Objectives: The purpose of this experiential laboratory is to form students as principled entrepreneurial change agents capable of identifying significant human needs and developing innovative responses grounded in research, ethical reflection, and practical action. Students will learn systematic methods for identifying global problems that can be addressed through locally sustainable solutions while integrating principles of leadership, social innovation, and responsible entrepreneurship. Throughout the laboratory, students will progressively develop and refine the entrepreneurial competencies required to identify, frame, and articulate a viable case study proposal, the foundation for the applied research, testing, and validation undertaken in Laboratory 2.

Contents: The laboratory introduces students to the process of identifying authentic human needs, analyzing the root causes of complex social challenges, and distinguishing symptoms from underlying problems. Students will explore methods for defining problem statements, formulating research hypotheses, constructing compelling value propositions, and designing locally relevant solutions with measurable social impact. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, Socratic inquiry, stakeholder engagement, Catholic Social Teaching, sustainable development, and the relationship between global challenges and local action. Through iterative refinement and professional and faculty mentoring, each student will conclude the laboratory with a clearly defined and research-ready case study proposal that serves as the starting point for Laboratory 2.

Methodology: The laboratory employs an experiential learning methodology that combines guided workshops, collaborative dialogue, case analyses, structured reflection, professional and faculty mentoring, peer feedback, and project-based learning. Students actively engage in iterative problem discovery, proposal development, and collaborative critique while applying theoretical concepts to real-world contexts. Learning is centered on participation, inquiry, experimentation, and the continuous refinement of ideas within a supportive innovation environment that prepares students for the research and implementation phases of the second-year laboratory.

Means of Evaluation: Student performance will be evaluated primarily on the quality, consistency, and depth of participation throughout the laboratory. Assessment will consider engagement in discussions, contributions to collaborative learning, critical analysis, iterative development of the proposed case study, responsiveness to feedback, and demonstrated growth in entrepreneurial problem-solving and innovation competencies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the student’s sustained commitment to the experiential learning process and on the successful development of a well-defined case study proposal that is suitable for research and validation in Laboratory 2, rather than on a traditional written examination.