[Bioundgrd] Internships at MIT Startups for Spring 2005

[Janice Chang]

>From:
>Lillian Dai
>Ph.D. student - EECS
>Ventureships Lead Organizer
>
>Internships at MIT Startups for Spring 2005
>
>Welcome to the Spring 2005 Ventureships program, brought to you by
>SEBC, Sloan VCPE and Venture Mentoring Service.  The Ventureships
>program, previously called V-Teams, is designed to provide an opportunity for
>engineering, science, and other technically trained students to 
>acquire business
>skills through hands-on experience.  Students are matched with 
>MIT-affiliated start-up
>companies to work on important business projects for the semester.
>Mentoring is available, so no prior business experience is required.  Time
>commitment is approximately 5-7 hrs per week.  This will be the 3rd
>semester that this non-credit program is being run.  Below are
>the project descriptions for Spring 2005.
>
>1)  Distribution Channel project: Cost/benefit analysis of using
>direct sales, licensing, distribution partner, or a combination
>thereof for the company's technology/product.  Defining those
>alternatives and identifying potential parties where applicable.
>Analysis of each alternative as it relates to revenue potential,
>company and brand recognition, company valuation, exit strategy and 
>potential need for future capital. 
>This Project will interface directly with the CEO.
>
>2) Operations project:  Optimizing the company's manufacturing process
>from the purchase of raw materials thru finished goods inventory.  The
>student team will construct a manufacturing process flowchart
>detailing capacity at each step and performing an economic analysis of
>the overall process.  The team will be tasked with analyzing and
>optimizing the process while identifying lead times, production
>cycles, critical steps and potential bottlenecks based on production
>forecasts.  Recommendations for capacity, process improvements,
>capital equipment investments or outsourcing will be required.  This
>project will interface with the Director of Engineering and Operations
>and the Director of Process Development.
>
>3)  Sales and Marketing project: Develop and test consumer market
>hypotheses through the iterative development of web site content and
>software distribution strategies.  Project goals include:
>a) Identifying market segments and messaging for potential consumers.
>b) Testing market segmentation through a series of enhancements and
>changes to company web site
>c) Conducting targeted market research focus groups with local school
>systems and other organizations
>d) Driving online sales upward through continued improvement of online
>experience
>
>4) Market Analysis project:  The project will consist of
>characterizing the existing markets for adoption of the company's
>technology, helping propose products into these markets, and aiding in
>pricing these markets. Finally, given the broad applicability of the
>technology, the project may consist of creating financial models for
>each of the different markets we would like to pursue.
>
>5) Product Development project (not-for-profit organization):
>Multiple components to this project.  Market analysis for data
>projectors in developing countries, with respect to product
>requirement and an assessment of current and future display
>technology.  Engineering design: exploring design concepts that would
>enable lower cost with adequate functionality for the developing world
>with an analysis of production costs based on design features;
>proof-of-concept for display system using standard available
>technology (such as LCD display components used in cell phones and
>digital cameras).  Go-to-market strategy: specify how a system would
>be manufactured, distributed and supported in the developing world.
>
>Further information will be made available in December.  Companies
>will be giving a presentation in early/mid-Jan,  with on-line
>registration to open afterwards.  Questions can be emailed
>to lldai at mit.edu, xuep at alum.mit.edu, or lgatti at mit.edu (for MBAs).
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