Global Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program

Ycenter x Holy Cross

2-Day Experiential Workshop

Program Date: 16 and 17th October, 2025 - 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Venue: Campus Classroom TBA
Registration Deadline: October 5, 2025 by 11:59pm, or the maximum capacity is reached

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About The Program

This two-day bootcamp is designed to take participants through the process of breaking down a complex problem, turning an idea into an actionable solution, and finally making a business model for it. Participants will learn about entrepreneurship, complex problem solving and human-centered design methodology. Join us to ideate, build and explore new ways to solve real problems using the power of business.

Top skills you acquire

  • Complex Problem Understanding and Breakdown

  • Cause and Effect Analysis

  • Idea to Prototyping

  • Stakeholder Mapping and Market Research

  • Human Centered Design

  • Creative Problem Solving

  • Building a Business Pitch for your BIG Idea

Additional Benefits For Participants

As part of our commitment towards creating a global ecosystem of entrepreneurs, innovators and change-makers, all participants will receive continued mentorship for their projects by our global leadership team beyond the workshop.

This program meets the workshop requirement for the Certificate in Entrepreneurship offered by the Ciocca Center.

Who is this for?

  • Students with existing early stage ideas or wanting to learn about Entrepreneurship and design thinking for new ideas.

  • No prior experience required.

  • All learning and working materials will be provided.

  • Should be available to attend the event in person on both days.

Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society

The Ciocca Center at Holy Cross offers multiple pathways for students interested in business. A liberal arts education is most valuable in today’s world when students have opportunities to connect their classroom learning to real-world environments and problems. "Businesses founded on the purpose of benefiting the most people possible across all stakeholders (customers, employees, vendors, communities, etc.) are almost guaranteed long-term success,"

shares Rob Murner, director and EIR of the Ciocca Center. "What better way is there to exemplify the concept of men and women for others. Contact the Ciocca Center at business@holycross.edu

Program Structure

The entire workshop is delivered using Experiential Learning Pedagogy, which means as participants you will be engaging in hands-on activities rather than learning only theories. Get a chance to specifically work on your respective project ideas (if any) or pick a problem statement under the context of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

  • 9 - 9.30 am Registration, Introduction to the program

    9.30 - 1130 am Complex problem breakdown using Human centered design

    1130 - noon Building a problem statement and design brief

    noon - 1 pm Lunch

    1 - 2 pm Dissecting 2 case studies on corporate innovation

    2 - 3 pm Ideation sprint 1

    3 - 4 pm Building blocks for your Innovative BIG IDEA

    4 - 4.30 pm Reflections and open agenda

  • 9 - 9.30 am Overview, recap and game plan discussion

    9.30 - 1030 am Creativity and Innovation blocks for your ideas

    1030 - noon Research and refining your Idea

    noon - 1 pm Lunch

    1 - 2 pm Storytelling for pitching your IDEA

    2 - 330 pm Working in teams to build your final presentation

    330 - 500 pm Final Pitches and Feedback

    5 - 530 pm Certificates and Networking

Get A Verified
LinkedIn Certificate

Upon completing our program, Ycenter will provide participants with a verified certificate that can be showcased as a LinkedIn badge, highlighting your achievement and new skills. This badge not only enhances your professional profile but also signals to potential employers that you've gained valuable, hands-on experience in innovation, sustainability, design thinking and entrepreneurship. We will also showcase your project on our newly launched global repository of SDGs projects for additional growth and networking opportunities.

This program is delivered under the umbrella of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - UN SDGS

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Check out pictures from 2024’s program

Meet your Program Facilitator

Dhairya Pujara is the Founder, CEO at Ycenter, where he has built programs for Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the last 12 years. At Ycenter, he has built award winning Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs for universities and organizations in 30+ countries across 4 continents. His work has been featured in Philadelphia Business Journal, BBC Radio, Entrepreneur magazine, Times Media group and more. He has been a global public speaker with invitations from the United Nations, World Bank, World Economic Forum, Social Enterprise World Forum, SXSW, TEDx and top universities and Fortune 500 companies. He has worked as Policy Innovator and Advisor for multiple governmental agencies and think tanks around the world. He is a serial entrepreneur, working directly to support job creation, technology innovation ventures and for this work he has received a visa reserved for individuals of extraordinary abilities from the US immigration services.