DUhatch connects enterprising students with mentors from faculty and industry, giving them office space, and facilitating business development to help solve the myriad problems a fledgling venture faces.

Services & Resources


Office Space

DUhatch provides rent-free professional office space to student ventures.  It also provides a common area for students to take time out to discuss their ideas in a relaxed environment, providing opportunities for peer mentoring interactions and for synergies between teams to develop. All teams are provided with access to the offices on an as-needed basis. Resources such as a color printer and a phone with a conference line are also available.

Coaches-on-Call

The DUhatch incubator provides in-house access to critical professional resources that any student-led venture may require. This is accomplished via periodic consulting visits from area professionals to the DUhatch incubator. Examples include legal services for intellectual property or incorporation; or advice from entrepreneurs in industries of interest to DUhatch businesses. Support includes help with operations, finance and accounting, information technology or management issues.

Through the ‘Coaches on Call' program, professional firms donate consulting time to meet with business members. The student-led venture may have to pay for these services at the rate charged by the professional in question for non-routine matters. Most consultation services will be free, though, and no charges will be incurred by students unless they specifically agree on those charges in advance. The incubator will serve as a facilitator to connect any certified student-venture with those who can best address their questions and concerns.

EntreMentoring Program

 The EntreMentoring program is a way for Duke student ventures to obtain on-going guidance from mentors from faculty and industry, including alumni.  Each venture will have a lead mentor, someone with experience in the same industry as the venture and from the RTP area.  Mentors commit to support students without taking a financial stake or investment position in the venture itself.  Once a mentor is assigned to a venture, students meet with the mentor to discuss progress and next steps on a regular (monthly) basis.  Lead and associate mentors meet together several times each semester to network, share best practices and evaluate other mentoring opportunities. 

Funding

DUhatch staff will help each student venture obtain funding from venture capitalists, angel investors, foundations or other sources of financial support. This will include assistance with writing business plans and grant proposals, as well as facilitating connections and meetings with sources of funding.

Stipends

Student ventures that are located within DUhatch may be given a semester stipend for their business-related expenditures, depending on sponsorship funds available and the venture needs.  In some cases, complementary student housing and a summer stipend may be available for summer residents of DUhatch.

Educational Lecture Series

DUhatch is currently actively supporting a series of lectures as part of the Duke Entrepreneurship Education Series (http://www.dukedees.com) in order to further the educational goals of the initiative.

The Duke Entrepreneurship Education Series (DEES) is a comprehensive program designed to introduce all Duke students – from both graduate and undergraduate schools – to the key concepts necessary for a future in the entrepreneurial world involving finance, product development and operations. capital.  The series connects students from all parts of the Duke community, including the business, law, engineering, and bio-science fields, with the goal of increasing the likelihood that exciting developments in the lab will find the key collaborators needed to translate innovations into full-fledged companies.

Networking Events

DUhatch hosts a number of informal entrepreneurship drop-in events to allow the students to meet seasoned entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and others in one-on-one or small group sessions in a casual atmosphere.

Additional informal gatherings by guest entrepreneurs in specific interest areas will also be hosted in DUhatch.

Business Support

Operational business support including mail, computer allocation, room reservations, meeting scheduling, and office supplies are managed by DUhatch staff via the Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization (http://cerc.duke.edu).

CERC administration sets up meetings and facilitates correspondence between mentors and mentees. The hiring of a student manager will also aid in DUhatch operations.

Website

The DUhatch website contains information on DUhatch policies and procedures for joining the incubator. The website hosts background information on current and previous student businesses in DUhatch. The website serves as a location for news about the incubator and information about upcoming application deadlines, application processes, and eligibility criteria. News about past successful ventures will be posted on the website.