As we prepare for this upcoming round of Startupify, we’re spending a lot of time discussing curriculum, teachable moments and learning in general. What’s refreshing to reflect on is the almost complete lack of evaluations. We have no tangible carrots or sticks. Ultimately our cohort are the ones taking a gamble on themselves. That’s a highly motivating position to be in compared to traditional schooling.

I was reviewing some of my notes from reading John Maeda’s The Laws of Simplicity.

“my ten years of data as a professor show that giving students a seemingly insurmountable challenge is the best motivator to learn.“

I’d be stretching to suggest Maeda inspired how we’re approaching the Startupify projects, however, I would say we’re highly aligned. While we have no grades and I doubt anyone will have an eraser thrown at them, our projects will be “seemingly insurmountable” tasks. They’ll be real challenges in real businesses which our cohort will have access to. You’ll be dropped into a cohort of fifteen folks like you and for the most part, left to your own devices to deliver.

A challenge in traditional schooling is that the very person you’re meant to be vulnerable to, and openly seek support from, is almost always the very same person evaluating your performance. That will always put you in a guarded position of trying to impress the person you should expose yourself completely to.

We have no conflict there. Our measure of success is you getting a job you love with an amazing startup or possibly starting up your own company. Our mentors play no real role in your success or evaluation on that. We can focus on pushing you, coaching you and you can be honest and open with us, we hope!