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Should Startup Fever have a place on campus?

Investors, ed stakeholders discuss whether or not campuses should support startup culture through curriculum, campus resource centers.

[Editor’s Note] It’s a debate gaining traction across the country: Is college worth it? Part of this debate is the notion that as Gen Z becomes more savvy via free and available resources provided by the internet and social media, entrepreneurial opportunities outside of a college education perhaps can provide better financial opportunities that yield tangible return-on-investments. But, is the growing focus on entrepreneurial education and startup fever a wise move? According to those in STEM fields, the answer is a resounding “no.” [Read: “Urgent: This innovation myth needs to end [1].”] On the other side of the debate, McLaughlin and Lydecker argue that there is, in fact, a place for startup fever on campus…if careful considerations are taken into account:

The startup ambitions of MBA students and college undergrads have spawned discussion about whether aspiring young entrepreneurs should launch new business ventures while still in school. Students, graduates, professors, and investors have varying opinions on whether startup fever should be a pursuit that is encouraged or discouraged while students live out their academic requirements.

Sure to be an ongoing dialogue for quite some time, here are three important topics of conversation that have been voiced on the subject:

1.Is Starting Up a Distraction?

Wall Street Journal writer, Lindsay Gellman, recently reported [2] that Stanford Business School is encouraging its MBA students to avoid the distractions of a startup and instead focus on their courses, campus life, and getting their degrees.

Educators argue that students need time to test their ideas and “embed desirability into the products, services, and experiences they create [3].” Instead of taking on the obligations of planning a new business and the pressures that come with meeting investors’ requirements, educators want students to spend their time on campus in preparation—not execution of their new businesses.

TAKE OUR POLL: Does Startup Culture Have a Place on Campus?

This runs counterintuitive to the lure of the Mark Zuckerberg startup experience with Facebook, which began with the collaboration of students in a Harvard dormitory and catapulted Zuckerberg to billionaire status by the time he was 23. But isn’t Zuckerberg the rare exception, the unicorn, not the rule?

(Next page: More startup fever considerations)

2.Can Students Afford to Put Funding on Hold?

It’s tough to put startup ambitions on hold when one is convinced of an idea that’s ripe and time-sensitive to attracting investor interest. In Rolfe Winkler’s article, “Secretive, Sprawling Network of ‘Scouts’ Spreads Money Through Silicon Valley [4],” he describes how venture firm, Sequoia Capital, funnels millions of dollars “to scores of well-connected entrepreneurs and academics” through scouts who looked for aspiring young entrepreneurs and their promising ideas.

Students argue that it’s hard and even foolish to swim upstream against the undercurrent of investor’s dollars that are available today and may or may not be there for the taking upon graduation.

First and foremost, startup fever and the desire to take hold of available funds must be weighed against whether or not the timing is right. Capital raised too early could lead to giving away too large a portion of equity and control. On the other hand, entrepreneurs who wait too long could endure a cash crunch as they attempt to scale.

As I wrote in When Is the Right Time to Fund Your Startup? [5] – I recommend that founders complete these three steps before seeking outside funding:

Can Campuses Offer Real-World Preparation?

MBA and undergraduate courses on entrepreneurship are on the rise to meet the swelling interests of a generation inspired by a combination of Silicon Valley’s billion-dollar success stories and the glamorization of entrepreneurship through programs like Shark Tank. Most college students are not looking to graduate with a one-size-fits-all skillset that will slot them into long-term commitment at a single company. Besides, as proven by prior generations, students are wise to the fact that big companies can no longer offer the benefit of long-term career security. Therefore, many ask, “Why not take control and start your own business?”

Colleges and universities want to be prepared for an incoming generation of problem-solvers with the drive to find solutions and the ambition to turn their ideas into new business ventures. Today’s students are wired to make a social impact and are willing to take the business risk to make a difference. They want to know how to pitch to investors, build a successful small business, and even take a shot at becoming the next Unicorn.

The Real Question to Ask

Since entrepreneurship does offer independence and the fulfillment of dreams, we can hardly be surprised that it is becoming an important component of the curriculum on college and university campuses around the world.

Rather than trying to turn back the dial on startup fever and asking if students can receive real world preparation on campuses, the real question is this: “How will college campuses help budding entrepreneurs identify where they are in their startup journey, meet them at that point, and provide them with the resources and mentorship programs to set them up for success?”

In The Journey to Start Up: When Is the Right Time for You [6], I identify a Startup Readiness Framework that points to different needs during various phases of the startup journey. The Purpose Is Profit: The Truth about Starting and Building Your Own Business [7] will be available for purchase on Amazon [8] and other booksellers on August 2, 2016.  Learn more at www.ThePurposeIsProfit.com [9] and connect via LinkedIn [10] and Twitter [11].