The 2012-2013 pilot session of REAP has already begun, and we are no longer accepting participants. 2013-2014 dates have not yet been set, however, you may complete an Application of Interest to be considered for the next session. To be notified of 2013-2014 dates once they are confirmed, please subscribe to our email updates using the form on the right.

The MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP) is a multi-year educational initiative designed to help regions accelerate economic development and job creation through thoughtfully designed and effectively enhanced innovation-based entrepreneurial ecosystems.

This unique program builds on MIT’s deep knowledge of and engagement with the innovation-based Cambridge/Boston ecosystem, as well as from substantial leading-edge research in understanding the drivers of entrepreneurship, the institutions supporting regional competitiveness, and the role of university-driven innovation. This research is complemented by our extensive leadership role over several decades in helping to create dramatic entrepreneurial impact through our students, alumni, staff, and faculty, and by our significant observational analyses over a long time period of regions worldwide.

Learning Experience
REAP participants will attend a highly interactive two-and-a-half day educational workshop twice each year. Between workshops, they will be engaged in significant action-oriented activities with faculty coaching to enable regions to more effectively share ideas, execute action plans, and sustain impact.

On site, participants will be exposed to the theory and practice of developing regional clusters of innovation-based entrepreneurship through presentations from MIT faculty, guest lectures, and live case studies. Participants will collaborate and learn across different stakeholder groups from each region by breaking down traditional boundaries and focusing on the common purpose of regional economic development. Interactive exercises will promote learning through comparisons with other participating regions in order to benchmark and more effectively obtain best practice.

Dates
Acceleration Workshop 1: February 1-3, 2012 at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts (dates to be confirmed)
Acceleration Workshop 2: Summer 2012 at a REAP member location (specific dates and location to be determined)
Acceleration Workshop 3: Winter 2013 (specific dates and location TBD)
Acceleration Workshop 4: Summer 2013 (specific dates and location TBD)

Application Process: Please click on the Participants tab for special application details.

Join the MySloanExecEd Community Group for this program to network with past, present, and future participants.

From the concepts, tools, frameworks, and case studies in this program, participating regions will more effectively:

• Understand the key drivers of successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and develop a logical and systematic plan to enhance thier region's innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Assess their region’s innovative and entrepreneurial capacity and the strengths and key gaps of specific clusters.
• Develop an action plan to harness the power of innovation and entrepreneurship to enhance the advantages of leading clusters and accelerate the growth of their region's ecosystem.
• Implement their solutions effectively and gain feedback over time in order to translate the promise of the REAP methodology into an engine for economic performance.

"MIT's rich global experience with the practice of innovation-based entrepreneurship and creating companies, coupled with its faculty's thought leadership in developing a rigorous framework for other regions to do this more systematically, is a potent combination. We have already seen results from our ongoing discussions with the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, and we have a clear path to continue to expand our entrepreneurial capacity.”

Alex Paterson
Chief Executive
Scottish Highlandsand Islands Enterprise

Through an application process, the selection committee will choose eight to ten regions as charter members of REAP. The membership composition will be designed to represent a global balance of issues and experiences that will complement each member's own perspectives.

Selected regions will demonstrate a willingness to collaborate across boundaries and functions and a strong long-term commitment to building entrepreneurial ecosystems based on growing strength in innovation.

Each region participating in REAP will designate an initial cross-functional team of at least five members, representing five major stakeholders (economic development/government, entrepreneurs, risk capital, large companies, and universities).

Application Process:
Enrollment in REAP requires a multi-step application process. Please do not use the APPLY NOW button on this page, but instead follow the steps outlined below.

To initiate the process, please complete a brief Application of Interest to help the selection committee better evaluate your fit into the program and enter your region into consideration for the first membership group.

After completing the Application of Interest, the contact person designated for your region will receive a Team Application to complete. As part of the Team Application, you will be asked to nominate individuals (or their organizations) to be included in a cross-functional team of five.

Teams should include representatives from each of the following groups:

• Government (leading and respected member of the regional/national economic development or innovation agency)
• Entrepreneurs (leading and respected regional innovation-based entrepreneur able to work collaboratively with other key stakeholders)
• Investors (leading and respected member of the risk capital community)
• Large companies (leading and respected executive from a large company with a strong regional presence) Note: may be retired
• Academics (leading and respected member of an academic institution with an interest in technology commercialization/transfer and/or entrepreneurship)

Important Notes:

1. We prefer full team applications but individual applications or applications with one element missing (e.g. an academic group) may be submitted and the REAP team can help facilitate team formation if desired.
2. The application process is rolling; however early applicants will have the distinct advantage of being considered in the first round of committee deliberations.
3. The Government/Economic Development representative should be willing to commit for the duration of the program. Individuals may rotate through the other stakeholder seats, as appropriate to best represent regional perspectives and catalyze greatest impact.