If you are even just a bit curious about entrepreneurship, I recommend building a startup while you’re in college. I had started my first business towards the end of my high school career and I ended up launching another startup while I was in college.
It became evident to me quickly that there were a lot of advantages I had when attending college and building a startup. In this article, I share 5 amazing resources college students have when building a startup:
1. Other College Students
If you’re looking to validate your product through testing or surveying, college is the best place to be at. You have thousands of students who can test and provide valuable feedback for your project.
Not only that, but other college students can be a great addition to your startup team. Find people who have strengths where your weaknesses lie and use that to your advantage. With so many students roaming around, college gives your business an endless number of opportunities to grow.
2. Clubs and Classes
Another great thing about being on a college campus is that you’re constantly surrounded by people who are studying all kinds of different things. Not only that, but you can connect with club presidents if you need help with something in specific.
For example, if you’re looking for a developer for your app or website, you can try going to computer science classes or clubs to connect with others. College gives you a plethora of ways to get what you really need to make your business successful.
3. Local Incubators and Accelerators
I was let in on a little secret some time ago. I was told that most incubators or accelerators love having the chance to work with entrepreneurs that are younger. The reason being that feel they have a better chance of being successful since they are starting young and will probably try a couple different businesses.
If you’re going to college and have a local incubator or accelerator nearby, you should definitely apply. Some Universities even have their own incubators and accelerators for startup ideas on campus. This is a great opportunity to connect with very intelligent advisors and mentors.
4. Professors
You may sometimes even come across a professor or department head that may be able to add value in your startup. I’ve had quite a few friends who have ended up partnering up with their professors on a certain project.
It sounds crazy, but you’ll be surprised at the knowledge or connections some professors may have. If you have a special connection to a professor who you think can add value to your startup, do not hesitate to reach out to them. They usually love that kind of stuff!
5. Interns, Interns Everywhere
If your startup is established and now has a formal team, you may be looking for outside help to grow your business. Being that you’re a college student running a startup, it’s no surprise that you probably don’t have a lot of cash flow. Luckily for you, you’re surrounded by students who would potentially love to intern for your business.
Internships are great because you get to work with motivated individuals who are yearning to learn something. Being that you’re in a college, you can easily post flyers or talk to the career center about helping them recruit interns for your startup.
Conclusion
College is a great place to party, but you don’t want to forget about the other valuable amenities that are available to you. In this article, I shared 5 amazing resources college students have when building a startup.
