The Center for Emerging Technologies (CET), the largest and oldest innovation center in Missouri, announced the addition of Square One (SQ1) Ignite to its array of training and educational resources for new and early stage entrepreneurs.

The SQ1 Ignite program has been specifically designed to provide a more frequent series of quick-start training modules to help entrepreneurs advance their business ideas, and prepare participants to submit successful applications for the SQ1 Boot Camp, the 10-week, twice-weekly intensive program in the Fall.

Beginning Feb. 23, the free, four-week SQ1 Ignite series will be held on Tuesdays between 5:30 to 8:30 with classes that include direct instruction as well as hands-on application of course content. Participants are expected to attend all classes in the series.

Entrepreneurs with business ideas in the bioscience, consumer/manufactured product and IT industries are encouraged to apply for the SQ1 Ignite series, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

SQ1 Ignite modules (subject to change) include:

Evening 1: Introduction and Problem/Opportunity

• Intro to the Ecosystem – organizations and resources
• Overview of the SQ1 Boot Camp 10-week program
• Intro to the Business Model Canvas
• Break-out session

Evening 2: Solution/Target Market

• Review of BMC
• Intro to the Value Proposition Canvas and the Customer Discovery Process
• Break-out session

Evening 3: Competition/Position, Product Development Processes

• Review of VP
• Competition and Differentiation
• Overview of key topics in product development process for IT, bioscience and manufactured products (product pathways)
  • MVP/beta
  • Regulatory
  • Prototype
• Break out session

Evening 4: Building a Team, Cost/Price

• Building a team
• Discussion of personal financial statements, bootstrapping and revenue models
• Break out session – Discussion of next steps/personal work plan

Key dates for Square One (SQ1) Key Dates for 2016:

• SQ1 Ignite Session One – February 23 to March 15
• SQ1 Ignite Session Two – April 26 to May 17
• SQ1 Boot Camp Applications Open July 1
• SQ1 Boot Camp Notification Deadline August 12
• SQ1 Boot Camp Classes Begin September 12

Square One programming is funded in part by the Missouri Technology corporation and through a contract with the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the SBA Regional Innovation Clusters Program. For more information contact program director Christy Maxfield at cmaxfield@cortextstl.com.