Selection process

Selection procedure:

Housemates

Housemates apply in writing with a short description of their organization/project. Their application also briefly answers the following questions:

• What are you planning to do while at NaiLab?
• What is the social impact of your activities?
• NaiLab is a community. What do you expect to contribute to the community, what do you expect from the community?
• For which time period do you expect to be staying at NaiLab and with how many people?

Housemates can apply any time. If the selection criteria are met (especially the rule!) and space is available, the application is granted and a contract is signed between the parties. The process should take approximately 1 week.

Readymades

Readymades apply in writing. The application answers at least the following questions:

• What is your business idea?
• Please provide the essence of your business plan (on a need to know basis, considering IP and NDA, enough information to see how the business has matured.)
• What do you expect to achieve at NaiLab (please be as specific as possible)?
• Please provide a profile or CV of the people involved in your organization.
• Please tell us about other companies and businesses, the same people are involved in or have been involved in the past.
• NaiLab is a community. What do you expect to contribute to the community, what do you expect from the community?
• NaiLab has a skills training programme. What business skills training would be especially valuable for your company?
• NaiLab encourages mutual learning. What could you teach other NaiLab companies and what would you like to learn from them?
• NaiLab also brings in selected clients and executes projects, mainly in the IT sector. What could you contribute to these projects?

Readymades can apply any time. Their application is first reviewed by space manager, who will contact the applicants for further information or improvements, where required. Applications in which they see potential are forwarded to a small selection committee. The Selection Committee comprises of 4 professionals. The committee members respond with either: a) no fit with NaiLab / no promise; b) has potential; c) thumbs up; d) great promise. They add a short explanation of their verdict. Any a) will disqualify an application. Any b) requires follow-up work by the applicant, who is invited to send in an improved application. Any applicant with c) and/or d) only is interviewed by nailab director and one selection committee member.

This team fact check the application and run through the criteria and likely hood of the commitment level, this process takes three weeks and a contract is signed if accepted.

Seedlings

Seedlings turn up for one of the seedling events, where they pitch their idea. For every seedling event, a jury for the day is established, that provides feedback on the idea:

• Inspiring?
• Creative?
• Impact? Drive?
• Business potential?
• Fit with NaiLab (rule No1)?
• Future advice?

No idea is false or stupid. The moderator of the day makes sure, to also ask for some opinions from the audience. At the end, the jury selects its top 3-5 ideas (depending on space available), who will be invited to join as seedlings. If they agree to the criteria above, a contract is signed with them. The process should take no more than 1 week.

Exit criteria and procedure

This process is designed to make things smooth, we are happy to throw a party for both successful and failed projects during exit.