Soda Inc’s STEM Futures Accelerator empowers students to become impactful future leaders of the Waikato.
Designed for ambitious STEM students, this four-week immersive accelerator provides Waikato tertiary students with the tools to become confident and creative problem solvers. The program includes exposure to the many opportunities in STEM, and connections with change-makers and industry leaders.
<aside> 💥 Applications have now closed
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<aside> 💡 18th September: Applications open
10th November: Applications close
27th November: Accelerator starts
20th December: Graduation & Christmas celebration ➡️ register here
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Monday 27th November 5pm-7.30pm: Soda HQ
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Goal setting and welcoming the students into the accelerator.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Meet the Soda facilitators - Ella Reshef and Erena Calder-Hawkins, complete team-building activities, and hear from ecosystem leaders about the unique issues the Waikato region faces and opportunities for various career pathways.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Mentors will be matched during this session and mentee squads will meet each other.
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Venue: Long Room, Wintec House, Hamilton Central
Speakers:
Simon Yarrow | Agritech Industry Transformation Plan Lead, Callaghan Innovation
Mike Jenkins | Board Chair and Director | Start-ups
Wednesday 29th November 1.30pm-5pm: Waikato Innovation Park
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Site tour of innovative Waikato organisation at the Waikato Innovation Park.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Complete a workshop clarifying goals and empowering professional branding for career development.
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Workshop Facilitator: Sacha Coburn | The Company You Keep
Venue: Waikato Innovation Park
Site tours:
Monday 4th December 5.30pm-7pm: Online
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> The students will complete an interactive workshop on design thinking for a purposeful career: a human-centred approach to innovation.
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Facilitator: Jeremy Suisted | Creativate
Wednesday 6th December, 2pm-5pm: PharmaNZ
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> The cohort will be challenged to implement the design thinking framework during an interactive site visit to PharmaNZ - a Hamilton-based health supplement manufacturer.
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Facilitator: Jeremy Suisted | Creativate
Site tour: PharmaNZ
Monday 11th December, 5.30pm-7pm: Online
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Job Jungle! Ever wondered what it was like working in… X role? Here is a chance to hear from professionals across different industries and specialisations. Hear from product specialists, software engineers, investment managers, IP specialists, quality specialists and more. This interactive session split into small groups is your opportunity to ask questions and get answers!
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Speaker: TBA!
Wednesday 13th December: Site Visit - LIC
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Putting their tools learnt into action, the students will visit LIC to learn about their resilience in overcoming technical and commercial challenges.
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Venue: Livestock Improvement Corporation
Exact timing of this session is TBA, it will be after 1.30pm
Monday 18th December, 5.30-7pm: Online
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> With all the information and knowledge gained over the last few weeks, this session will be about reflection and setting realistic goals to turn these experiences into action.
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Facilitators: Ella Reshef and Erena Calder-Hawkins
Wednesday 20th December
<aside> <img src="/icons/remove_gray.svg" alt="/icons/remove_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Company-X will be taking the cohort through a site tour and showing their range of growth opportunities from engineering, AI and science!
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<aside> ➖ The program will culminate in an evening of celebration! We’ll head over to Good George in Frankton for celebration drinks and nibbles. This event is open to the wider STEM ecosystem.
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Site visit: Company-X, Wintec House
Drinks: Good George Frankton
<aside> 📌 Reminders