@potatoz i finished my interview last week.
@MLStudent did you attend launch or endevvr?
@Orangebananapeel Launch
@MLStudent can we talk more about launch cuz I got in
@MLStudent do you want to pm about this or talk on facebook
Hi,
I’m a launch alum from last year too and I’m happy to answer any questions.
As a quick note though as far as the prestige of endevvr and launch relative to each other, all of the people who attended Launch and had applied to Endevvr as a backup were accepted into Endevvr. I don’t know if the reverse is true.
@Nerdboy98 link me your Facebook through pm
Hi,
I was at Launch last year as well and I’m happy to answer any questions. Also, as far as prestige of Launch relative to Endevvr, I know that all of the people who attended Launch got into Endevvr(they applied there as a backup). I don’t think the reverse is true.
Hi everyone! I’m a Launch alum as well (was there last year) and I’m also up to answer any questions you many have, whether it’s directly related to the program curriculum itself or the impact/effects Launch has had on my peers and I since we’ve completed the program this summer.
I’m also going to be working with Launch again this summer as one of the interns, so congrats to the 1 or 2 people accepted already, I’ll see you there!
@ninjabunnie15 Can we talk on facebook
@ninjabunnie15 Do you know if Launch is still sending interview invites or they are done with it?
Hey everybody, I am an Endevvr Alum that wants to provide some insight into these entrepreneurship programs. I got into both programs last year, Launch and Endevvr, and chose Endevvr for the following reasons:
- They had extended session of 5 weeks vs Launch's 4 weeks (that one week made all the difference in my company)
- Endevvr fully believes that you have the capacity to build your own company. Why do I say that? Launch has 2 sessions of 40 kids each. 80 students, irrespective of how bright, cannot all start companies. In contrast, Endevvr has one focused session with 20 students. It is a simple game of numbers. Less students= more resources and support per student.
- Martin and Mary Winn (founders of Endevvr) are unprecedented in their ability to teach and guide you. There was a real focus on "the real world" versus learning the theory. It is up to you to take initiative.
Why should you listen to my advice?
Entrepreneurship programs are often criticized for not translating their high minded goals into real companies run by high school students.
My company has been named in top 25 coolest start ups in Chicago by Business Insider, and is really taking off. We launch our product this valentine’s day.
THIS WAS ALL BECAUSE OF ENDEVVR. If you want to start a successful company, there is only one place.
If anyone wants to talk, email me at samuel.lurye@yahoo.com
@Slurye
Haha just read your article before your post actually. A question about your company: what happens when not enough people are interested? For example, if your crush doesn’t have it, there’s really no point in you getting it.
Just from my perspective, I think it would be nice to have “anonymous” invitations linked to other forms of social media and even texting. This way one can safely invite his/her crush to the program, although this still doesn’t guarantee it.
I too am an alumnus of Endevvr.
I did not originally intend to comment, but I was disappointed that some students from Launch are turning this into a false and negative competition of prestige. The reality is that these programs have only existed for two years-- in which the first they were the same.
Because both programs are so new, It is an exciting time to join either of these programs-- YOU create the prestige for the program, not vice versa. Prestige is certainly important for college applications and whatnot. However, neither of these programs is TASP, RSI, or any other truly extraordinarily well-established, well-funded, and well-resourced summer program.
There are similarities to the programs, but there are key differences. Endevvr has favored the intimacy and personal growth with a smaller but longer single program. Launch has become more commercial, with two sessions of forty kids, and 4-week programs. I can’t comment on which is “better” based on just this-- for example, “prestigious” programs like TASP are famous and “prestigious” because of their small class sizes, while other summer programs are larger and “prestigious” just as well.
The program is only a platform for YOU to create your own experience. At Endevvr, I found a tight-knit community of twenty-two dynamically-talented high-school entrepreneurs; real-world opportunities and adversities; and novel insights and philosophies.
Returning to my high school in which I hold 6 presidential leadership positions and am in the top 1% of my class, no other experience has been as influential as Endevvr to my creativity, confidence, way of thinking and overall leadership ability.
If we are only talking about “prestige”, I think MIT Launch is the more impressive program, for these reasons:
- The program is fully integrated with MIT, meaning they officially have the prestige and curriculum of a top university.
- The program is slightly more established than Endevvr because of the size and # of years it's been running. If you look at the companies page for Launch, they probably have 30 companies to date, many of them very high quality companies. This is where Endevvr is lacking, as the Endevvr website only lists 4 companies; 3 of these companies were originally started at Launch, and 1 has probably been discontinued since its domain is now being used by someone else.
- There are more applicants to Launch, meaning the admissions process is more competitive and you'll have to be more impressive to get into Launch. I'm guessing the acceptance rate for Launch will be at least 10% lower than Endevvr. This may or may not be recognized by admissions officers, but definitely don't let it be your only reason for choosing Launch.
