Your idea is waiting.
The Alumni Club Collaborative
Startup Ideation Bootcamp in NYC
The Ideation Bootcamp is a six week in-person program for alumni who are done wondering what if — and are ready to find out. You'll stress-test your instincts and sharpen your entrepreneurial thinking. You'll come in with a hunch and leave with conviction.
Learn from experienced entrepreneurship instructors as well as alumni founders and investors. Connect with a like-minded community. Gain access to a proven process with AI tools that move the needle.
Cohort starts Monday, May 4
With generous support from
ELIGIBILITY
Applications for this cohort are open for degree-holding alumni of the following schools:
-
Columbia University
-
Cornell University
As part of the application, you'll describe a problem area that matters to you - one with real pain points and substantial market potential. Your goal during the Bootcamp sessions is to work on business solutions capable of delivering meaningful and scalable solutions.
The Bootcamp is limited to 24 participants.
BOOTCAMP FORMAT
-
Six in-person sessions with experienced entrepreneurship instructors and alumni mentors, taking place at a location in midtown NYC
-
Cohort of 24 degree-holding alumni from the participating university clubs
-
Intensive, step-by-step process to brainstorm and validate startup ideas - and keep you accountable!
-
Dedicated networking events to meet potential collaborators
-
Learning platform with AI tools, templates, and frameworks to help you move faster
-
A final pitch showcase with a $1000 cash prize for the winner
TIMELINE & DATES
-
March 23, 2026: Early bird deadline
-
April 8, 2026: Application close date
-
April 12, 2026: All acceptances sent
-
May 4 to June 8, 2026: Session dates
-
The Bootcamp will take place Mondays, weekly from May 4 to June 8, 2026 (the Memorial Week session will move to Tues, May 26)
-
Sessions take place from 6-8pm ET in midtown Manhattan
-
COST
$299 early bird discount - apply by March 23, 11:59pm; $449 thereafter
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Making 'the leap' into building a startup can be scary. We're offering this structured bootcamp specifically for degree-holding alumni of Columbia University or Cornell University to help those who:
-
Are first-time founders and aspiring entrepreneurs considering launching a startup
-
Are interested in a disciplined exploration of entrepreneurship
-
May have rough ideas that need feedback and guidance
-
Are ready to take the first steps of entrepreneurship but don't know where to start
Great Ideas Start Here
In just 6 weeks, you'll follow a proven process to:
-
Create, improve, and validate startup ideas with experienced experts - and real customers!
-
Connect with other alumni founders, advisors, and partners
-
De-risk the decision on whether or not to pursue your startup idea
-
Build a great elevator pitch to help you attract collaborators
-
Leverage the power of AI to move faster, and smarter
Bootcamp Mentors
Carly Chase
Business Builder, Startup Advisor; Executive in Residence, NYU School of Professional Studies; Adjunct Professor of Business, Columbia Business School; former Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Management
Early Stage Investor, Textbook VC; Professor, Cornell, NYU, and Columbia; Strategy Consultant; Author, "Digital Marketing: Strategy & Tactics" (Wessex); "Designing the Successful Corporate Accelerator" (Wiley)
Jeremy Kagan
Peter Dolch
Investor, Advisor, Serial Founder; 2X CEO Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company; Founder MIT Women’s Venture Challenge; Chairman MIT Sloan Club of NY
Ari Paparo
Serial Entrepreneur; Founder, Marketecture Media; Veteran Product Manager; Author, Yield: How Google Bought, Built, and Bullied its Way to Advertising Dominance; Columbia Business School Alumnus
Geraldine Wu
Adjunct Professor of Business, Columbia Business School; Assistant Professor of Management, NYU Stern School of Business; PhD, Columbia Business School
Brendan Burns
Brendan Burns
Brendan Burns
CEO and Founder of See.me; Adjunct Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, co-Director, Enterprise Studio @ Sotheby's Institute; Highly experienced startup and growth executive
More
to come!
More to come!
Bootcamp Schedule
Program Dates: May 4 - June 8, 2026
Week 1: Kickoff & Ideation Lecture
The bootcamp starts off with a talk on ideation frameworks and the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with other aspiring entrepreneurs.
Cohort Session: Mon, May 4, 6 - 8pm ET
Followed by 10 hours of self-paced work
Goals for the week:
-
Learn how to think like an innovator
-
Meet other aspiring entrepreneurs
-
Share ideas and get inspired
Week 2: Market Opportunity
Falling in love with a startup idea can be dangerous. This week will provide you with the basic knowledge, techniques, and tools to form and analyze ideas, evaluate the market opportunity, and validate.
Cohort Session: Mon, May 11, 6 - 8pm ET
Followed by 10 hours of self-paced work
Goals for the week:
-
Generate and refine several ideas
-
Perform initial market research
-
Interview potential customers
Week 3: Customer Validation
Your idea needs to solve a real problem in order to attract customers. This week we'll dive into the customer discovery process and you will double down on customer interviews.
Cohort Session: Mon, May 18, 6 - 8pm ET
Followed by 10 hours of self-paced work
Goals for the week:
-
Build a compeling startup story
-
Continue interviewing customers
-
Iterate on your idea based on feedback
Week 4: Validation Pitch
An entrepreneur never stops pitching their ideas. This week will focus on practicing and getting mentor feedback on your validation pitch.
Cohort Session: Tues, May 26, 6 - 8pm ET
Note: this week's session moves to Tuesday due to the Memorial Day holiday
Followed by 5 hours of self-paced work
Goals for the week:
-
Work towards a final version of your validation pitch
-
Practice pitch delivery
Week 5: Startup Idea Feedback
This week you will continue to meet expert mentors on your startup idea for feedback and advice.
Cohort Session: Mon, June 1, 6 - 8pm ET
Goals for the week:
-
Ask questions and receive real-time expert feedback
-
Practice (and memorize!) your final one minute pitch
Week 6: Pitch Showcase
During this final event, each founder will present their final pitch to a panel of judges.
The winner will receive a $1000 cash prize!
Cohort Session: Mon, June 8, 6 - 8pm ET
Delivered via World Class Tools
Participants get access to the Founder Institute's 'FounderGen Platform' - the world's leading LMS for startup creation.
-
Experiential learning and structured, action-oriented sprints
-
Embedded videos, templates, and resources to help with every step of the business-building process
-
State of the art AI tools to help students augment their capabilities and speed up progress
About Founder Institute
Based in Silicon Valley, the Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, FI's accelerators have helped launch fast-growing, funded technology companies across nearly every geography, industry, and sector.
About wiggin(x)
wiggin(x)® is a division within Wiggin and Dana LLP, designed to meet the needs of emerging and high-growth companies, their investors and their founders. Our lawyers work with clients, not as detached legal experts, but as trusted advisors and integrated team members who intimately understand our clients and their issues.
The Ideation Bootcamp is a collaboration between Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York and the New York City Cornellians.