Experience Program for All Majors (the X)

Lassonde+XLassonde+X is an experiential program for all undergraduate students from all backgrounds and majors (the X) to explore and practice entrepreneurship. It is provided by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah, which is ranked top 10 in the nation for entrepreneurship. Lassonde+X students start with a project, venture, or idea, then use Lassonde programs to help grow it. They learn the entrepreneurial mindset to help them become innovators, problem-solvers, and change-makers in applying their major in whatever careers they choose. All students benefit from learning entrepreneurial skills including: working on interdisciplinary teams, identifying opportunities, starting a company, developing a product, adding and creating value, marketing, and more. Students are inspired to see their major through a lens of creating impact and value. No classes are required. See below for the steps to complete the program. Students who complete the Lassonde+X program are recognized with a designation on their diploma.

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Why Join the Lassonde+X Program?

Students in the Lassonde+X program make an impact by focusing their efforts around a problem or solution. Their impact and journey follow this outline: “I want to find a better way to [solve this problem] by [creating this solution] for [this market or community].”
Students participating in the Lassonde+X program learn how to become an entrepreneur, innovator, problem-solver, and change-maker in any academic major (the X). These are skills that will pay off throughout a lifetime by allowing students to get more from their time on campus.
Entrepreneurship is much more than starting a company. It is a way of thinking that enables students to work on interdisciplinary teams, identify opportunities, learn how to add value, and create a company, idea, or impact. Students in Lassonde+X gain expertise and skills in all of these areas.
Students who complete the Lassonde+X program receive recognition on their academic transcript. This is something you can promote on your resume, highlight in applications for jobs and advanced degrees, and create practical solutions to real-world problems.
Entrepreneurship is all about adding value. Entrepreneurs add value to a product, team, industry, or idea. Students in the Lassonde+X program learn how to master the art of identifying opportunities to add value and then following through with a plan to do it.
Lassonde+X students create a personalized experience to match their career and academic goals. Through the program, they identify a unique plan of impact, execute, and then reflect on the journey. Along the way, they get access to a variety of workshops, experiences, and other resources to build the skills they want.
Students in the Lassonde+X program get access to many resources to help them develop their ideas through the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, a nationally recognized division of the David Eccles School of Business. Lassonde resources include milestone grants, scholarships, mentors, makerspace, meetups, and more.
Lassonde+X students learn by applying what they are studying in their majors to an individual project that enables them to demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset. Whether they are studying English or accounting, Lassonde+X students complete the program with a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in their majors.
Students in the Lassonde+X program join a thriving entrepreneur community at the University of Utah and beyond. Thousands of students are engaged in entrepreneurship on campus, and the program provides a great way to get involved.
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is ranked among the top 10 programs in the country for entrepreneurship education by the Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. The ranking recognizes the variety, depth, and quality of opportunities for students who want to learn how to launch companies.

How to Complete the Program

For New Students

Students must complete the following steps to finish the Lassonde+X program and receive a Lassonde+X designation on your transcript:

  1. Sign up on the Lassonde+X website
    • You will receive an invitation to join a Canvas course and start the program.
  2. Create a personal impact statement
    • This will be the foundation of your startup project for Lassonde+X.
  3. Get going
    • List at least the first five (5) things to learn or try for your startup project.
  4. Show up to at least two (2) Lassonde workshops
    • Options include: Art Entrepreneur, Food Entrepreneur, Make-it activities, Entrepreneur Club, Hours with Experts, or the Bench to Bedside orientation.
    • Chose the activities and workshops that align best with your get started list of things to learn or try.
    • Attend as many of these activities that you think would be helpful for you as you work on your impact project and move it forward to success.
  5. Participate in one (1) key engagement
    • Key engagements are a chance for you to demonstrate the work you are doing on your impact project and get financial or community support as you begin to reach key milestones on your project.
    • Key engagements include: Get Seeded, Utah Entrepreneur Challenge, Lassonde Founders, Company Launch, or the Bench to Bedside competition.
  6. Accomplish one (1) key milestone
    • As you work on your personal startup project, it is important to reach key milestones to see your impact realized.
    • Key milestones include: build a prototype of the solution you’ve identified in your impact statement, acquire your first customer, create a revenue model for how you will generate income from your project, create a marketing plan with key sales targets, or generate sales or revenue.
    • You will submit documentation to support and illustrate this key milestone accomplishment.
  7. Document and tell the story of your startup project
    • Options include: build a website for your impact project, write and create a “Launched at Lassonde” article for the Lassonde website, or create an impact project video.
  8. Get the Lassonde+X designation
    • Once you’ve successfully completed the Lassonde+X program, we’ll work with the university registrar to post the Lassonde+X designation on your transcript.

For Students Enrolled before Fall 2024

Student who enrolled in the Lassonde+X program prior to fall 2024 can finish the program following the new requirements above or by following the previous requirements by enrolling in classes:

  1. Complete one of these two:
    • ENTP 1010: Entrepreneurship & Society (3 credits)
    • BCOR 2040: Value Impact Business Entrepreneurship (2 credits)
  2. ENTP 1020: Entrepreneurship and Startup Methods (3 credits)
  3. ENTP 2050: Portfolio Capstone (1 credit)