The University of Florida

Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Overview

The University of Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) was founded in 2000 by Dr. Arnold A. Heggestad, Holloway Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship, and has been expanding its presence on the campus ever since. CEI’s mission is to promote an entrepreneurial lifestyle in our students and to provide them with the tools and experiences needed to creatively pursue new opportunities and innovations with profitable or sustainable results.

Through courses, degree programs and special events, CEI currently serves more than 2,500 students per year (in a university of 48,000) and draws upon the strength of an environment of innovation provided by the University of Florida, the state’s flagship university and an AAU, Carnegie RU/VH research institution ranked in the Top 50 nationally, Top 15 public and recognized as one of the Top 5 universities in the nation in the area of technology transfer.

The Center’s goal is to create the next generation of innovative entrepreneurs through a program that integrates theory and practice for an experiential education.

Academics

As an educational institution, the University of Florida provides students with the academic breadth and depth they need upon graduation to build successful careers and lives.  CEI is no exception to this, offering students a curriculum and experience designed to inspire them to explore and realize their entrepreneurial dreams throughout their lives.

Starting with one course in “Entrepreneurship” taught to MBA students in 1992, the Center (founded in 2000) now partners with 4 other colleges at the University of Florida to deliver more than 15 courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels, both within the Warrington College of Business Administration as well as campus-wide, serving an audience of more than 2,500 students each year. Any undergraduate or graduate student may take an introductory course and has the opportunity to take additional courses and obtain practical experience.

CEI offers a number of specialized degree tracks as part of the Thomas S. Johnson Master of Science in Entrepreneurship Program (counting 154 graduates as of 2008), a graduate Concentration in Entrepreneurship, and two graduate Certificates.

The program provides numerous opportunities for students to participate in the application of their academic coursework in real situations. The Integrated Technology Venture Program and GatorNest, our experiential learning laboratories, afford top graduate and undergraduate students across the University the opportunity to apply their classroom-attained business and discipline theory to real world projects.  Interdisciplinary teams of students and faculty develop business plans, and market research and analysis for actual companies and start-ups

Programs and Special Events

To provide students with opportunities to complement their entrepreneurship education, to meet and learn from entrepreneurial leaders, or to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, CEI offers several programs and special events.

The Howard J. Leonhardt Venture Pitch and Business Plan Competitions offer student teams the opportunity to present their plans to a panel of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists throughout the year. Participants learn by practicing their skills in business plan writing and presenting, often times with the intention of pursuing the opportunities upon graduation, thus the cash awards become critical, serving as early capital.

Giving students the opportunity to meet and interact with successful entrepreneurs on a personal basis is the primary focus of the Entrepreneurship Professional Speaker Series and the Sunday Luncheons.  Discussing strategic issues facing start-up ventures, obtaining real-world advice and learning through the experience of others allows all involved to further their knowledge base as well as develop potential contacts as they strike out in pursuit of their own opportunities.

Of special significance is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program whereby over the course of a week students have a number of opportunities to meet with a visiting entrepreneur in a variety of venues.

CEI places students in internships with entrepreneurial ventures as well as aligns students with potential mentors in the entrepreneurial arena.

Finally, each spring CEI selects winners for the Clark Butler Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.  Recognizing outstanding achievement in the fields of entrepreneurship and new venture creation, the awards target alumni of the University of Florida as well as local area innovators and entrepreneurs. Students are actively involved in this event and are given the opportunity to meet with local entrepreneurs and to hear the award winners’ stories.

Conclusion

The University of Florida has declared itself the foundation for the Gator Nation worldwide. From social entrepreneurship initiatives, to an Integrated Technology Venture program, and everywhere in between, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Florida intends to play a significant role in laying those foundational bricks for the Gator Nation…and we intend to do that one student at a time.