CDL Course

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. 

The program revolves around five virtual sessions hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At these sessions, venture founders interact with a set of highly experienced mentors who provide them with guidance on how to build and scale their businesses. This guidance takes the form of three objectives for the company to focus on over the following eight weeks. These objectives are the hallmark of the CDL process and provide the channel through which business judgement and experience is transferred from the mentors to the companies’ founders.

What is the Creative Destruction Lab Course?

In the Creative Destruction Lab course (MHR 365/765) students will receive mentoring, work with high-potential ventures, and experience how investment decisions are made. Students will have the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge in an actual business setting, conducting team projects with some of the top early stage ventures in the world focused on risk & insurance, and health & wellness. The CDL Course is taught by Lecturer Adam Bock in conjunction with the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship at the Wisconsin School of Business.

What is the role of students in the Creative Destruction Lab at Wisconsin?

Top students from across the University of Wisconsin-Madison support ventures in business development, market research, financial modeling, scaling strategies and other projects that will move CDL ventures forward. You will gain first hand experience working in a technology startup and will contribute to the advancement of your assigned venture toward meeting their business objectives. 

What prerequisites are required?

For those students who begin the CDL Course in the fall, we do not have pre-requisites. We seek any Jr, Sr, Grad, and Professional student from all majors who have an interest in learning about entrepreneurship and innovation. If uncertain, please contact Morgan Bober for more information. For those students who begin the CDL Course in the spring, students should have taken MHR 322 (Introduction to Entrepreneurial Management for Non-Business Majors), MHR 422 (Entrepreneurial Management), MHR 722 (Entrepreneurial Management), or a similar course.

Consent of the instructor is required for this course. If you have questions or are interested in taking the CDL Course, please email Morgan Bober with a two-three sentence statement of interest.

You can also learn more about the program by viewing this Recorded Info Session.