Academy Ecosystem

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Academy Ecosystem is for high-capacity leaders seeking to run a Praxis Local Lab to develop a venture-building community in their context. The experience starts in person at the Academy Week and continues with a six-session, live-virtual program, plus coaching as you launch your first Praxis Local Lab.

The Praxis Local Lab is an intensive, 36-hour, two-night venture building experience developed by Praxis based on our long-running Accelerator programs. Built on a decade of insights from our team, a Lab is designed to help you convene local founders, mentors, and funders in your context—as an exploratory step or as a recurring element in a local ecosystem for redemptive venture building. 

The Ecosystem program begins in person at Academy Week 2022 (August 1-5) with an immersive three-day experience alongside participants in all Academy programs—encountering a vibrant community of redemptive ideas, ventures, exemplars, and opportunities. You and your cohort of founders will focus specifically on ecosystem building via the Praxis Local Lab over the rest of the week, then continue that work through six live-virtual sessions over the following months.

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Academy Ecosystem

August 1-5, 2022
Los Angeles, CA
+ 6 Virtual Sessions September-December

MEET THE FACULTY
Who you are now

Experienced entrepreneur with a capacity and passion to bring your experience to bear across many ventures; or

Active leader and developer of entrepreneurial talent in your community, with a platform to convene founders, mentors, operational talent, and capital 

Humble, ambitious Christian seeking to live out your faith as fully as possible in your vocation, and eager to help other entrepreneurs do the same

What you’ll learn

What redemptive entrepreneurship is—in principle, theology, and practice

How to run a Praxis Local Lab to advance a venture-building ecosystem in your context

Guided “insider tour” of Praxis’s frameworks, principles, and tools for growing a venture-building ecosystem 

How real-life founders are building ventures and practicing redemptive entrepreneurship through the Praxis community

Some of the most essential issues and opportunities for redemptive innovation across sectors and industries

Where you’re going

Using the Praxis Local Lab as one of the tools to convene, test, catalyze, and sustain a venture-building ecosystem in your context

Format

Five-day in-person event (approximately 40 hours of active participation) in Los Angeles, CA, with talks, panels, and roundtables with Academy faculty; venture pitches by Praxis Fellows (founders of our portfolio ventures); and in-person 1:1 sessions with Praxis team members 

6 live-virtual sessions from September-December for practical venture-building application

Timeline

Application period: April 1–May 25, 2022

Accepted candidates notified: May 27, 2022

Program fee deposit due: June 3, 2022

Academy Week: August 1–5, 2022

Follow-on live-virtual sessions: 6 sessions from September-December

Academy Speakers and Mentors

Praxis Team

Meet the team behind Academy.

ACADEMY MENTORS

Meet prior mentors of Academy programs.

Dave Blanchard

Dave Blanchard

Dave Blanchard

Praxis

Donna Harris

Donna Harris

Donna Harris

Builders & Backers

Johnmark Oudersluys

Johnmark Oudersluys

Johnmark Oudersluys

CityLink Center

Jon Hart

Jon Hart

Jon Hart

Praxis

Josh Kwan

Josh Kwan

Josh Kwan

The Gathering

Katherine Leary Alsdorf

Katherine Leary Alsdorf

Katherine Leary Alsdorf

New City Fellows

Lance Humphries

Lance Humphries

Lance Humphries

410 Investments

Melody Murray

Melody Murray

Melody Murray

JOYN & JoyCorps

Mike Bontrager

Mike Bontrager

Mike Bontrager

Square Roots Collective

Philip Geldenhuys

Philip Geldenhuys

Philip Geldenhuys

Triga Ventures

Sajan George

Sajan George

Sajan George

Praxis

What participants gain

You’ll be equipped to think and act strategically to develop a venture-building ecosystem. You’ll be learning from more than a dozen Academy faculty and speakers—wise leaders with expertise in strategy, operations, and leadership—who are exemplars of redemptive entrepreneurship and active contributors to the Praxis community. You’ll get a sense for how the elements of a healthy ecosystem—founders, mentors, builders, next-generation leaders, thinkers, capital, and other resources—can work together in your city or organization. You’ll know your way around the Praxis Local Lab, and develop insights and action steps on how you’ll contextualize and deliver it where you are. And you’ll think with the Praxis team about strategic, operational, and relational dynamics for the Lab—all through a redemptive imagination. 

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You’ll contribute to a life-giving peer community and open up opportunities for collaboration. From start to finish, you’re part of a cohort of other leaders of entrepreneurial communities—a diverse group of peers on a similar vocational journey as you. You’ll have access to a private community platform to share advice, jobs, and connections. And you’ll also deepen your connection with a full range of Praxis team members who are eager to share our learnings with you.

Apply

2022 ACADEMY APPLICATIONs

Applications for the 2022 Academy close on May 25.
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Applynominate

April 1 - May 25

Apps Open

May 27

Decisions

Payments due 7 days after decisions sent



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August 1-5

ECOSYSTEM Program

Los Angeles, CA

Sept. - Dec.

ECOSYSTEM Program

Virtual

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program fees

Program
Fee

$1295

includes Double Occupancy room on campus at Biola

Upgrade to Hotel

+ $400

Double Occupancy hotel room with Queen bed

Upgrade to Hotel

+ $800

Single Occupancy hotel room with King bed

Add Second Builder

$700 (+ optional room upgrades)


Program Fees include all materials, meals, shuttle to and from LAX airport, and a Double Occupancy room in campus housing. All programs have the option to upgrade housing to a nearby hotel for an additional cost.

Upgrade to a hotel with a Double Occupancy room with a Queen bed for $400 per person; or a Single Occupancy with a King bed for $800 per person. Limited rooms available.
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Note: For Double Occupancy rooms, you will be able to choose your roommate if you have a partner or friend attending the event, or you can opt to have Praxis match you with a same-gender roommate.
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Scholarship Information


There are two types of scholarships available: Sponsored and Need-Based.

Sponsored
Each year Praxis works with individuals and organizations who fund scholarships for specific types of participants. Examples may include scholarships for founders from a specific region (e.g. Latin America), those affiliated with a certain college or organization, or demographic-based (e.g. emerging female founders). If you were invited to apply for a Sponsored scholarship, please note this in your application.

Need-Based
Praxis has a very limited number of need-based scholarships. Out of respect for those with the most need, we kindly request that you only apply for a need-based scholarship if you are in an extreme financial situation and could only participate if you were awarded one.


Academy Ecosystem FAQs

  • I have started an accelerator program in my ecosystem and would love to tap into resources provided by Praxis. Is this the right program for me?

    Yes! Academy Ecosystem is the perfect place to get connected with other leaders who are doing similar work while gaining knowledge on how to continue to create a more redemptive ecosystem.

  • I would like to create an Academy-like experience for my own ecosystem. Is this the right program for me?

    Yes! We understand the importance of the learning stage for entrepreneurial minds and we would love to share our insights with you on how you can create an Academy-like experience in your own ecosystem.

  • I am a member of an already established ecosystem because I am a venture builder and I am taking my venture to scale. Is this the right program for me?

    You sound like a great candidate for one of our Accelerator programs!

  • What time do the virtual events happen? What do I do if I have to miss a session?

    Virtual session dates will be announced later in the application process.

    You'll want to do your best to attend with a strong Wi-Fi connection without distraction. Sessions are all recorded and you will have access to them throughout the program should you have to miss one.

  • Do you accept international applicants?

    Absolutely!

Still have Questions?
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Deepen your imagination and formation in redemptive entrepreneurship

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Academy Ecosystem
Academy Vocation
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