1. What is Ignition Schools?
Ignition Schools is a first-ever joint program from Inc. and Fast Company that aims to recognize schools and universities that help grow global entrepreneurship. Ignition Schools don’t just produce elite students and original research; they are economic engines, which also generate the ideas, businesses, and opportunities that move cities, regions, and countries toward a better future.
2. When is the application deadline for the Inc. and Fast Company Ignition Schools program?
Application Deadlines:
Final Application Deadline ($995): December 15, 2023
Refund Policy: If you need to cancel your application, just get in touch with us by replying to your registration confirmation email or emailing us at ignitionschools@inc.com.
3. Why should my institution apply?
•Worldwide Recognition - Inc. and Fast Company celebrate fast-growth businesses and innovative entrepreneurs. Our internationally recognized imprimatur bestows well-established honor on those we identify as leaders in supporting and incubating global entrepreneurship and innovation.
•Support for Research & Funding Talent - Inc.'s and Fast Company’s seals of approval are widely known to help organizations attract press interest, top talent, and investment, and, in the private sector, acquisition. Ignition Schools will be well-positioned to use this honor to attract financial support for research they hope to commercialize.
•Visibility & Media Exposure - Ignition School honorees will be highlighted in a list and in editorial coverage on both Inc.com and FastCompany.com, sites that each month attract millions of business executives, investors, thought leaders, and policy makers from around the world.First place winners will appear in the Winter issue of Inc. magazine and on Inc.com. Second place, third place, and any honorable mentions will appear on Inc.com.
•Invaluable Insights - In our comparative lists, honorees can gauge how they rank against similar institutions across a range of crucial metrics.
4. Is there a cost to participate?
Identifying the Ignition Schools is an enormous editorial project that, among other things, raises awareness of institutions that grow entrepreneurship. The processing fee covers only a portion of the operational costs of this undertaking. The application fee is $995 until the final deadline of December 15, 2023 (11:59 PM PT).
5. How are the Inc. and Fast Company Ignition School winners determined?
- Apply: Complete the application by filling in some details about your school's or university’s entrepreneurship programs and the support it provides to founders.
- Judging: Inc. and Fast Company will evaluate all applications using a proprietary scoring system combined with our own research to produce a list of winners.
- Winners Announced: The winners will be announced on Inc.com and FastCompany.com in early 2024.
6. How will I know if my institution made the list? When will I be contacted?
All applicants will be notified via email if they were chosen as one of Inc.'s and Fast Company's Ignition Schools in September 2024.