The trek to the summit begins at Basecamp.

The Watson Basecamp is a program aimed at high school and university students interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, and impact.

During the program, participants identify the main challenges facing their community, devise solutions for those challenges, develop a prototype, receive mentoring, and present their projects to a panel of experts.

Participants will also be fully immersed in the Watson experience. They’ll have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with current Watson students and meet the broader Watson community of mentors and champions.

First day – Friday
Participants get into groups and perform a deep dive on the greatest challenges facing their community using the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, root cause analysis, and a debate between the groups.

Second Day – Saturday
On the second day, participants take on the challenges they identified and design, test, and create prototype solutions for them. They also meet with entrepreneurs and local leaders for mentorship sessions and end the day with a Master Course from an established entrepreneur.

Third Day – Sunday
On the last day of the program, students put together presentations based on their progress on Friday and Saturday and pitch their project idea to a panel of experts. The winning team, chosen by the judges, will be flown to visit Watson Institute in South Florida.