The E&I experience is bi-coastal, and global. Route 128 venture community leaders will visit regularly with the E&I cohort throughout both the first and second years.

 

In addition, the introductory Fall course, 15.360, Introduction to Technological Entrepreneurship is followed by ES.580, the E&I Study Tour of Silicon Valley, during the SIP Week in March of the Spring semester. The Study Tour consists of three to five days of visits with leaders of the Northern California venture capital community and with founders and CEOs of startups and successful enterprises in the life sciences, medical technology, software, information technology, advanced materials, and new energy fields based in Silicon Valley, California. To attend the Study Tour, E&I students must be enrolled in 15.390 New Enterprises (Spring), 15.911 Entrepreneurial Strategy (Spring H2). 

 

In March 2013, the trip for the E&I Class of 2014 officially begins with the students' arrival in the morning of Sunday, March 17th, and all formal activities will conclude in the early evening of Wednesday, March 20th.

 

Each student is responsible for his or her own airfare and payment for the MIT-selected required hotel accommodations. To ensure availability, an initial non-refundable deposit of $250 will be payable during the September 2012 MIT Sloan registration period. This deposit will be applied to the aggregate costs of the chosen hotel. In addition to the deposit, students can expect hotel room costs of between $230-$270 per night for four nights, usually split with a self-selected roommate. Due to the compressed schedule alternative accommodation requests (i.e. staying at friend's home, or alternative hotels) are not possible.

 

MIT contracts directly with car rental companies and is responsible for the car rental, parking, insurance and gasoline costs. In compliance with MIT policies, E&I student drivers are responsible for any moving or parking violations and fees. 

 

Please note that the Silicon Valley Study Tour is scheduled to take place during Spring Sloan Innovation Period (SIP) week. Students who wish to participate in other study tours, international treks, and classes during that period should be aware of this conflict and evaluate their priorities before signing up for the E&I Track.

 

 

The Study Tour is an opportunity for E&I participants to expand their networks and knowledge through their visits with companies, founders and investors who are most interesting to them. Therefore, every year, we encourage and support a self-selected volunteer sub-group of students from the MIT E&I cohort to take the lead in helping to organize the trip and to contact and schedule startup company visits. Please contact Colin Kennedy, E&I Track Program Manager, to discuss your interest in being a volunteer. More information is provided during the introductory fall seminar, in the 15.360 classes.