The Ancient Greek word gymnos means “naked,” which is an appropriate root for gymnasium, because in Aristotle’s time athletes competed in the nude, a practice that paid aesthetic homage to the human body and a tribute to the gods.

In a few days our November and December sessions of Startup School and weekly GYM will commence — but don’t expect to see a lot of naked people here. You’re apt to see some sweating and heavy breathing, largely from the flexing of brain cells — not muscles.

Like the Greek gymnasium, which also functioned as a place for socializing and engaging intellectual pursuits, our Friday GYM sessions are where you’ll find startup teams and mentors deeply engaged in applying the “lean approach” to define customer problems and solutions, develop novel business models, and execute timely go-to-market strategies.

Our daily entrepreneurship modules, work sessions, and company site visits are aimed at providing participants with the tools and confidence to take the successful path toward business creation. Over the next weeks, startup teams from the north and south of Italy, to as far east as Kuwait, will be preoccupied with five perennial questions every business must answer to be successful: Why should I invest in you? Why should I do a deal with you? Why should I work for you? Why should I write about you? And most importantly, Why should I buy your product?

In November 12 visitors from the City of Naples Center of Incubator Services East (CSI) will be joining 15 workshop participants as observers for the first week of Startup School. November is also the month where the 3 startups selected in June by the project “Unite the 2 Bays“ will join the School.

Although we’ll spend time in the classroom learning how to communicate a business vision and test if it deserves to be realized, real learning happens outside of the building. The answers that define a business — more specifically, a business model, are found by listening to prospective customers. They are the real teachers…which is why if you happen to walk by the GYM you’ll hear me say:

Get out of the building!

Charles Versaggi
Director, MtB Startup School