30 CARE FAQs
The Purpose
Why CARE LAB?
In a world facing complex challenges, the next generation of leaders requires a transformative skillset to generate impact. The CARE Lab empowers students with a set of seven super powers to design impactful social ventures-lead change, cultivate authenticity, gain empathy, think strategically, navigate vision, ask the right questions and engage purposeful action.
What is the CARE Lab?
CARE Lab is a pioneering workshop that equips emerging leaders and entrepreneurs with power skills and tools to build sustainable ventures and lead in the 21st Century.
What is unique about CARE Lab?
This experiential laboratory is empowered by AI to harmonize purpose with profit. Participants integrate leadership skills with sustainability applications, social impact entrepreneurship, and responsible performance to propel win-win solutions.
What does C.A.R.E. stand for?
C.A.R.E. represents the principles that guide business decision-making and the criteria by which outcomes are evaluated:
Conscious… empowering self-awareness, purpose, and empathy for others actions. Accountable… fostering responsibility and integrity for the impacts of their decisions. Regenerative… integrating 360° thinking to restore environments & drive innovation. Equitable… igniting diverse teams to drive inclusive impacts for all stakeholders.
Why CARE Lab is a difference-maker for students?
The Lab guides students to discover their potential, build essential skills, and prepare them to be future-ready- ready. The leadership and AI skills will augment their college experience and are highly sought after in today’s job market. Thus, CARE Lab is a strategic investment in a student’s future direction and career choice.
The Curriculum- Learning Environment
What is the approach to learning?
CARE Lab’s holistic and forward-thinking approach integrates advanced AI technology with essential human-centered skills needed to tackle today’s global challenges. In an era where technology and automation are reshaping industries, it emphasizes the importance of maintaining a human touch while creating sustainable and equitable business solutions.
What is CARE360?
CARE360 is a holistic mindset inclusive of stakeholder inputs and implications on all impacted. It is anchored on core values, making decisions based on these values and be responsible for the impacts generated.
What is the CARE transformative experience?
Transformation is central to the CARE Lab experience. To generate a CARE360 mindset requires two factors: personal development (openness to change) and sustainable development (focus on impact to all stakeholders).
Personal development requires commitment to challenge and replace outdated beliefs, assumptions, and limited decision-making. Sustainable development “meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Once this mindset shifts, the CARE business model that integrates purpose into strategy and impact.
How do the 21 Power Skills provide an advantage for students?
The 21 Power Skills are carefully chosen to equip students with the necessary tools to lead in a rapidly changing world. Including both human skills (e.g., communication, empathy) and hard skills (e.g., AI literacy), they emphasize adaptability, ethical decision-making, and the creativity to innovate and drive social impact. At each session, students are informed of the Power Skills being addressed. The result-students are prepared to lead in diverse environments, adapt to rapid technological changes, and make decisions considering profitability and societal impact.
How is AI integrated into the curriculum?
AI is integrated as both a learning tool and a subject of study. Participants gain the “superpower” to ask insightful questions to augment critical thinking. They learn prompt engineering to use AI technologies to access holistic solutions from the global oracle of knowledge. Their outcomes will enhance business efficiency and performance, drive innovation, and solve complex social problems while considering ethical implications for all stakeholders.
How are the industry professionals integrated into the workshops?
Workshops are led by values-based, impact-driven transformation strategists, futurists, social entrepreneurs, and industry experts from 5 continents. Each brings extensive experience in AI, human-centered design, innovation, sustainable business practices, social entrepreneurship, impact investment, and ethical leadership. Bios of all instructors are available on our website.
How are global perspectives and challenges integrated?
Daily, students are guided by instructors from diverse backgrounds and global experiences. They interact directly via presentations, Q&A, and hands-on activities. The Lab considers the global impact of business decisions, designing scalable solutions applicable across different cultural and economic contexts. Students do a deep dive into the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they impact local challenges.
How does CARE Lab ensure that learning is both fun and impactful?
The learning experience is state-of-the-art. It combines rigorous academic learning with interactive games, engages digital tools (mind mapping, vision board) to discover themselves, uses video and social media to develop their personal brand, applies AI to design, edit, and launch a quality video in minutes, and empowers teams to collaborate on building a social venture in 4 hours!
The Venue
Where is it offered?
For the 2024 session, two cohorts (Richmond and Charlottesville) offer a regional focus that taps into local industries and social challenges. The sessions will occur in innovative entrepreneurial workspaces (VCU Shift Lab and The Vault respectively) to stimulate collaboration and open-mindedness, while also being connected via Zoom for interactivity with presenters and the other cohort.
How is the CARE Lab program structured?
The Lab fosters interaction and personalized mentorship for ~15 students in each cohort. The two-week workshop July15- 26 includes M/W/F 4-hour in-person sessions culminating in an in-person capstone weekend July 27-28 (Sat/Sun 8 hours/day) where participants design and pitch a social impact venture to judges.