BUT, you obviously shouldn’t only be looking at the “prestige” of the program. I feel Launch and Endevvr both have things they offer, which is why I’m applying to both right now.
Endevvr is a very small program of 20 students, so you’ll get more individual attention and perhaps better resources.
Launch is a more established and experienced program. The larger # of students at the Launch program may or may not be appealing to you depending on your personality. With more students, it means you can be able to meet more potential co-founders, network with a larger group of talented people, and have more resources (ie feedback & peers) at your disposal.
But if you’re a less outgoing person and would like closer attention and maybe a more tight-knit group of friends, consider going to Endevvr (but definitely apply to Launch as well, the more chances the better!).
That’s my take on this. What do you guys think?
@potatoz
I disagree with everything except the MIT name. I doubt Endevvr only has 4 companies despite its page, and both programs haven’t been running long. AFAIK Endevvr companies have been more successful, so I feel like it’s the better program. Any adcom who reads the news will be seeing Endevvr’s name more than Launch’s name. Either way, I’ll take what I can get.
@Woandering I didn’t say that endevvr only has 4 companies; I just wanted to point out that endevvr only listed 4 companies, 3 of which were originally started at launch, while launch has a long list of companies and many have been successful like uscan technologies, bridge initiative, and landme. Can you please explain how you determined that endevvr companies are more successful? So far all we know from endevvr is the 4 companies on its website and the Kiss app mentioned earlier on this thread, so it’s hard to say that endevvr created better companies. Also, where did you get that adcoms see endevvr in the news more than launch? As far as I can see launch has to plenty of articles written about them and also a few about their companies, but for endevvr I could only find one. My impression is that endevvr is a smaller scale, little less known program but with a bigger emphasis on “startup incubation” (it mentions that a lot on the site).
@potatoz
Link to the Launch startup articles? I’m just basing mine on personal experience of reading more startup articles about Endevvr than Launch, which means the adcoms are more likely to read more about Endevvr than Launch.
The 3 companies “started” at Launch were also “started” at Endevvr, so that really means nothing.
Also, if Launch doesn’t have the majority emphasis on “startup incubation” then what is it?
I’d like to point out here that I don’t think Launch is a bad program by any means, but I just feel like its a little more “money hungry” than Endevvr, with two shorter sessions and more students. Will I definitely get support after the program if this is so?
Remember, if you’re going to the program to really start and maintain a business, you’ll need their support after you leave too, something that both programs boasts, but which one can really help you the most in the long run? As an Endevvr alum pointed out earlier, less students = more resources, and this effect is enlarged in the long run.
@Woandering just a few of the articles…
http://under30ceo.com/why-high-school-students-can-start-companies/#2pVCDm76KIrqv1RC.99
http://www.expatideas.com/retail/want-to-do-a-self-check-out-after-your-shopping/
Would you share some articles about endevvr as well? You talked about your “personal experience” reading endevvr articles so it’s only fair that if you ask me for proof that you can show yours as well. I’m curious to see how the two programs are viewed and I can’t find any endevvr articles.
Also, it does mean something that the three companies were started at launch. Actually, now that I look at it all FOUR of the companies on endevvr website were originally started at launch. All of those companies truly started at launch, meaning that is the program where they gained their initial success and foundation. They went to endevvr one year later not with the goal of starting a business but for a chance to grow their business so it’s a little bit different. And that’s where I see the difference between launch’s entrepreneurship program (focused on learning entrepreneurship and starting your business) and endevvrs startup incubator (growing your business). My reason for bringing up the four companies is since endevvr only has four companies its proud to show on the website, and all of them were actually started at launch (even though they did work at endevvr), I don’t understand why you still say endevvr starts the better companies. I’m not saying launch is better, or that it starts better companies. That greatly depends on the students who start the companies, not the program. I just don’t see how you can claim that endevvr is the better program. Care to elaborate?
@potatoz
All four were only started at Launch and just continued at Endevvr, really? Can you link me to the proof for that too? If that’s true, then it’s a different story.
I haven’t got the articles copied down anywhere, but one of them was posted earlier in this thread by an Endevvr alum; I had read it before he posted it. I will try to find the others in the morning.
P.S The earlier alum, Sam Lurye, was featured in two Chicago newspapers and a few other news websites.
Although I have not joined any of these programs, I have to say that I disagree with the fact that the number of companies started is a good metric in measuring the prestige of the program. For both Endevr and Launch, I’ve found many of the company links to be either not working, unfinished and/or unclickable. This shows the low commitment of the students after the program.
Another thing is that launching a company is one thing anyone can do with time/commitment/resource/help, but operating a successful company is absolutely a different issue then just starting a business. Just because you built a company you are never guaranteed success, and never entitles you to be called a “entrepreneur”, but creating products and bringing change to society through you business will.
At the end they are fabulous programs but they are too young to be judged for prestige.