The 8th "Idea Explorer" Innovation & Entrepreneurship Global Summer Camp took placed in Hangzhou from 17th June to 5th July. 33 participants from 14 countries and regions joined the global summer camp, experiencing innovation and entrepreneurship of Zhejiang and designing their own creative business plans. Prof. ZHOU Weihua, Associate Dean of School of Management (SOM), Assoc. Prof. JIN Qingwei, Academic Director of the summer camp and Ms. Karin O’Connor, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, attended the closing ceremony.
With the theme of “Start A Business In/With China”, the summer camp set three steps, "Feel, Learn and Think", to assist participants better complete their projects. Starting with “Feel”, cultural immersion was designed for participants to learn how to survive in China. By practicing Chinese calligraphy, making steelyard, playing Taiji and exploring the city, participants had a peek of the philosophy and traditions of China. A participant studying engineering said: "I think this summer camp is totally worthwhile, it changed my perspective about China, made me experience different Chinese life, and helped me to make friends from all over the world."
Based on the previous lectures, SOM articulated academic courses for “Learn” in three parts this year, “Start A Business In/With China”，“Start A New Business” and “Opportunity & Challenge”. Ms. Karin O’Connor from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management was also invited for giving a lecture, which made the course mode internationalized. “This program really made me experience the Chinese business environment and prepared me for future business school study.” said by two business major undergraduates.
Following with “Feel” and “Learn”, “Think” encouraged participants to develop their own business mindset through visiting cutting-edge startups and tech giants. Participants visited the startup accelerator, Bay West Best Way, to feel innovation and vitality of startups, and interacted with entrepreneurs from Alibaba, SKIO and Getui to learn the experience of their success and failure, the business operation mode and the importance of technology to innovative entrepreneurship.
On the last day of the summer camp, each group presented a creative business plan based on their learning and discussion. The business plan named “Phoenix Corp” won the first place as “The Best Idea Explorer”, due to their unique innovation and adequate teamwork. A participant majoring sociology commented:” The world today is changing rapidly and the world of the future cannot be understood without understanding China. If you want an opportunity to begin to understand China in a short period of time, this is the program for you. In the 3 weeks, I got an insiders’ perspective of how to do business in China. I think this is a fantastic and meaningful immersion for me.”
"Idea Explorer" Innovation & Entrepreneurship Global Summer Camp is a unique three-week program which offers participants an opportunity to understand the entrepreneurial China in one of Chinas most dynamic growth areas. For more information about the "Idea Explorer" Innovation & Entrepreneurship Global Summer Camp, please visit: http://www.cma.zju.edu.cn/en/programs/index.aspx?TypeID=10
