Welcome to NPULSE Agri-Business!
The NPULSE Agri-Business course is designed for people who are interested in developing a business in the growing Agriculture Industry including Urban Agriculture, Agriculture Technology, Logistics, Retail, Wholesale, and many other great opportunities. This course is designed for someone new to the field, someone with knowledge and interest in the field, and also someone who is the early stages of developing their business or business concept.
The first module, Intro to Agri-Business (Track 1), is a foundational course to learn about agriculture, entrepreneurship, and the businesses of agriculture. Track 1 helps participants determine if this industry is right for them and if entrepreneurship is their path. The 6 classes include Entrepreneurship 101, Intro to Agriculture Business, Sustainability, the businesses of Ag-Tech, and concludes with Entrepreneurship Assessment.
Participants who wish to continue to build a business and pass the assessment will move on to Capacity Building, Track 2A. This course is dedicated to helping the prospective entrepreneur build out a detailed action plan for her/his business. Each person will develop a comprehensive business model, identify a specific target market, develop a team and estimate resources, build a financial plan, and then put it all together for a business plan. Graduates will receive $500 towards business expenses. The top graduates will receive an additional award.
Once the plans are complete, participants will matriculate to Plan to Launch, Track 3A. This course is a mix of 1-on-1 meetings with experts as well as group meetings with fellow participants to learn from and support one another. In this module, participants build their plan to launch and work to acquire the resources necessary for sustainable business.
After graduating, the participants launch their business in Business Growth, Track 4A. Here they are supported with bi-weekly check-ins with the facilitators, business visits, and monthly team meetings. The check-ins help the entrepreneur address specific challenges. The group meetings provide support and inspiration.
For participants who decide at the end of Track 1 that entrepreneurship is not for them but would like a career in Agri-Business, we have Agri-Business Career, Track 2A. In this module, we will highlight careers in detail, help participants select the right career, prepare them for the interview process, and target potential companies.
In the near future, we will develop and launch an asynchronous version of this program for self-study and completion.
