonstrate the greatest proficiency and potential for entrepreneurial success. At the conclusion of the program, 5 winning participants will each receive a USD$2,000 start-up grant to develop their ideas further, as well as ongoing consulting advice.
The overarching goal of the PZ Emprende program is not only to offer an experiential learning opportunity for the 20 youths selected to participate in the program, but also to offer a ‘vicarious learning’ opportunity for others within the Perez Zeledon region. Thus, the program will also involve a significant social media component whereby local youth unable to participate directly in the program can follow along via the program website, Facebook, and Instagram. As a result, social media followers will be able to:
- watch videos created by program facilitators summarizing the key teachings of the program
- provide comments and feedback on videos created by the 20 local youths who will be tasked with posting daily about their personal entrepreneurship journey
- participate in voting for the winners of the competitions at various stages throughout the program.
