Why Join TYE
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About the Program
TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) is a global program that fosters the future generation of entrepreneurs. It does this by teaching high school students the rewards and challenges of becoming an entrepreneur.
Our program aims to tap into ambitious high school students aspiring to start up on their own, and integrates classroom sessions, mentoring, and a startup competition. Student teams use modern skills and tools to build concepts using customer feedback, iteration, and lightweight business models.
The content of our program was developed based on the design thinking methodology of IDEO, Stanford D-School, and the Business Model Canvas developed by Strategyzer and Eric Ries.
The focus of the TYE program is learning the basics of business: marketing, product development, finance, legal matters, and most important – presentation skills. Students will also learn entrepreneurship and leadership skills.
In the first phase, the TYE curriculum includes: Intro to Entrepreneurship, Bugs, Passions, Solutions; Customer Empathy, Design Thinking; Rapid Prototyping; Skill Assessment, Team Building; Startup Math; Lean Canvas Business Model; and Presentation Skills. The second phase focuses on Team Formation, Human-Centered Design, Customer Validation, Product Development, Business Model, Lean Canvas, and Presentation Preparation.
TYE used to be a business plan competition, but it is now an Entrepreneurship Lab focused on innovation and invention. Student teams must use modern skills to build a real-life concept using customer feedback, iteration, and lightweight business models.
Their approach should integrate the “Lean startup” and “Design thinking” aspects, creating innovative design or business concepts based on a user-centered approach. The Lean startup business model aims to build a continuous feedback loop with customers during product development. In design thinking, the idea is to identify user needs to create appropriate solutions.
Through the program, students will interact with local entrepreneurs who share personal experiences of successful milestones and challenges. A “start-up afternoon” session lets them be guided by a mentor to create and build their own business plan.
A total of 300 and over students have graduated from the program from 2013 to 2020.
Applications and Eligibility
Applications will open up in Summer for the next Cohort. Applications will be due by July; all admissions are on a first-come basis for 50 seats.
This program is open only to high school students (Grades 9-12).
Yes, Since we are running this as a virtual program, students around the world can attend this program.
You just need to fill out the application form and send it in. For now fill out this TYE Interest Form and we will reach out to you when the applications open.
The deadline for submission of applications is July-Aug and students will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applications will be accepted until the cohort is filled.
First come, first serve. The applications will be reviewed for completeness; students will be admitted into the cohort on that basis.
Chosen students will receive an email from the Executive Director/Program Chair of TYE. Emails confirming enrollment will be sent in Late August – Early September.
The in-person sessions are held on Wednesdays evenings at Microsoft Building 43. They run from September to April. Due to Covid all classes are moved online, until further notification.
The fee is $350 for the ‘Intro’ program, $250 for ‘Build’, and $600 for the ‘Launch’ and ‘Scale’ programs.
Yes, students can write to the Executive Director/Program Chair for waiver of fees. Financial status or a need for financial aid will not affect your chances of selection.
The fees will be payable to TiE Seattle. Your application will be complete only when payment is made. A $25 late fee is added to the program fee for late payments. Payment link will be available in application.
No refunds will be given for dropouts, but funds may be applied towards future cohorts.
Email us anytime at [email protected]
TYE Regional / Global Competition
The end goal of the TYE Competition is to learn how to make a serious pitch to investors, with all the components of launching a real entrepreneurial venture. Teams must have all the right components and iterative processes of a real business, and should include an “Ask” of what they are looking for to launch their business.
Teams are required to send their registration form, Executive Summary, Lean Canvas, and Presentation to TiE Global. For the Finals, teams must prepare their product/startup demonstration and one-minute elevator pitch.
All teams competing in the global finals must make a presentation (10 minutes) and present the Executive Summary, Lean Canvas, and any financials.
There are 40 chapters around the globe participating in the global finals. Teams can participate in the global finals in person or via video-conference facility. Please inform your chapter/TiE Global whether your team will participate in person or via videoconference. The TiE Chapters participated in 2020 TYE Global Virtual Finals are as follows:
1. Atlanta (USA)
2. Bangalore (India)
3. Boston (USA)
4. Carolinas (USA)
5. Chandigarh (India)
6. Chennai (India)
7. Dallas (USA)
8. Delhi (India)
9. Hyderabad (India)
10. Kerala (India)
11. Melbourne (Australia)
12. Oregon (USA).
13. Philadelphia (USA)
14. Rajasthan (India)
15. Seattle (USA) Host
16. Silicon Valley (USA)
17. Southcoast Orange County (USA)
18. Southcoast SanDiego (USA)
19. Sydney (Australia)
20. Tampa (USA)
21. Uttar Pradesh (India)
22. Vancouver (Canada)
23. Washington DC (USA)
A total of 20 minutes is allocated per team. Student teams must wrap up their presentation in a maximum of 10 minutes. There will be 5 minutes for a Judges’ Q&A session. Five minutes are allocated for transition between teams, where judges will score teams.
The presentation must be in PowerPoint (or similar) format and should include a company introduction, problem, solution, product, market, competition, traction, marketing and sales strategy, and team founders and roles.
One minute is allocated for the elevator pitch. Only one team member can present the pitch, and there is no Q&A in this round.
Pitches will be evaluated on four, equally-weighted categories: presentation (body language, clarity, articulation, passion), opportunity (market identification, size and attractiveness, target customer identification), solution (value proposition, differentiation, financial viability/profitability).