New Program Aims to Help Startup Teams

This summer, Stanford GSB is launching a unique four-week residential program that will bring together some of the most promising entrepreneurs from around the world with preeminent faculty, experienced investors, and business leaders.

The program, called Stanford dy/dx, is an immersive, fast-paced leadership and business education experience that will prepare participants to successfully develop and lead a rapidly growing enterprise.

“At Stanford GSB, we have an entrepreneurial mindset that makes innovation and transformation possible,” said Dean Jonathan Levin. “This program gives participants access to the world-class education that Stanford GSB offers, and it will also allow the GSB to educate startup teams and be involved with some of the world’s most innovative new companies.”

Garth Saloner, dy/dx faculty co-director and professor of economics, said the program “will bring some of the world’s best startup teams into the Stanford GSB community. Our goal is to equip them with the knowledge and capabilities to address the issues they are currently facing, while preparing them to lead their companies as they grow and scale. None of this would have been possible without the support of our venture allies — Accel, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Sequoia Capital. Not only have they played a crucial role in shaping the program and identifying participating companies, but they will also be part of the content delivery.”

“We developed dy/dx with the specific needs of founding teams in mind,” added Anne Beyer, dy/dx faculty co-director and accounting professor. “Drawing from the experiential learning techniques taught in GSB’s degree programs, the content of the dy/dx curriculum as well as the program schedule are uniquely suited for high-growth startup teams as they continue their entrepreneurship journey. We hope that the relationships participants build through this program will allow them to support each other during their time here and beyond.”

In a shared statement from Accel, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Sequoia Capital, the venture’s allies said dy/dx “will push entrepreneurs to develop the business acumen needed to thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape. It has been a pleasure partnering with Stanford GSB on this initiative and we look forward to making the program come to life this summer.”

Stanford GSB will welcome teams from about 25 high-growth companies that encompass both consumer- and enterprise-facing products. They come from domestic and international destinations including Europe, Australia, and South America. In addition to participating in the program curriculum, dy/dx startup teams will receive investment in their ventures.