Startup Houston

Earlier this year, I was invited to College Station to judge an MBA Technology Transfer Challenge hosted by Texas A&M’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship. While there, I met several students who were part of an amazing project through the Mays MBA program, Aggies in Business (AiB). AiB is a corporation managed and operated entirely by students. Through AiB, students receive hands-on experience planning, leading and running a real-world, for-profit business.

“Launched in September of 2006, AiB Consulting was the first of the AiB businesses to start operations.  AiB Consulting does business consulting projects for paying clients seeking assistance.  It is run by students, including project management, company leadership, and strategic planning.  Currently, the students are primarily MBA students, but also include other graduate students, both within and outside of the business school, as well as outstanding undergraduate students.  Outstanding consultants have an opportunity to lead and manage the operations of a for-profit company.”

AiB Consulting is currently lining up projects to begin work in the fall and are targeting 8-10 projects running concurrently. Projects are billed at forty dollars per hour ($40) and typically range from 100-300 hours.

Throughout the year, AiB employees worked on projects ranging from a feasibility study to an IT needs analysis. In addition, consultants have reviewed and constructed business plans and conducted several market analysis projects. Summer employees are currently working on projects including a research study of the fuel cell market and a business plan for a company providing business education for medical professionals.

As a consultant myself, I feel that this is a steal. Getting valuable insight from outsiders is an important step in the development of your startup. Who knows, you may even find future employees through their work.