Surge Start-Up Academy 2025

To earn this badge, recipients must successfully complete the NLCS SURGE entrepreneurship academy, which includes:

Launch Day Participation - Attendance at the immersive launch day programme (11:00-16:00), including keynote presentations, entrepreneurship toolkit activities, and founder panel discussions Weekly Workshop Attendance - Completion of minimum 7 weekly 70-minute sessions covering:

• Finding the Gap: Problem identification and market analysis
• Start-up Culture: Entrepreneurial mindset development
• Which Way Forward: Business strategy and planning
• Building a Team: Leadership and collaboration
• The Art of Persuasion: Pitching to investors
• Connecting with Your Crowd: Marketing and brand development
• Challenge Day preparation

Challenge Day Participation - Active engagement in the culminating event, including problem-solving activities and presentation of solutions to industry judges

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Badge holders have demonstrated competency in:

• Business Fundamentals: Understanding of 25 core business terms including revenue, profit, MVP, scalability, product-market fit, and business models
• Market Analysis: Ability to conduct market research and competitor analysis to identify business opportunities
• Strategic Thinking: Development of business strategies including value propositions, target market identification, and growth planning
• Financial Literacy: Understanding of key financial concepts including cash flow, ROI, break-even point, and customer acquisition cost
• Communication Skills: Ability to pitch ideas effectively and engage in professional networking
• Leadership Development: Understanding of team building, stakeholder management, and collaborative problem-solving
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and creative problem-solving capabilities

Assessment Evidence:

• Successful completion of Launch Day business terminology challenge (team-based collaborative activity)
• Active participation in industry-led workshops with partners including Century Tech, Pinterest, Oliver Wyman, Vestd, and Oatsu.
• Contribution to Challenge Day collaborative problem-solving and pitch presentations
• Engagement with reflective learning activities throughout the programme

Programme Standards: This badge represents approximately 15 hours of direct instruction and collaborative learning with industry professionals, plus independent reflection and networking activities. The programme adheres to NLCS's Excellence Framework values: Community, Purpose, Commitment, Curiosity, Aspiration, and Courage.