The Student Value
Who should attend the CARE Lab?
High school students interested in entrepreneurship, leadership,& social impact, looking to differentiate themselves, building their portfolio & college experience.
How does it prepare leaders?
By focusing on the development of both technical skills and ethical frameworks, CARE Lab ensures that its graduates are equipped to tackle global challenges not just competently but conscientiously. It is a first mover in preparing students for future leadership in a way that few other programs do.
How does it prepare students for real-world entrepreneurship?
The Lab engages students in problem-solving real community issues while balancing profit with social impact. It provides a platform for students to develop and test their business ideas and social impact initiatives. The Lab ensures that students are thinkers and doers prepared to enter the competitive business world.
What makes the CARE Lab experience unique for participants?
The uniqueness comes from its blend of real-world business challenges, mentorship by innovators and global industry leaders, and the integration of AI for Good, all within the framework of the CARE principles.
The Registration Details
How can I register?
The registration process can be found on the website https://catalyzerlab.com/register-for- care-lab-workshop/
What is the cost of attending the CARE Lab?
We are pleased to announce a participation fee of $1,500 [$2500 standard fee has been reduced based on generous donors to support our launch in Virginia]. The fee covers the full-spectrum learning experience-all workshop materials, snacks, access to expert mentors, and the in-person weekend sessions.
Can I recommend others?
Yes! A $150 referral discount is available (up to 3 referred registrants).
Are scholarships available?
Limited scholarships are available to ensure inclusivity and diversity. Scholarships are not guaranteed and are based on funding availability. See website.
What is the application process?
Interested students can learn more and apply by scanning the QR code on the flyer or visiting the website and following registration instructions. Payment is made via an online payment system.
What if my child cannot attend one of the live sessions? Are there make-up options or ways to catch up?
We understand that conflicts can arise, and we strive to accommodate all participants. All sessions are recorded, allowing students to catch up on missed content.
The Deliverables
What are the expected outcomes for students attending the CARE Lab?
Participants learn to use AI responsibly and to navigate AI-driven business environments, apply personal values to global changes, implement human-centered design, learn sustainable business practices, develop leadership skills, and design and pitch business solutions that are profitable and sustainable across various industries.
What is the CARE Social Impact Credential?
This credential is awarded to students who complete the two-week workshop and apply the CARE principles in their social venture capstone project. It showcases a student’s commitment to ethical leadership and social responsibility, distinguishing them from peers and demonstrating real-world application of their learning.
What social impact venture do the students design and pitch?
Projects involve designing sustainable business ventures that address local social issues, develop technology solutions for social problems, or create strategies that have a positive environmental impact.
What networking opportunities are available to students?
Students develop a global network. They connect with industry experts and local social entrepreneurs gaining valuable contacts that could lead to internships, startup opportunities, and future career opportunities.
The Team
How was CARE Lab founded?
Entwine Digital LLC was founded in 2004 to address the digital opportunities of small and midsize businesses. Catalyzer Lab, a division, was established to provide values-based, impact-driven training to students, young professionals, and current leaders. CARE Lab was founded as the training component to provide aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to lead in building a sustainable future.
Ira Kaufman, PhD: Ira is a transformation strategist, professor and consultant. He has dedicated 5 decades to propelling emerging entrepreneurs and leaders to design and execute business models that optimize profit through purpose. Working in 40 countries, he has trained and consulted SMEs, international companies, and agencies on branding, digital marketing, and transformative leadership. His three books on “Creating Social Change”, “Digital Marketing and Transformation “and “Empower US… Next Gen Catalyzers” are focused on generating a sustainable future. His CARE Business Model prioritizes Caring for the business impact on the people it engages, the planet and community it affects, and the profit it generates.
Penny Stein, MBA: Penny is an engineer and educator. She is passionate about leading individuals, teams, and organizations to discover their authentic selves and leverage this knowledge into strategies for success. She has dedicated three decades to developing transformative leaders, guiding their skill development, and igniting teams to maximize stakeholders’ impact. She has been a leader in a Fortune 100 multinational company, a non-profit organization, and a start-up private school.
Steve Holdych: Steve is an enterprise digital AI innovator. He has been at the forefront of digital tech innovation for 30 yrs. He was a principal at CapTech a technology consulting firm focused on Human-Centered Digital Solutions to improve the world through the transformative power of technology. Currently, he is designing non-technical methods of training the next generation on emerging Generative AI tools.
Emad Davis: Emad is a senior software engineer. He has been involved in multiple healthcare startups. As part of the core team, he has been developing the CARE model by integrating values and responsible performance criteria to develop sustainable outcomes. Currently, he is applying AI to design transformative learning environments.