ComoNExT iStart Academy: exploring the development of managerial skills

This chapter describes the ComoNExT iStart Academy, organized by Sviluppo Como: ComoNExT (in the following ComoNExT). It was hosted in Lomazzo, Italy, from 21 to 25 May 2018. The Academy programme was designed to guide participants through the lean start-up process (from ideation to validation, pivoting and pitching). The lean start-up method (Ries, 2011) provides a scientific approach to creating and managing start-ups and getting the desired product to customers’ hands faster. The lean start-up method teaches users how to drive a start-up, when to turn and when to persevere and grow a business with maximum acceleration. The method allows users to investigate customers’ point of view in order to customize a new product and improve customer satisfaction (Read and Sarasvathy, 2005). Validated learning is founded on purposeful experimentation with the effectuation principles of flexibility and affordable loss (Fredriksen and Brem, 2017). Based on this approach, the structure of the Academy involved interactive lectures, teamwork and mentoring. During the Academy, the students had the opportunity to experience the birth of a new venture. The majority of the five days was dedicated to the active work of the team with the continuous help of mentors and tutors. The final event consisted of a pitching competition.In particular, the Academy improved the managerial skills of young entrepreneurs.