US WEST

University of Colorado – Boulder

Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship

A nationally ranked program of the Leeds School of Business

Paul Jerde, Executive Director

http://deming.colorado.edu ~ 303-735-5415

Overview

For more than a decade, the Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship has  offered the practical knowledge, real-world experience, and innovative skills needed to realize entrepreneurial dreams. Located in one of the country's most robust, creative, and diverse entrepreneurial environments, the Deming Center features outstanding faculty and strong connections to the Colorado Front Range business community that creates a wealth of exciting opportunities for future entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and experience levels. The Deming Center maximizes entrepreneurial learning opportunities for students by delivering a

rigorous curriculum that fosters innovative thinking and practical business strategies. The faculty is nationally recognized for teaching and research, training bachelor, master, and doctoral-level students

in all aspects of entrepreneurship.

The Deming Center has taken a lead role in forward thinking initiatives like our Sustainable Venturing Initiative (SVI), Cleantech Venture Challenge (CVC) international business plan competition, and the Sustainable Opportunities Summit. The Organic Business Initiative (OBI), launched in early 2008, engages Deming Center staff and industry leaders in collaborations that serve both students and businesses. With support from Boulder “industry legends” who founded the likes of Horizon Organic Dairy, Aurora Organic Dairy, IZZE Beverages, White Wave Foods, and Celestial Seasonings Teas we are working to develop a plan for industry engagement with students. The Deming Center also serves as the business entrepreneurial arm of CU-Boulder’s campus-wide Energy Initiative (EI). Through TEAM (Transforming Energy and Markets), we facilitate technology commercialization by fostering entrepreneurial solutions and new venture opportunities. Students have the opportunity to engage in business development and technology transfer based on the cutting-edge energy research being done at CU-Boulder and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). All of these programs are cooperative efforts to promote the development and commercialization of venture-grade business ideas that address pressing environmental problems and

increasing global demand for energy.

The Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship continues its national leadership status. U.S. News and World Report’s 2009 ranking of business specialties among graduate school entrepreneurship programs places us 20th nationally and 16th among undergraduate programs. We were also honored by CNNMoney.com and Fortune Small Business as one of “10 Cool Colleges for Entrepreneurs” that offer some of the most innovative programs for fledgling business owners. We’re recognized as, “A leader in “green” entrepreneurship, a program that specializes in helping students create companies that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible.” As a 2003 recipient of the NASDAQ Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence Award and the 2006 award for Excellence in Specialty Entrepreneurship Education, the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship continues to foster excellence in education and support for our undergraduates, MBAs, PhDs, faculty and staff at the Leeds School of Business and across the CU Boulder campus.

The Center’s goal is to have a profound impact by encouraging our students to have an entrepreneurial mindset to pursue careers with new and emerging growth companies or to create their own new venture. Our graduates are well-educated entrepreneurial leaders, whose probability of success with entrepreneurial ventures has increased as a result of their experiences through the Deming Center programs. The Deming Center provides many avenues for students to test strategies, expand ideas, and hone entrepreneurial skills in a variety of real-world situations.

Entrepreneurs fit a variety of descriptions, from venture capitalists, to start-up business owners, to successful corporate employees. What they share in common is the ability to balance risk/reward and make opportunities outweigh obstacles while creating new and better ways to do business.

Organization

 The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, located in the Leeds School of Business, is on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder situated at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The CUBoulder

campus is in an exceptional entrepreneurial environment. Colorado has consistently ranked among the top states in the nation in the number of venture-backed companies funded and the

amount of venture capital invested each year.

The entrepreneurship program, managed by a staff of four professionals, has 14 faculty - 10 of them tenure track, teaching more than a dozen courses in entrepreneurial studies. There are two endowed professorships, the Ted G. Anderson Professor of Entrepreneurial Development, and the Family of Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Professorship in Entrepreneurship. In 2003, a $3 million bequest was established for an endowed chair in entrepreneurial finance at the Leeds School of Business. Our Board of Advisors provides a forum for communications and networking between the entrepreneurial business community and the business school students and faculty. In addition, the

Board generates ideas and helps plan the growth and direction of the Center. Members participate in Deming Center programs; provide expertise in entrepreneurship, venture capital financing, business operations, and entrepreneurship research. The Board also provides internships, mentors, funding for student programs, and jobs for entrepreneurship program graduates. It is a source of inspiration and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship students and faculty.

The Deming Center collaborates with the College of Engineering and Applied Science in its new Engineering Entrepreneurship Certificate Program, called E-ship that integrates technical and entrepreneurial education within a competitive, real-world framework. The Deming Center also works closely with the University Technology Transfer Office and partners with the Entrepreneurial

Law Clinic and the CU College of Music Entrepreneurship Center.

Experiential Learning

The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship complements classroom learning with out-of-classroom experiences. Events throughout the year include: summer entrepreneurship internship program, MBA student roundtables with distinguished entrepreneurs, Learn from the Best speaker series, the annual entrepreneurship retreat, the Cleantech Venture Challenge international business plan competition, Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC); local, national and international business plan competitions, and Entrepreneurial Solutions LLC, a business consulting company founded, managed and operated by entrepreneurship MBAs. MBAs are active in the Graduate

Entrepreneurs Association (GEA) a student run organization whose mission is to enhance the graduate entrepreneurship experience. GEA activities create a sense of community, ownership and participation among entrepreneurship students throughout their entire MBA experience. Undergraduates may participate in the CU-Boulder chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) that provides an environment where students with an entrepreneurial spirit can meet to share ideas, forge new friendships, and develop business skills.

Contact the Deming Center

Paul Jerde, Executive Director paul.jerde@colorado.edu

Steve Lawrence, Academic Director stephen.lawrence@colorado.edu

Alison Peters, Managing Director alison.peters@colorado.edu

Patty Graff, Assistant Director patty.graff@colorado.edu

http://deming.colorado.edu or call 303-735-5415