Entrepreneur in Residence Apprenticeship Program
Entrepreneur in Residence Apprenticeship Program
Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Spirit of South Texas
The Entrepreneur in Residence Apprenticeship Program aims to attract and prepare the best and brightest students and aspiring entrepreneurs in South Texas to successfully launch startups in the space, energy, and technology industries.
Recent high school and college STEM graduates report having too few job opportunities in the area. Yet many of these students have an interest in entrepreneurship, they just don’t have a clear path on how to begin. ExF’s EIR apprenticeship program was designed to specifically solve this problem.
This initiative offers aspiring entrepreneurs time, training, compensation, and access to vetted technologies ready for commercialization. Participants in the program receive interdisciplinary business training, direct access to the startup community, tailored mentoring, and compensated work experiences, all of which help them launch successful companies. The goal of this program is to advance hardware technology commercialization, develop and retain local talent, and unlock the entrepreneurial spirit in South Texas.
Program Features
Accepted apprentices go through a structured 16-week program for developing and launching a company. The professional staff at Expanding Frontiers select cohorts of apprentices every year. These apprentices then receive the following services to help them launch a business:
- Exposure to promising technologies from federal labs that have been vetted by industry experts and are prime for commercialization
- Guidance on licensing those technologies
- Mentoring from seasoned entrepreneurs and subject-area experts
- Feedback on the need for further business development courses or additional laboratory skills
- Opportunity to possibly launch a startup based on your own idea
- Exposure to state of the art methodologies by world-class experts
- Opportunity for paid part-time work experience with a company in the Expanding Frontiers Sponsor Company Network
- Access to the ExF office and prototyping facilities
- Biweekly seminars will expose participants to industry opportunities and chances for professional growth
- Pitch presentation training and practice
- Structured Networking opportunities
- Exclusive access to previously vetted Department of Energy and NASA technologies ready for commercialization
Eligibility
- Must be 18 years or older
- Have an interest in pursuing a space, energy or technology based startup
- Have a genuine interest in pursuing an entrepreneurial career
- Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, non-U.S. citizen with DACA, or international with appropriate visa and work authorizations
- Members of existing start-ups can apply, but each member must submit an application. Include the names of your teammates in the additional comments section.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2021 cohort open on March 29th, 2021 and are due May 16th, 2021 at 11:59 PM Central Time. The application consists of a few essay questions, an optional video, a resume, and professional or academic references. Once applicants complete the application they will receive a confirmation email. Applicants will be notified if they have been accepted or waitlisted into the program by June 4th, 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
Preference will be given to candidates that have STEM and business backgrounds or experiences, but no specific skill is necessary to apply. The most important requirement is a fierce determination to succeed.
No, you do not have to have a background in STEM or business, but both are likely to be helfpul. Candidates with exceptional aptitude and drive will be considered.
College students are eligible to apply. High school students who meet eligibility criteria can also apply.
For questions, please email kcaballero@expandingfrontiers.org.
