March 12, 2008
Purdue Research Park accepting nominations of high school students for second annual entrepreneurship program
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
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"Last year was the inaugural Entrepreneurship Academy, and the response from participants and teachers was so positive that we are expanding the program to include students from around the state," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the Purdue Research Park.
The academy will take place from July 27 through Aug. 1 on the Purdue University West Lafayette campus. There is a $50 registration fee to attend.
Last year's program was open to high school students in a 13-county area of north-central Indiana.
Indiana educators, business leaders, mentors and parents are asked to nominate students who have excelled in the areas of math, science and technology. To nominate a student, visit the Entrepreneurship Academy Web site at http://www.purdueresearchpark.com/academy/index.asp. Nominations will be accepted until June 13.
"The participating students will learn everything from how to come up with a business plan, develop a marketing plan and present a two-minute 'elevator pitch' to investors," Hornett said. "Awards for winning team members include college tuition vouchers to help them further develop their entrepreneurial spirit and pursue a degree in higher education."
During the program, students will work with Purdue Research Foundation staff, Purdue faculty, industry leaders, business experts and successful high-tech entrepreneurs.
Participating students will work in startup teams of five. Teams will:
* Identify a viable business idea.
* Test the concept's feasibility.
* Determine the best way to make the business competitive in the market.
* Identify capital needs to start the business.
* Devise a plan to successfully manage the business.
Students also will be provided with business case studies, instruction and necessary materials to assist them in the successful completion of the program.
The Entrepreneurship Academy is made possible through a $35,000 grant from Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, or WIRED. Purdue Research Park also sponsors the program.
The weeklong academy is based on an entrepreneurship program called "So what? Who cares? Why you?" by Wendy Kennedy. Kennedy is a technology curriculum industry executive and former professor who has written on the subject of commercializing innovative ideas. Her program has been adopted across North America by numerous entrepreneurship and educational organizations. More information about the program is available online at http://www.wendykennedy.com .
Last year's Entrepreneurship Academy winners were:
First place - Tri Fusion Technology: Nicolas Brown, senior, Rochester Community High School, Rochester; Rachel Cheeseman, senior, Harrison High School, West Lafayette; Sean Igo, senior, Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School, Lafayette; Taylor Jenkins, senior, Frankfort High School, Frankfort; and Tyler Schluttenhofer, junior, Benton Central Jr.–Sr. High School, Oxford. Sue Grimes, commercialization manager for the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization, mentored the team.
Second place - Trellis Corp.: David Burke, junior, Benton Central Jr.-Sr. High School, Oxford; Clay Carter, junior, Frankfort High School, Frankfort; Robert McConnell, junior, Harrison High School, West Lafayette; Zyon Rennewanz, junior, Century Career Center, Logansport; Cassandra Sprowl, senior, Benton Central Jr.-Sr. High School, Oxford; and Shawneci Windell, junior, Delphi Community High School, Delphi. Tim Peoples, director of Purdue Technology Centers, mentored the team.
Third place - Skin Engineering: John Burns, junior, North Montgomery High School, Crawfordsville; Kinga Machaty, junior, Harrison High School, West Lafayette; Kelsey Moore, senior, McCutcheon High School, Lafayette; Andrew Ramos, junior, Frankfort High School, Frankfort; and Jacob Roark, junior, Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School, Lafayette. Alyssa Panitch, Purdue associate professor of biomedical engineering, mentored the team.
For more information, contact project coordinators Sascha Harrell at (765) 494-6152, smharrell@prf.org, or Carmen Hunt, (765) 496-1049, clhunt@prf.org.
Purdue Research Park (http://www.purdueresearchpark.com ) encompasses 725 acres in West Lafayette, Ind., and is home to the largest university-affiliated business incubator complex in the nation. Within the park, 148 businesses, of which more than 94 are high-tech, employ more than 3,000 people. The Association of University Research Parks recognized Purdue Research Park for Excellence in Technology Transfer in 2005, and the park received the organization's Research/Science Park Company of the Year Award of Excellence in 2004.
The U.S. Department of Labor funds the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, or WIRED, initiatives with a goal of helping Indiana manufacturers develop innovative business strategies. The program is designed to integrate federal, state and local investments in work force development and economic development. Through the Center for Regional Development, Purdue's Office of Engagement is involved with the project.
To the Purdue Research Park, http://www.purdueresearchpark.com
PHOTO CAPTION:
Kara Bartolone, a West Lafayette Harrison High School senior, presents an "elevator pitch" during last year's Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy. About 40 students from 14 Indiana counties participated in the weeklong event designed to show aspiring entrepreneurs how to identify a possible business, develop a product or service, create a marketing plan and pitch the idea to potential investors. The academy was made possible through a $35,000 grant from Indiana's Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, or WIRED, program and organized by the Purdue Research Park. (Purdue News Service file photo/David Umberger)
A publication-quality photo is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2007/elevator-pitch.jpg
Purdue Research Foundation marketing and communication contact:
Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192 (office), (765) 413-6031 (mobile), casequin@prf.org