RTA Reflects on a Successful Summer

From June 17 through August 1, Regis High School hosted the inaugural RTA Summer Academy. The Academy had two major components: a start-up incubator program and a ten part lecture series. The incubator program represented the cornerstone of the Summer Academy, and offered 7 start-ups free access to office space, interns and mentors. Regis classrooms and resource centers served as office space, Regis alumni working in fields related to the start-up businesses served as mentors, and recent graduates of Regis served as interns.

The interns fulfilled various roles depending on the companies they worked for, and all received high praise from the start-up companies for whom they worked. In fact, upon the conclusion of the program, the 7 companies were unanimous in stating that their favorite part of the program was the support of interns and the caliber of their work. Some of the interns were even extended offers for continued, paid employment beyond the end of the program. This summer's intern participants included Ed Bannon '13, Jack Barton '13, Michael Browne '12, Lesley Evans P '74, Travis Guzzardo '12, Robert Hausen '12, Tom Jaklitsch '13, Dan Luzarraga '13, Paul Marrett '12, Peter McGahren '13, Rob Nguyen '09, Mike Pasternack '13, Niall Perreira '13, Ryan Phillips '12, Matthew Russo '08, Jack Salter '12, and Rob Whitaker '11.

A unique aspect of the RTA Summer Academy was the fact that neither Regis nor the RTA received equity in any of the participating companies. This setup was is contrast to other tech accelerator or incubator programs around the country. Instead, the primary objective was to expose recent Regis graduates to entrepreneurship and to engage the alumni community in a meaningful way.

This model did not go without notice. Forbes.com recently profiled the RTA program, taking special note of the novelty of the program's model. The full article, including highlights from an interview with RTA Co-Directors Matt Harrigan '03 and Charles Bonello '03, can be found here.

While the summer is now over, the RTA Summer Academy is just getting started. The RTA will be hosting a Demo Day on October 17 for each of the companies to pitch their businesses. In a noteworthy twist, the businesses will be pitching directly to current Regians during a morning assembly period. That evening, the companies will pitch in a more formal fashion in front of an investor panel. If any member of the Regis community is interested in attending the evening session, please email [email protected].

The RTA hopes to build on the foundational year that 2013 proved to be, and expand the scope of the program for next summer. For more information or for answers to any questions about the program, please contact Charlie Bonello '03 and Matt Harrigan '03 at [email protected]

Members of the inagural RTA Summer Program at Regis.

Arthur Minson '88, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Time Warner Cable, shares advice with RTA participants.

RTA Interns enjoying a presentation by one of the start-up companies.