Global Entrepreneurship Lab

The benefits of becoming a host company

Since 2000, MIT Sloan G-Lab teams have provided high-impact insight and analysis on an extremely cost-effective basis to 515 startups and fast-growing companies with 739 projects in 55 emerging and frontier markets. Our MBA student teams focus on the specific challenges requested by sponsoring host companies, and work to find concrete solutions that can be implemented concretely, quickly and efficiently. 

The value G-Lab teams deliver is consistently rated as superior by our host companies. Each year, a significant percentage of new host companies are introduced to us by satisfied past participants. Each year, more than 30% of our host companies return to work with our G-Lab teams. 

Student teams

As a direct result of G-Lab’s legacy of success and impact, the course attracts students with rich and varied backgrounds, skills, and work experience. Each four-person G-Lab team is comprised of second-year MBA students and, on occasion, other MIT graduate students, representing a wide range of backgrounds and expertise, from management consulting and financial services to manufacturing and operations. 

Project scope

When determining project scope, host companies draw from a broad spectrum of business challenges such as strategic growth, new market entry, pricing, marketing, benchmarking, fundraising, and financial strategy. G-Lab strongly emphasizes concrete “leave-behinds” as a primary component of the teams’ project deliverables. For example, for a project focused on creating an acquisition strategy, the deliverables will likely include an M&A toolkit with spreadsheet templates and valuation benchmarks, each with user guides. Student teams may deliver other concrete tools such as financial models, potential customer/investor/partner pipelines and screens, and go-to-market roadmaps. 

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Projects Since 2000

Host timeline

  • July - August

    G-Lab recruits new projects each year between July and August. Companies interested in participating submit an online project questionnaire, which asks for a description of the scope of the business challenge and proposed final deliverables. The questionnaire also asks for desired skill sets and areas of expertise, including non-English language requirements. As part of the due diligence process, G-Lab faculty connect with each company to help shape and refine their project scope for the questionnaire. 

  • September

    G-Lab faculty match host company projects with the best-qualified student teams. 

  • Late September - December

    Students work with companies remotely via conference calls and online collaboration to create a work plan and finalize scope, then conduct initial research, interviews, and analysis. With mentor support, teams are charged with the responsibility for building and managing the host company relationship. 

  • January

    Teams work on-site at host companies’ offices full-time for at least three weeks. Final deliverables include a formal presentation and concrete “leave behinds” that include high-impact tools and recommendations hosts can immediately use.  

Host company obligations

Host companies receive optimal results when the CEO and other senior managers are available to devote focused time and energy on the project and with the G-Lab team, especially while teams are on site. While MIT Sloan does not charge companies a fee for engaging a G-Lab team, host companies do assume responsibility for 1) round-trip economy airfare for the team, and 2) modest, safe lodging while they are in-country. Given that G-Lab sends teams to countries from Argentina to Zambia, travel and lodging costs vary widely. As a guide, however, a number of recent host companies report that they budget approximately US $8,000 - $12,500 to host a team. 

Interested in hosting?

In order to participate, potential host companies must have a due diligence call with G-Lab faculty and submit the G-Lab questionnaire. If you are interested in becoming a host company for G-Lab, or if you have any other questions, please email glab-faculty@mit.edu .

G-Lab host organization news

We work with an amazing array of host organizations from emerging markets all over the world. Learn more about them below. 

Action Learning

SoFi acquires Technisys, a digital cloud-based core banking platform

SoFi technologies is acquiring Technisys, a G-Lab host company.

Learn More