For the first time, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s largest innovation network (MIT – Martin Trust Center), has granted membership to a Georgian university. The Business and Technology University is the first in the region to become a member of the Martin Trust Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The agreement envisages the implementation of various joint projects and the improvement of the entrepreneurial environment in the country, the support of startups, and the stimulation of innovative processes.
MIT, the world premier, is an important member of the international innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Martin Trust Center was established as a leading institution in the field to share knowledge and experience relevant to the challenges and demands of the 21st century. According to research, millions of jobs are created by members of the center every year, who have established more than 30,000 companies, and have generated more than $2 trillion in revenue. The economic scale of the Center even exceeds the volume of gross domestic product (GDP) of the 9th largest economy in the world.
Membership in an international network of this magnitude presents unprecedented opportunities for Georgia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With BTU’s membership, all startups, small and medium-sized businesses, investors and various foundations in Georgia will have access to the international network of the Martin Trust Center, various events and conferences organized by the center, the latest research and literature generated by it, and more. The awareness and popularity of Georgian startups in the international ecosystem will also increase, while affiliate experts from the Martin Trust Center will hold webinars and workshops at BTU, sharing quarterly industry analysis material.
The BTU will also be able to participate in the accelerator and demo day organized by MIT in New York, Cambridge and Silicon Valley, Delta V, establishing links with venture funds, investors, and Silicon Valley startups. Entrepreneurial symposiums and conferences are held annually within the framework of this event and summarize the latest achievements and trends.
Membership in the Martin Trust Center also includes access to an online module designed for novice entrepreneurs, and includes a variety of resources and tools for startup development. This module is an online DIY version of MIT’s famous educational accelerator Delta V.
In 2020, for the first time in the region, MIT’s global startup lab was founded on a BTU basis and launched a startup acceleration program.
In addition, BTU Entrepreneurship Center is publishing a book this year by Bill Aulet, founder of the Martin Trust Center, one of the world’s leading textbooks, Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup. The presentation of the book is scheduled for spring 2021.
The membership agreement of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Martin Trust Center was reached in partnership between the Business and Technology University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The program lasted four weeks at BTU and was implemented by four startup mentors invited from MIT. It involved 28 students, including 18 students from the Business and Technology University and 10 selected students from different universities in Georgia. At the end of the project, a startup demo day was held for local and international experts.
By Nini Dakhundaridze
