WEFI Fellows

A PhD workshop for students interested in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, and innovation

Summary

The WEFI organizers are happy to announce the opening of the next cohort of WEFI Fellows, a PhD student group organized by Michael Ewens (Columbia). This new application window is a response to the "graduation" of five of the first WEFI Fellows cohort (details below) who are completing their PhDs.

The program

The WEFI Fellows program currently consists of 12 Ph.D. students interested in pursuing research in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, and innovation. The group meets virtually with Mike Ewens bi-weekly for approximately 9 months out of the year (excluding Jan-Feb and a summer month). Meetings include student presentations of new ideas, practice job talks, mock interviews, and idea pitches.

Why?

The primary goals are to help students -- particularly those at schools without multiple faculty in entrepreneurship and innovation -- refine their dissertation topic, learn more about the research area and build their network of fellow Ph.D. students. The small field and limited advisors are partially consequences of the research area itself: it is often interdisciplinary or pursued by researchers trained in different areas. Though many have successfully written a dissertation in this environment, the lack of seminar speakers, student colleagues working on similar topics and advisors with direct experience in the literature can leave them at a disadvantage or worse, stop them from pursuing certain topics.

Eligible students

Students working in entrepreneurship, innovation, and entrepreneurial finance who

have entered the research phase of their Ph.D. program (typically years 2+, but pre-job market year) with an advisor
work in economics, finance, strategy, or management
have selected their research area in entrepreneurship ideally with a completed first 2nd/3rd-year paper.

How and your committment

We meet every other week on Zoom for an hour where student presenters have 20-30 minutes to present. Outside of meetings, the group interacts on a software platform for messaging and chats. Students are encouraged to meet outside of regular meetings or schedule separate 1-1s with Mike Ewens.

The WEFI Fellows are in charge of organizing the annual Student Workshop held every Fall.

Application process

The application process has two steps:

Submit a pre-application by May 1st (you will need your CV)
After May 1st, selected applicants will be contacted to submit a short description of their research and a statement from their advisor.