University of Central Florida

Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Overview

 

The University of Central Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation  (CEI) was founded in 2004. CEI supports the university’s mission by educating, inspiring, and investigating nascent entrepreneurs across our campus and throughout our region.  Our center offers education and research resources to those interested in creating and leading new business ventures and promotes scholarly research that advances our understanding of entrepreneurship and economic development.

 

We enhance our impact by leveraging mutually beneficial partnerships with other outstanding university and regional economic development agencies.  Our primary partners, members of the UCF Entrepreneurship Network, include UCF’s award winning Technology Incubator, Small Business Development Center, Venture Lab, Technology Transfer Office, and the Disney Entrepreneurship Center. 

 

Academics

 

We offer a variety of educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students ranging from 3 credit electives to 9 credit graduate certificates to a 24 credit undergraduate track (major).  We now offer 16 entrepreneurship classes spanning across four colleges with five graduate courses and well over 1000 students.  Students, faculty, and community members can also benefit from various workshops, bootcamps, and competitions offered by CEI and our Entrepreneurship Network Partners. 

 

Our undergraduate programs include:  

 

·         Entrepreneurship Track (Major): A 24 credit track in the Management Major that enables students to learn about the multifaceted challenges facing entrepreneurs and small business owners.

·         Entrepreneurship Minor for Business Majors: This 18 credit major provides an opportunity to learn fundamental concepts and skills associated with new venture and small business success.

·         Entrepreneurship Minor for Non-Business Majors: This 20 credit minor will provide students throughout the UCF community with an opportunity to learn more about business and entrepreneurship.

·         Technological Entrepreneurship Minor: This interdisciplinary minor combines 9 credits of essential entrepreneurship courses offered by the College of Business with 9 credits of science, technology, or engineering research to provide students with an understanding of how to commercialize research and technology in ways that benefit society.

 

Opportunities for graduate students include:

 

·         Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship: A 9 credit certificate that provides knowledge and skills commonly utilized by those who create and manage new and small business ventures.

·         Graduate Certificate in Technology Commercialization: This 9 credit certificate presents knowledge and skills associated with successful commercialization of science and technology research.  It will benefit those interested in identifying business opportunities enabled by scientific and technological innovations. 

 

Programs and Special Events

 

As UCF is home to the Knights, it is only fitting that our annual business plan competition is “The Joust”.  This event is designed to challenge entrepreneurial students and faculty within the UCF community to create promising, comprehensive business proposals.  Cash prizes totaling $20,000 will be awarded this year, and the winner will be awarded a spot in UCF’s outstanding Technology Business Incubator (2004 NBIA Best Incubator). 

 

“The King of the Court” is our spring elevator pitch competition which allows students to present their ideas to leading members of the Orlando business community.   UCF also serves as the primary organizer and co-host of Florida’s annual state-wide business plan competition, the Sunshine State Venture Challenge.  This event attracted student teams from nine different Florida schools. 

 

Research

 

Our aim is to become recognized as a thought leader with respect to scholarly research related to new venture emergence and success.  Several of our faculty regularly publish their work in top-tier entrepreneurship and management journals, and have won major international awards for their research.  We actively promote Doctoral student research in Entrepreneurship as well – our first Entrepreneurship Ph.D. student benefited from a $25,000 dissertation grant award acquired by CEI.  Our pursuit of pioneering research is driven by the belief that an active, visible, scholarly community is a necessary precursor to credible education and outreach capabilities. 

 

Conclusion

 

Since opening in 2004, CEI has become one of the largest and fastest growing entrepreneurship centers in the country.  Our early accomplishments include:

 

·         Creating 7 new courses in 6 academic programs

·         Educating over 1000 students enrolled in 16 unique undergraduate and graduate courses

·         Educating over 200 declared undergraduate majors

·         Creating and executing three different business plan competitions

·         Providing over $30,000 to support doctoral student research and conference participation

·         Supporting faculty participation in targeted entrepreneurship conferences

·         Attaining over $150,000 in grants from Kauffman Foundation, NCIIA, etc.