Ideation Lab Selection Process

Application Screening Process

All applications will be evaluated against program criteria in the following steps:

• Initial screening by program staff to ensure basic eligibility
• Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of internal and external industry experts, and assigned numerical grades
• Grading will be averaged across the judging panel, and the top teams will be offered a place in the program

Judging Criteria

The panel of reviewers will be provided a rubric to score applications against the following criteria.

• Completion
  • Is the application complete?
  • Are all questions answered in detail?
• Novelty and Compelling Nature of the Idea
  • Is this an industry that is already well represented in ICUBE?
  • Is the idea unique, interesting, and demonstrates potential?
• Impact
  • Will this solution impact lives in a meaningful way?
  • Is there a large market for this idea?
  • Does the solution address a widespread problem?
• Alignment with Programming
  • Is the Ideation Lab program will positioned to address the challenges faced by the entrepreneur?
  • Can the Ideation Lab program address the main priorities of the entrepreneur?
  • Is the venture at the right stage for this program?
• Attention to accessibility/inclusiveness
  • Ideation Lab provides value-based entrepreneurship education. Is this business idea and the founding team attentive accessibility, inclusiveness, and social issues?
• The Entrepreneur
  • Does the founding team have the right skills to pursue entrepreneurship at this time?
  • Is the founder committed to this program and furthering this idea?
  • Does the applicant demonstrate professionalism?

Ideation Lab’s dedication to promoting diversity in our teams includes a commitment to ensuring every cohort accurately reflects our community, welcoming folks of all gender identities, sexual originations, races and ages, and actively creating space for marginalized change-makers and under-represented disciplines.