Field trips to Silicon Valley startups / high-tech firms / VC firms
3
Friday, March 14
Entrepreneurial guest speakers
4
Saturday, March 15
Entrepreneurial guest speakers and closing dinner
Testimonials
"A first-person perspective into the minds and personalities of the most successful people and companies in Silicon Valley."
"Hands down, the most valuable experience of my graduate schooling!"
"A whole year's worth of business school in 3 days, told through the lens of entrepreneurs and VCs. Tremendous!"
"A PhD in entrepreneurship in 3 days flat!"
"Unparalleled education and experiential entrepreneurial weekend."
“The best networking, friend-making, eye-opening, thought inspiring experience I’ve had so far EVER."
What to Know About the Ignite Trek
You may apply and participate in the Ignite Entrepreneurship Trek if you are a Rice Business MBA graduate student (Full-Time, Professional Weekend, Executive, Master of Accounting programs), a Rice University Engineering and Computing graduate student (PhD or Masters candidate), a Rice University Natural Sciences graduate student (PhD or Masters candidate), or an Enventure community member (TMC advanced degree candidates and young professionals).
Students who successfully attend the Ignite Trek will be offered a Certificate of Completion (if desired). The program is no longer being offered as an MBA for-credit course.
Lodging costs in Palo Alto, California (4 nights, double occupancy), bus transportation to company visits, and most meals during the trip will be paid for by our sponsors. Students are responsible for transportation costs from Houston to the Bay Area, although the Office of Innovation may provide travel stipends for engineering and computing, and natural sciences graduate students.
Students accepted into the Ignite program are required to attend all trek sessions, events, and activities, starting with the Opening Reception on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST and ending with the Closing Dinner on Saturday, March 15, 2025. You should plan to fly home no earlier than Sunday, March 16, 2025. Lodging will be provided for 4 nights (Wednesday night through Saturday night), and students must stay at the host hotel. Students are welcome to extend their stay in the Bay Area at their own expense.
While the Ignite Trek is not a recruiting trip, you might meet companies or make connections that could benefit you through introductions and networking.
Immerse Yourself in Entrepreneurship
Students will hear the personal stories of entrepreneurs working to build their companies and learn from the successes (and failures) of the best-and-brightest that Silicon Valley has to offer. This is an intense immersion experience with company visits and entrepreneurial speakers throughout the trek. Previous site visits include Tesla, Mitra Chem, Andreessen Horowitz, and Benchmark Capital.
Last week’s trek to Silicon Valley was the cherry on top of my entrepreneurship education at Rice Business - Jones Graduate School of Business. Grateful to the team at Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship for creating the opportunity for 60 MBA, masters, and PhD students to hear directly from top CEO-founders. Can’t wait to see the ventures my classmates will launch in the years to come.
