The Entrepreneurship Academy
About the Entrepreneurship Academy
The Entrepreneurship Academy, established at UofL during the 2014-2015 academic year, is a semester-long series of sessions designed to teach entrepreneurial thinking and skills. Each cohort of students participates in interactive workshops led by Dr. Eugene Krentsel, Associate Vice President, Research and Innovation; Dr. Van Clouse, Director of the Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship; Suzanne Bergmeister, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the School of Business, and invited guests. Content includes an introduction to entrepreneurial thinking, how to be entrepreneurial, the business model canvas and lean launch pad, and social entrepreneurship. To accommodate as many students as possible, we rotate the day of the week on which the Entrepreneurship Academy is held each year.
Graduate students who attend all sessions are eligible for two incentives:
- If you department will not cover tuition for ENTR 600 (offered each summer), SIGS may cover it. Here is the course description:
This course is designed to introduce the students to the world of entrepreneurship via a hands-on, business building experience. Students will be divided into teams and each team will be required to think through the process of developing and launching its own start-up business. The end result will be a well thought out written business plan and presentation, which will include a business model canvass presentation, a detailed financial model, and a viable business concept. Students will learn the Lean Launch method of customer development. The skills learned through this experience will benefit an entrepreneur who wants to launch any kind of business in the future, including a non-profit, a for-profit, a franchise, or a social venture.
- Participation in the NSF I-CORPS program, a collaboration effort between the Office of Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation, College of Business' Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship, and the STEM programs to establish a sustainable program for the discover and commercialization of STEM innovations and to stimulate regional economic development. Selected students could participate in an in-depth entrepreneurship education program, based on Stanford's Lean LaunchPad process and/or could receive an Innovation Discovery Grant ($1,000-3,000). More information will be shared as part of the academy.
Why Should You Participate in the Entrepreneurship Academy?
- Gain valuable knowledge of and skills in entrepreneurial thinking.
- Gain practical strategies, tools, resources to help you immediately.
- Interact with graduate students from across the university to network and gain a broad perspective of entrepreneurial thinking.
- Cohort members who attend ALL sessions will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation.
- Bolster your CV or resume to prepare for your job search.
Entrepreneurship Academy Schedule
The Entrepreneurship Academy is currently on hiatus. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to michelle.rodems@louisville.edu.
Previous Academy Schedule:
| Date | Session Topic |
|---|---|
| 9/22 | Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thinking in an Academic Setting No Matter the Discipline |
| 10/13 | Business Model Canvas and Lean Launch Pad |
| 10/27 | Social Entrepreneurship |
| 11/17 | Networking Social: Build Relationships and Pitch Your Ideas |
Application Process
| Applications for the Fall 2016 Entrepreneurship Academy are no longer available. |
|
|---|---|
| Application deadline (both online application and email to Dr. Beth Boehm) | |
| Participant notification |
The Next Entrepreneurship Academy
Applying for the Entrepreneurship Academy
All graduate students are encouraged to apply, though graduating students may receive priority. In addition to completing the application form, students are required to have a faculty mentor, graduate program director or chair send an e-mail to the Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Beth Boehm, indicating approval of the student’s participation in the academy.
Participation in the Entrepreneurship Academy will be limited and competitive, with priority given to a disciplinary diversity of participants. Graduate students who are accepted into the academy and attend all four sessions will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Dr. Michelle Rodems or 502-852-3110.
Can’t Participate?
We know that sometimes your schedule or other obligations prevent you from participating in the Entrepreneurship Academy. That doesn’t mean you can’t gain knowledge, skills, and experience with entrepreneurial thinking. Other opportunities include:
- Review our resources related to entrepreneurial thinking.