Innovator's Academy

The Innovator’s Academy (IA) is a co-curricular, multi-level program designed to equip students, faculty, and researchers with the skills, mindset, and confidence to navigate each stage of the Innovator’s Journey.

Structured in two progressive levels, IA offers a hands-on experience where participants earn points by attending hybrid workshops and mentor meetings. As you progress through each level, you unlock exclusive resources, opportunities, and deeper engagement within GW’s innovation ecosystem.

Point System

The Innovator’s Academy (IA) is structured across two levels:

IA 101 takes place during the Fall semester

IA 102 takes place during the Spring semester

Each level requires a minimum of 6.0 points, broken down as follows:

Required:

• 3 Core Sessions – 1.0 point each (3.0 points total)
• 2 Mentor-in-Residence Meetings – 0.5 points each (1.0 point total)
• 1 Elective Session – 0.5 points total
• + ANY combination of Core Sessions, Electives, or Mentor Meetings to reach the 6.0-point minimum

Important: You must meet all of the individual requirements above in order to count toward the 6.0 point total level completion. Extra points do not carry over between levels.

How to Earn Points:

Live Attendance: Stay for the majority of the in-person or virtual session.
Recording Option: Visit the IA recordings page to view past IA sessions and earn points through completing a short survey.

After each session, you’ll receive a personalized progress email so you can easily track how many points you've earned and how close you are to completing your current level.

Perks Unlocked

Thanks to OIE’s partnerships with campus collaborators and external organizations, participants who complete each level of the Innovator’s Academy gain early access to programs, resources and advancement opportunities across GW’s innovation ecosystem.

Complete One Level

Unlock the following benefits:

• Fast-tracked into the Lean Startup Short Course
• 0.5-point bonus applied to one round of the New Venture Competition (NVC)
• Access to first-tier in-kind prizes (non-cash, OIE-sourced)

Complete Both Levels

All of the above, plus:

• Eligibility for the OIE Incubator Program
• Priority referrals to National I-Corps and the Technology Commercialization Office (TCO)
• Full access to all in-kind prizes with priority selection
• Opportunities to represent GW and OIE at speaking engagements and external conferences
• Recognition in OIE media, including press releases, social media, and marketing spotlights

Explore the topics covered in each level and sign up for our upcoming sessions.

• Value Proposition
• Customer Discovery
• Pitching & Storytelling
• Team Building & Leadership
• Personal branding & LinkedIn hacks
• Mindset & Founder Resilience / Risk Assessment
• Customer Segments
• Job Process Mapping Fundamentals