The Center for Entrepreneurship graduate program at the University of South Florida has shown incredible results. The program provides hands-on learning for coursework, a student innovation incubator, extensive access to mentors and alumni, as well as competitions among students to win funding for their startups.
The program
The Center for Entrepreneurship program is nationally ranked by Entrepreneur magazine and the Princeton Review, and it provides opportunities for graduate students in the fields of business, engineering, health sciences and sustainability. It offers a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship, several graduate dual-degree programs, two undergraduate minors, as well as a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. The ultimate goal of the program is to allow students to develop the skills necessary to imagine creative solutions and ultimately transform those ideas into actions.
The program has proven its success through the graduates of the program that have started 318 companies in the past five years and raised $15 million in funding altogether. Companies such as Aquamelon, ThinkRTC, Metabology and South Tampa Paintball were all launched at the Center for Entrepreneurship. A total of 92 percent of the graduate program’s faculty have entrepreneurial experience, allowing for students to receive more credible advice and leadership.
The Incubator
The Student Innovation Incubator is one benefit of the graduate program. The incubator provides everything someone might need to start a company: a shared workspace, 24-hour access to facilities and access to mentors, lawyers and media coverage. One student, Masud Hossain, was able to utilize the incubator and create two companies, ThinkRTC and Sense A Life. Being only one of the many successful companies created in the incubator, Hossain and his team have continued to use the incubator as a workspace even though they graduated.
Competitions for funding
A great way for students to earn money for their startups is to compete in one of the program’s competitions for funding. The University of South Florida offers multiple competitions that allow students to win funding for their companies. Two women, Amy Abdnour and Casey Henry, won $15,000 from the university’s Fintech Business Plan Competition, allowing them to make their dream business become a reality.
Takeaway
The University of South Florida provides its graduate students with incredible opportunities that help them move forward with their ideas. Students not only have the opportunity to receive funding but also get input from mentors and alumni who have experience in their fields. The availability of all these resources gives students the upper hand and allows them to learn and ultimately succeed.
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