WIN Growth Lab FAQs

Interested in Applying to the WIN Lab?

Below are some frequently asked questions about the venture accelerator and application process. We encourage you to read them through and use them as a guide to determine whether the WIN Lab is the right fit for you as you grow your business.

How long is the accelerator?

The WIN Lab kicks off in February and consists of 10 weeks of programming. The cohort meets once a week, one day during the evening and another day during lunchtime for various content and working sessions.

When are the WIN Lab Sessions Held?

This upcoming cohort will meet via Webex Wednesdays and Fridays for the duration of the 10 weeks.  You will also meet without your coach outside of this time and will have the opportunity to participate in optional office hours offered throughout the program.

How many companies are in the accelerator?

The WIN Lab will take up to thirty companies.

Do you take equity?

No! No equity will be taken.

Will I receive seed funding?

We don’t provide seed funding, however, we do present the WIN Lab entrepreneurs with opportunities to pitch their business in front of experts and participate in start-up demos.  We also surround participants with members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem including investors so that when they’re ready to go after funding, those relationships have been started.

What does the program consist of?

The program kicks off with a virtual orientation, where you get to know your fellow entrepreneurs and begin to dig into the content. After that, we meet each week for content sessions to discuss, and learn about, business topics that range from Marketing, Pitching, and Financial Projections.

During the program, you will be asked to hit milestones and present to Mastermind Experts who will give you feedback and advice on the best way to move forward. These milestones are how we keep you accountable and provide benchmarks on your progress. You have to complete each of these milestones to continue participating in the WIN Lab.

In addition to content and accountability, we pair each entrepreneur with a coach for the duration of the program who are meant to be a sounding board and give guidance. You will meet with your coach for one hour each month. We also surround you with ecosystem stakeholders who provide office hours and connections depending on what your needs are while in the program. More on that below.

Do you provide any kind of coaching or mentorship?

Yes! Each WINner gets matched with a coach for the duration of the program who is asked to spend at least one hour with you each month. They are there to act as less of a consultant and more of a guide as you build your business. 

During our milestone presentations, we bring in our Mastermind Experts who have over 230 years of combined leadership and business experience to work with you on your strategy and execution plans to move your businesses forward. These individuals have spent years in the C-Suite and on boards of major global companies like Reebok, PaintNite, and Talbots. 

We also surround WINners with various experts in a wide range of industries. From taxes and legal to operations and marketing, you will have the chance to meet additional stakeholders who want to share their expertise with the entrepreneurs looking for it.

Is there a fee to participate?

The WIN Lab is valued at $5,000 per participant. We have secured sponsors to offset the cost of this program and are able to offer all participants a full scholarship. 

All applicants must be current a Babson, Olin, or Wellesley Undergraduate/Graduate students or Babson College alumni. Current Babson Graduate students have the option to take this program for course credit as part of the WIN Intensity track. Participation is contingent upon acceptance into the program please contact Program Director, Kara Miller kmiller5@babson.edu for details.

Scholarships

A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available for this program. For more information please visit the scholarship page.

Do you have to be a Babson student or alumnae to apply?

You don’t! Everyone is welcome to apply.

How do I apply to the WIN Lab?

Click here and head to the application section to learn more.

Do I have to have an existing business or can I have an idea that I want to launch while in the WIN Lab?

We look for early-stage companies that have already launched and are generating revenue. While we love entrepreneurs with a lot of passion and a great idea, the Lab has been designed to help startups grow their businesses rather than formulate and launch them. Exceptions can be made for technology or SAAS companies that have begun building their platform or prototype and have a strong understanding of the market they’re serving and the problem that they’re solving. Later stage and still want to join? Let us know how you plan to leverage the WIN Lab experience.

If our company has multiple women co-founders, can we all participate in the WIN Lab? 

For capacity reasons, the WIN Lab only allows two co-founders from each company to participate. 

If I have a co-founder, do we both need to fill out an application?

We don’t need each of you to fill out a separate application, but if both of you are hoping to be involved in the WIN Lab, then we need answers from each of you on one application. When you are working on the F6S application (the third-party platform that hosts our application), you will see notes indicating where we need responses from both of you. This is only applicable to women co-founders. As mentioned above, male co-founders do not need to complete the application as they are not eligible to participate in the WIN Lab.

If I have a co-founder, can we trade off coming to the WIN Lab sessions?

Because we’re so focused on building a cohesive and consistent community, anyone who applies and is accepted into the WIN Lab will need to show up for every session. If both co-founders cannot commit, we suggest that one of you apply and commit to participating.

Are there other requirements to participate?

Yes! We're so happy you asked. To participate in the WIN Lab, you have to be the majority stakeholder in the business and drive strategic decisions. We want to make sure that you can immediately apply what you have learned and developed as you move through the accelerator. We also require that you show up to every session because the community of entrepreneurs is one of the most important aspects of the program and we can't build the community without you in the room.