Applications are open now for spring 2022 session
We’re excited to announce that we’ve expanded ReBoot, our inclusive entrepreneurial development program! ReBoot is a six-week program to help people turn business ideas into business plans. We ran a pilot last year and had a great experience working to bring entrepreneurship to an underserved population: people who have been formerly incarcerated. So this year we’ll offer three sessions, each targeted to a different audience.
The spring session will serve all current and former military members. In the summer we’ll offer another ReBoot session for the formerly incarcerated. Finally, in late fall or winter, we’ll launch a new session for women who are returning to the workforce or who have been impacted by the pandemic.
To design the 2022 sessions, Andy Lehman, our Head of Accelerator Programming, worked with the 180° Consulting, a group out of the Kelley Institute for Social Impact at Indiana University. They helped us identify other populations who might benefit from small-group training.
The spring 2022 session for veterans kicks off on March 28. We think the discipline and grit developed through military experience lay a great foundation for starting a business, and we’d like to help veterans design that next adventure.
No previous business experience is required to participate. Participants meet once a week for six weeks to learn how to focus their business ideas, get customer validation, and present their business to potential investors. They’ll have access to mentors, successful entrepreneurs, and a slate of expert speakers. We limite participation to a small group to increase the effectiveness of instruction and to encourage peer connections.
At the end of the program, participants present their business plans at a live showcase, and the winner takes home a little seed money for their business. All participants receive free part-time memberships to The Mill to connect to other founders and to access member perks to help grow their businesses.
ReBoot is for folks at all stages of the entrepreneurial journey. We tailor the experience depending on whether you’re exploring a brand-new idea or growing a fledgling business.
ReBoot is supported through ARPA funds from the City of Bloomington. The deadline to apply to the spring 2022 session is March 20, and the program kicks off on March 28.
Learn more, apply, and subscribe to updates on future ReBoot sessions here.