SUD Sprint: Tackling the Drug Crisis with Entrepreneurial Leadership

Why Babson College?

Babson College is the No. 1 school of entrepreneurship. It has maintained this prestigious position for over a quarter of a century.

What is NIDA?

NIDA is the National Institute on Drug Abuse and is one of the 27 institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Their mission is to advance science on drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency which makes important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

What’s included in this NIDA-sponsored Babson SUD Sprint program?

A five-day in-person workshop for accelerating the commercialization of innovative solutions for substance use disorders; course materials; site visits, networking events with actors in the SUDs solution ecosystem; faculty-led mentoring meetings; travel to and from Babson College, housing accommodations, and meals. Babson College will make all travel arrangements and provide the housing accommodations and meals. 

Is there any cost to participants?

There is no cost to participants as the NIDA grant provides funding for scholarships. Every admitted participant gets a full scholarship. Reimbursement will not be made for travel arrangements not made through Babson College.

What does the scholarship cover?

The scholarship covers program registration, tuition, workshop materials, housing accommodation, meals, and travels (ground, rail, and air).

What topics does the program cover?

Entrepreneurial Thought & Action,^® design thinking, product and customer development, commercializing emerging technologies, entrepreneurial sales and marketing, entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurial leadership, raising resources, and the art of pitching.

What is the schedule for the five-day in-person workshop?

Participants will arrive on a Sunday and have a welcome introduction dinner. The next five days feature workshop activities in 90-minute blocks with breaks. Evening events will consist of guest speakers and networking. The program ends by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Where does the program take place?

Babson Executive Conference Center, 1 Snyder Drive, Babson Park, MA 02457. It is located within Babson College, Babson Park, Massachusetts.

Do I need a finished product/solution?

No.

Do I need to already have in place a team working on the innovative solution?

No.

Can I apply individually? Or as a group?

You may apply individually or as a group. If applying as a group, there is less likelihood of the whole group being accepted into the program.

Have another question not listed here?

Contact us at sudsprint@babson.edu.