A longtime leader in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, Jean-Jacques Degroof brings more than three decades of experience to his work as a venture capital investor and business-school educator. Over his long career, Jean-Jacques Degroof has been heavily involved with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), serving as a Sloan Fellow of the MIT Sloan School of Management and as a researcher.

1. MISTI GLOBAL STARTUP LABS ENTERS
18TH YEAR
JEAN-JACQUES DEGROOF

2. INTRODUCTION
 A longtime leader in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, Jean-
Jacques Degroof brings more than three decades of experience to his
work as a venture capital investor and business-school educator. Over his
long career, Jean-Jacques Degroof has been heavily involved with
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), serving as a Sloan Fellow of
the MIT Sloan School of Management and as a researcher.
One of the world’s leading centers for entrepreneurship and startup
activity, MIT hosts numerous programs, research centers, and labs that
encourage and support innovation. Among other programs, the MIT
International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) Global Startup
Labs (GSL) program stands out for its international reach and continued
success.

3. MISTI
 The program, which was launched nearly two decades ago with a pilot
program in Kenya, sends teams of MIT students to other countries to help
student-entrepreneurs in those countries start innovative businesses. Over
the years, MIT students have consulted with students as well as executives
of established companies in countries such as India, Germany, Nepal, and
Peru.
Now entering its 18th year, the MISTI GSL program has expanded upon
this tradition by partnering with the Legatum Center for Development and
Entrepreneurship at MIT and the Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship
to organize "Global Startup Labs." This initiative gives the opportunity to
MIT students to teach over the summer students in other countries how to
launch promising startups.