The innovation training game in brief
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The startup simulation game for business can be played in teams of 2 to 4 players.
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It is an entrepreneurship board game for teams that can be played at your office or incorporated into an existing off-site or new, standalone learning program.
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It can be self-delivered or presented by an in-house or certified external facilitator.
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It is presented as an experiential learning innovation workshop, as a half-day or one-day team workshop.
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It can be divided into two half-day workshops, depending on your learning curriculum and desired learning outcomes.
What players learn from the innovation training game
The Start-Up Game™ is an entrepreneurship board game for teams that teaches players to safely be, think, and act differently in a playful, improvisational learning environment. To safely collaborate and experiment with the language, key states, traits, mindsets, behaviours, and creative thinking skills of successful entrepreneurs and innovators. By engaging in the innovation board game, players develop growth, wonder, and innovation mindsets, cultivate their curiosity, and build their questioning muscle to become creative and critical thinkers, smart risk-takers, intelligent decision-makers, and responsible, inclusive and disruptive problem-solvers who excel in any context.
How is the game structured?
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The Start-Up Game™ is a hybrid board game that blends adult and experiential learning with elements of achievement and competition. It features an online learning component that incorporates educational video snippets or training videos within a collaborative teaming context.
The first round is to familiarise the teams with the rollercoaster ride involved in new venture creation, including the different phases of discovery, ideation, design, and delivery of a new start-up venture.
Round Two - coming soon.
What's in the game kit?
Physical Components
Material Components
Digital Components
The Start-Up Game™ core game kit includes a boxed set of game materials, including a large colourful printed game board mat, four sets of dice and tokens, two sets of five Game Cards, four Game Playbooks, and four copies of the Player's Notes and Scoresheets. Members log in to an interactive website that features a series of pre-game and post-game learning videos and downloadable pre-game and post-game resources. This includes a set of communication templates for game organisers, featuring innovation hints and links to the learning videos.
Game facilitators, trainers, and coaches can also access a Digital Presenter's Pack, which includes the Game Run Sheet, the Train-the-Trainer Video Program, and the Workshop Presentation. Additionally, there are downloadable Playbooks, Game Card Sets, Player's Notes and Scoresheets, Sales Kits and other game resources.
How does The Start-Up Game™ work?
The game is played on a large printed square game roll-up board mat featuring a vibrant and colourful infinity design.
The four phases represent the intrapreneurial, entrepreneurial, and innovation rollercoaster involved in developing an innovative start-up or new business venture:
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The first two phases of the game represent the problem space, enabling players to define the problem and capture value.
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The second two phases represent the solution space, enabling players to solve the problem and create value in ways people appreciate and cherish.
Each of these four phases includes key learning components:
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Pause points for retreat and reflection.
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Mindset cues for shifting mindsets.
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Risk assessment for smart risk taking.
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Growth strategies and tactics.
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Developing sustainable solutions in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.
Engaging in the power of play within an adult and experiential learning setting, like The Start-Up Game™, encourages and enables individuals and teams to have fun, confront their frustrations, challenge the status quo and habitual ways of feeling, thinking, and acting, and safely face their fears while playing outside their comfort zones into learning and growth zones.
This allows players to consistently engage with these elements, work effectively as a high-performing start-up or innovative team, progress to the next phase, and ultimately win the game.