GatorNest & Gold Learning Lab
Learning lab with real world consulting experience
GatorNest is a hands-on consulting experience that teaches entrepreneurship and innovation by working through the real problems of real companies. The course also teaches goal setting and team management in an unscripted environment.
GatorNest is hosted in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center’s Jeff Gold Experiential Learning Laboratory, which provides students an environment to learn through experiences, including both success and failure.
Through GatorNest and the Gold Lab, Warrington College of Business students get practical experience in entrepreneurship and innovative business approaches.
What is GatorNest
GatorNest’s mission goes beyond the classroom learning experience as it was created with the intention of stimulating the economy of The Gator Nation by assisting in the growth of local startups.
Credits earned
GatorNest is a two-credit course for all undergraduate, MIB, MSE, MSF, MSRE, and MSM students. Other graduate students must check with their department to make sure GatorNest can be done for credit.
What happens in the GatorNest?
You’ll do things like a market analysis, marketing plan, competitor analysis or customer survey. Deliverables almost always consist of a written report and a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes that report.
Time commitment
About six hours, the same as most other graduate level courses. We meet once per week as a group for 1 – 1.5 hours, but the bulk of the work and research happens outside of this weekly meeting.
When do projects begin?
A new set of projects begins each module, which means:
- when the Fall semester begins
- halfway through the Fall semester
- when the Spring semester begins
- halfway through the Spring semester
- when Summer A begins
- when Summer B begins
Project length
About five projects are completed in each module, or 10 per semester. They last one module, which is half of one semester, which is 8 weeks (6 weeks in summer).
Let’s get chomping
Join GatorNest and take on some of the goals of a real enterprise. There’s no better way to learn than through experience.
GatorNest clients
The GatorNest has helped more than 600 client companies, with Warrington College of Business students playing major roles in helping solve challenges for these companies.
Jeff Gold Experiential Learning Lab
The lab serves as a home for many of the center’s experiential learning opportunities, such as GatorNest, Entrepreneur-In-Residence program and student mentoring.
Dedicated space providing students with an expanse for brainstorming and creative thinking activities.
Breakout space allowing student teams to conduct collaborative business planning and research activities.
Flexible presentation space allowing for multiple uses including small courses, workshops, meetings, speaking engagements, and venture pitches.
Ready to get started?
Reach out to the GatorNest and Gold Lab team.
Ted Astleford
Director of Experiential Learning
352-273-0335