The MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program provides opportunities for communities around the world to engage with MIT in an evidence-based, practical approach to strengthening innovation-driven entrepreneurial (IDE) ecosystems. They achieve this by translating research insights into practical frameworks, convening stakeholders focused on IDE, and educating regional leaders through team-based interaction to achieve economic and social impact.

MIT REAP is a dynamic global initiative with two programs – Global and Focus – that engages with communities around the world to strengthen innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystems and transform economies.

MIT REAP Global Program Regions

The MIT REAP Global program admits a cohort of up to eight regions annually to participate in the two-year learning engagement with MIT.

MIT REAP Focus

MIT REAP Focus works within a single region with a bespoke timeframe to support broader acceleration of strategies and inclusive economic growth.

MIT REAP Framework

The MIT REAP Framework consists of a series of action learning mechanisms to translate, convene, and educate teams of regional leaders through a five-stakeholder approach. The MIT REAP teams address their existing system by developing a strategy to deploy new interventions to improve it.

MIT REAP: Translate, Convene, Educate. Impact.

  • Translate research and expertise into practical frameworks, approaches and actions with widespread global application.
  • Convene stakeholders (corporate, risk capital, entrepreneur, university and government) from ecosystems around the world to build a community for collaboration and learning.
  • Educate regional innovation ecosystem leaders through team-based learning to facilitate meaningful economic and social outcomes.
  • Impact regions through the development of new programmatic and policy interventions that build on strengths and support weaknesses to support IDEs.

Partner Regions

MIT REAP admits teams from up to 8 partner regions annually, which are comprised of 5 to 8 highly driven and influential members and is headed by a regional champion.

During the two-year engagement, regional teams are empowered to:

  • Deploy MIT rigor and use data-driven frameworks to deepen analysis and evaluate their current entrepreneurial ecosystems.
  • Catalyze action through the development of a common agenda and a set of shared measurements to support the construction and implementation of a strategic framework for driving regional IDE impact.
  • Leverage understanding of key drivers of successful IDE ecosystems to design and implement key programs and policies.
  • Share best practice from world-renowned MIT faculty and other MIT REAP partner regions.
  • Build bridges across and between regional stakeholders to drive regional strategy development and implementation.
  • Exchange ideas externally with other partner regions and the MIT REAP community.
  • Cultivate a global community of regions and individuals interested in ecosystem development.

Action Learning

MIT REAP involves four action-learning cycles over a two-year period and graduation into the MIT REAP Global Innovation Network. These cycles involve four highly interactive workshops every six months, which are interspersed by five action phases:

  • A typical workshop is 2 1/2 days and consists of lecture and discussion, case study analysis, ecosystem tours, programmatic deep dives, group work report-outs, and preparation for action phases. Three workshops are hosted at MIT and one workshop is hosted by a selected partner region.
  • Action phases are the active time between workshops where teams return home to deepen analysis, validate assumptions with a broad network, and implement new programs, policies, and interventions.