FAQs

General

What is LISA?

LEAD Incubator & Startup Accelerator. Founded by Stanford GSB LEAD participants for the LEAD Community.

 

Is LISA a platform?

It is a hybrid platform and ecosystem for founders and innovators to experiment and incubate Ideas to MVP stage and also to transition MVPs to real life ventures

 

How was LISA founded?

LISA resulted from bringing together ideas, concepts and experiences from Capstone Projects and SVDT Club

 

What is the Stanford Rebuild Program?

Stanford Rebuild is a global innovation sprint to develop solutions for the wide range of challenges and opportunities we will face as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a one-time program launched in 2020 in response to COVID-19 and LISA played accountability partner supporting LEAD participants

 

Is Stanford Rebuild in-person or virtual?

All Stanford Rebuild programs, resources and events were hosted virtually.

 

What is the goal of the Rebuild program?

We hope to bring together creative problem solvers, bright minds, and entrepreneurial energies from around the world to help tackle some of the challenges and opportunities we think will need to be solved as we collectively recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope the sprint helps us move more quickly to better outcomes.

 

What was the goal of LISA through the Rebuild program?

LISA has tested and validated the LISA cohort 1 participants through the Stanford Rebuild Program

 

How did the LISA-Rebuild Program work together?

In the initial iteration, LISA was intended to function as a conduit for the Stanford Rebuild initiative within the LEAD community. This essentially implies that all Stanford LEAD participants who took part in the Rebuild program was able to leverage the support and guidance offered by LISA throughout the duration of the program

 

Is there a cash prize?

No. Some teams and individuals, however, will be selected for personalized mentoring and inclusion in the Stanford Rebuild Virtual Showcase open to the broader entrepreneurial community, including investors, mentors, incubators, accelerators and LISA team.

 

Will I receive a certificate?

No. While there is no certificate associated with Stanford Rebuild, you build your own Executive Summary based on our Startup Canvas model. You can use your Executive Summary to apply to accelerators, talk with angel and other early stage investors, recruit team members or employees, and more. Your team is also eligible for LISA’s future program.

 

What happens if I miss the Kick-Off or other speaker events?

No problem. We are recording all events so that you can watch (or re-watch) them at your convenience. You will be able to access these in the Stanford Embark platform.

 

Do I need to enter a credit card? Will I be charged at some point?

No, LISA services are free of cost as part of Stanford LEAD

 

What is the anticipated time commitment? Can I do this part-time?

If you are starting with a new idea and wish to take full advantage of the LISA platform, you can expect to spend an average of 3-5 hours per week as an individual or team. The time commitment can be adjusted up or down depending on how you want to pace yourself and how many members are on your team. There is no minimum required time commitment in LISA Incubator Program

 

Does it cost to participate in the LISA Incubator Program?

No.

 

Does Stanford claim any intellectual property or other ownership of ideas or projects involved in the cohort?

No.

 

What language will be used throughout the program?

LISA will be administered in English, including events, talks, Design sessions and the Stanford Embark platform. Submissions from participants will be reviewed in English.

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Application

 

When is the deadline for application?

To participate in the LISA program, you or your team must complete the registration form by due date stated in the application announcement. Extensions may be offered at the discretion of the Application Team. Please get in touch through the LISA workgroup page or chat if you have any questions.

 

How long does it take for the LISA team to get back on the status of my application?

Typically takes 3-4 weeks after application submission. However, given a large number of applications, there can be some delay.

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What do I do if my idea or venture is not strictly related to the LISA-focused industry category?

LISA Industry category is based on reviews and vetted by our experts and founders who believe the next disruption to take place on that ecosystem however, we are happy to take general ideas case by case.

 

 

I am not part of the LEAD program, can I still apply for LISA though?

Yes, LISA accepts current applicants from Stanford GSB LEAD and MSx current students and alumni. We will review this decision for future expansion to broader GSB and Stanford Network.

 

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Should I necessarily stick to the themes/categories in the Application form?

It will be great if you can adhere to the broad categories, but you are free to indicate your own category.

 

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How will projects be selected for additional mentoring? What will the criteria be?

Project deliverables will be reviewed by LISA members and a small number of projects may get additional mentorship based on the performance of the progress and viability for time to market through MVP.

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Why is LISA Cohort duration longer than normal other cohort programs?

Our cohort is designed to current target first founders from Stanford LEAD and GSB ecosystem who are mostly industry professionals, current LEAD participants, and established family members who are looking to validate their long-time ideas, or transition to become entrepreneurs.

 

What happens during the cohort duration?

- Cohort 3 duration, timeline, and dates

- End to end schedule for:

- Main Curriculum” EMBARK GUIDE”

- Design Session

- Additional Modules

- PodiumX Series

- Weekly Check-Ins

- Fortnightly Showcases

- Story Telling Session

- Final Pitch Fest and Demo Day

 

What happens at the end of Cohort - I have an MVP - then what?

You have the option and opportunity to apply for the LISA Accelerator program or pursue the venture on your own or alternative path. We are also enabling you to the investment-ready and scale your ventures further.

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Embark Guide

What is the Embark Guide?

An online toolkit that walks aspiring entrepreneurs through a step-by-step process to help them turn their idea into a business solution.

 

Does Embark Guide cost any charges?

Currently no charge

 

How Embark help?

• Streamlines the entrepreneurial process into key tasks to help you get started

• Take action step-by-step

• Experiential: Specific activities to complete and opportunities to reflect

• Faculty + Practitioners: Researched-backed frameworks & stories from entrepreneurs offering inspiration, words of wisdom, and advice

• The Startup Canvas: Follow specific, proven steps to explore and test your idea

• Executive Summary: Build a customized business plan summary that highlights the key aspects of your work

• Develop Know-How and Confidence

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Design Session

What is a Design Session?

The most successful teams are able to harness the diverse opinions and experiences of team members to come up with an innovative solution. To navigate such a journey effectively, the LISA team has partnered with SVDT Club to support founders and facilitate the venture creation process with a team of experienced design thinkers.

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