Technological innovation is the foundation for creating enterprises and the spirit of entrepreneurship is the catalyst for turning innovations into reality. Universities are committed to pursuing entrepreneurial education as a means to provide students with experiences to create new products for the betterment of society. Hack-a-thons, business plan and business model competitions are only some of the tools for nascent college entrepreneurs offered in the university curriculum. Entrepreneurship is a discipline requiring actual hands-on experience to help transition the entrepreneurs and their projects from classroom to marketplace.

3 day startup (3ds) is one tool offered in a number of university settings, with phenomenal success. Over one intense weekend, participants brainstorm ideas, conduct market validation, devise business models, build prototypes, and pitch to actual investors and successful entrepreneurs. The result is an experience that inspires innovation by requiring participants to actually build and launch companies.