Startup University:

Academy and Creation Programme

The foundation of the core programme, the startup team develops and validates an all-capitals, all-stakeholders business model canvas, which then becomes the basis for designing the company to multiply all capitals, not just financial capital. This takes the startup through to having a business model validated with all of the stakeholders involved, and all of the capitals that the regenerative business touches, not just financial validation.

This process takes at least three months, where participants complete 2 to 3 design sprints, developing hypotheses and testing them.

In parallel, the startup team lays the foundations for ongoing operations.

Startup teams will become proficient in using the latest approaches to working together, including consent / integrative decision-making, functional versus management accountability hierarchies, and agile, delegated, fluid roles. The basis is Sociocracy and Holacracy.

Participants, in facilitated workshops, will have proficiency in reaching rapid, efficient decisions that take into account all understanding from everyone in the team; in how to structure organisations as functional, human accountability hierarchies, So that the startups working processes can change faster than their changing business environment demands. This minimises the risk of startup failure caused by slow reactions, and information on opportunities and risks not reaching decision-makers in time. Companies using these processes consistently outperform their peers (e.g. Zappos, CCA Global Partners).

This is an intense, transformational process of self and team development. Participants, in facilitates workshops, as well as access to our online on demand micro-learning modules, develop proficiency in the Adaptive Way practices. In particular using nonviolent communication, Kegan’s Immunity to Change, and the systems thinking elements of the 28 post logical thought forms. Each workshop is partly with all the participants together, and mainly in small groups of 2 to 4 participants. The participants get intense guidance from the facilitator in how to use the adaptive way processes, based on current best practice for peer-to-peer coaching, in order to be well equipped when conflict emerges in their startups to be able to use these processes to transform conflict into strength and growth. Even if a startup or individual only progresses to the end of this phase, but does not incorporate, they will have gained skills they will use for the rest of their life, and in every company they work in in the future.

These human interactivity processes are designed to minimise the risk of human energy being wasted on internal friction, so that all the available energy goes into delivering regenerative business results. Companies using these processes are becoming recognised as consistently outperforming their peers (e.g. Bridgwater).

The all stakeholders business model canvas is the design brief for designing the most appropriate incorporation. The startup team has, by the end of the core University programme, understood and experienced the benefits of the different levels of incorporation, decided which level is best for them, and has incorporated. Most will choose the Level 5 FairShares Commons, some may choose a Level 3 (e.g. Multistakeholder cooperative) or Level 2 (cooperative).