Three UNC Charlotte and Ventureprise Alumni Make Their Mark
Ventureprise, UNC Charlotte’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, works with students, faculty and community members on commercializing their research, elevating their ideas and incorporating entrepreneurial thinking into the campus academic experience. With core programming, Ventureprise Launch NSF I-Corps provides University innovators with commercialization advice, training and funding to identify potential customers and crucial lab-to-market knowledge. While recognizing the importance of entrepreneurial thinking skills and the value it brings to students across campus, Ventureprise has launched a credential program, 49er Impact, to encourage students to make an impact with their ideas while gaining valuable professional development skills through the programming.
With a vital importance of diverse perspectives and a need for more inclusive leadership in the entrepreneurial sector, Ventureprise has developed two new programs focusing on diversity on campus and in the Charlotte community. The Inclusive Innovation Leadership Academy, a collaboration of Ventureprise and City Startup Labs, is a learning program that educates, empowers and inspires women and other underrepresented minorities to utilize their expertise and potential for social and economic impact and growth while advancing an inclusive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators. The Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellowship is focused on broadening participation in the innovation process and integrating an entrepreneurial mindset across UNC Charlotte’s campus.
These three UNC Charlotte and Ventureprise Alumni are making an impact not only on campus, but throughout the community.