Entrepreneurship | Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

As students look at different pathways through Tuck, they can choose among a variety of experiential and global learning opportunities far beyond the classroom to deepen their entrepreneurship skills and knowledge. Tuck’s entrepreneurship curriculum and co-curriculum also integrates with other Tuck and Dartmouth entrepreneurship initiatives. Tuck recognizes the importance of consistent collaboration with the broader Dartmouth community in building a robust and successful program in entrepreneurship.

Ecosystem Deep Dives

Ecosystem Deep Dives (EDDs) are experiential learning opportunities that immerse students into selected ecosystems, highlighting industries and/or the intersections of various industries in a given region. Led by Tuck center Directors, students explore career pathways, gain industry insights and knowledge, and engage in professional networking. Each visit is carefully chosen with purpose and intention around key business questions and is supported by expert-led insight reflection sessions. Aimed at giving students an in-depth view into early-stage companies, investments in early-stage companies, and the overall startup ecosystem, this program provides first-year students a jump start on their entrepreneurial exploration and journey. Students are immersed in an area&’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the program includes connecting with founders, builders and investors across industry and stage.

Learn more about the student experience by reading a write-up by Hugo Naulot T’21 and Robert Sewell T’21 or Shannon Conneely T’23 and Emilie Litsas T’23 of their entrepreneurship deep dive.

Check out our Instagram Reel from our Ecosystem Deep Dive to Portland, ME in the summer of 2023!

Learn more about past Ecosystem Deep Dives on the Center for Entrepreneurship’s Sharepoint site.

Early Stage Project Exchange

A project exchange between early-stage companies (“project owners” looking for help with part of their business) and Tuck students (“project participants”) interested in contributing their skills and gaining live startup experience. This is a great opportunity for both project owners and project participants to work collaboratively to progress emerging companies in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Scope, depth and timing of work will vary from project to project. More information, including application details and exchange timing, is available on CE’s Sharepoint site.

Diversity Entrepreneurship Collaboration Practicum

The Diversity Entrepreneurship Collaboration Practicum offers an opportunity for Tuck students to partner with entrepreneurs participating in Tuck’s Executive Education Diversity Business Programs’ “Building a Successful Diverse Business” and help growth-stage entrepreneurs tackle their current business challenges, including strategy, marketing, financial analysis, operations, management, and leadership.

Startup Launchpad

This is an experiential program designed to jumpstart the entrepreneurial process through guided idea generation and early customer discovery. Working in small teams, participants explore real venture ideas—whether their own, a classmate’s, or a proxy concept—while the Center for Entrepreneurship provides hands-on support through structured exercises that lay the groundwork for validating and refining new business opportunities.

Entrepreneurship Exploration

Entrepreneurship Exploration offers an accessible entry point for students ready to begin developing a business idea, regardless of the academic calendar or course enrollment. Through a mix of self-paced online content and in-person sessions, the program introduces core concepts, guides early-stage testing and validation, and helps students build a strong foundation for future venture development.

Venture Learning Lab

Tuck’s Venture Learning Lab is the evolution of our prior incubator program. Focused on supporting our students who have completed a number of stakeholder discovery interviews, demonstrated traction of some kind, or even launched, the Venture Learning Lab provides access to online learning and resources no matter what area of your business your current focus is. Participants will have the opportunity to access funding towards basic venture expenses.

More Center Opportunities: Programs | Courses & Electives | Student Organizations

“The Venture Learning Lab has been the top experience I’ve had at Tuck. It’s an incredible opportunity to apply the core concepts from the classroom in real-world situations and an extremely good networking opportunity. In addition to guiding you through the process of building a venture-backed business, the center constantly facilitates connections with investors, legal support, and industry experts. The weekly meetings are a great avenue to work through the challenges I’m facing while running my business. The one-on-one coaching from Daniella Reichstetter, Jim Feuille, and Trip Davis, as well as many others, helped me grow my company from a few people with a prototype to a 10-person business during my first year at Tuck.”