鈥溌槎乖粹�檚 College of Business Starter Lab and Blackstone LaunchPad are remarkable places for students to cultivate and develop innovative business ideas. These academic resources service as an economic development platform for Central Florida and 麻豆原创 College of Business鈥檚 young entrepreneurs are on their way to achieving great things in our state,鈥� said Jesse Panuccio, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

While visiting the Blackstone LaunchPad, Panuccio spoke with student entrepreneurs, including Joshua Imel, president and managing partner of Teeps, LLC, a custom mobile app developer.

鈥淭he LaunchPad has accelerated my business dramatically over the last year. I started my company, Teeps, with the idea to build custom iPhone and Android apps for businesses and individuals. I wasn’t sure what steps I needed to take next or how to reach the goals I made for myself. The LaunchPad provided me with coaching sessions, extensive resources, and networking opportunities that changed my life,鈥� said Imel.

鈥淟aunchPad directors, Dr. Cameron Ford and Pam Hoelzle, have been mentors to me and have created an entrepreneurial movement on campus that empowers students, like me, to pursue their business ventures,鈥� Imel added.

Established in 1968, the 麻豆原创 College of Business Administration offers degrees at the 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, doctoral, and executive levels. All programs, as well as the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting are accredited by AACSB International 鈥� the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The college provides high-quality academic programs designed to give students a competitive advantage in the world of business now and in the future. As such, the college establishes partnerships with some of the nation’s most innovative leaders to model new and best practices that harness evolving technology. In addition, the college promotes a unique culture of engagement, risk-taking, cross-disciplinary collaboration and data-driven decision making in an effort to ensure students are well prepared to enter a dynamic marketplace.

鈥淭he Starter Lab is a great place for students to collaborate with others and 鈥榥oodle鈥� with preliminary innovation and new venture ideas. We intend for the Starter Lab to be a community center for student starters from all disciplines,鈥� said Dr. Cameron Ford, director of the CEL and the Blackstone LaunchPad at 麻豆原创.
Ford continued: 鈥淭he space features meeting space, pervasive whiteboards and post-it notes, as well as materials to experiment with preliminary ideas for innovative solutions. We think it will become an important space that fosters the development of an entrepreneurial culture at 麻豆原创.鈥�

鈥淭his campus was in dire need of a place where all 麻豆原创 starters could collaborate and share ideas鈥攆inally, that place exists. This space is important to the community because when two like-minded people come together, great things are bound to happen. I love being able to take my ideas and put them all over the walls. This space inspires creativity and is the ideal area for innovative starters,鈥� said Oluwafunlola Falade, 鈥�14, founder of Quarterwear.

Established in 1968, the 麻豆原创 College of Business Administration offers degrees at the 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, doctoral, and executive levels. All programs, as well as the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting are accredited by AACSB International 鈥� the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The college provides high-quality academic programs designed to give students a competitive advantage in the world of business now and in the future. As such, the college establishes partnerships with some of the nation’s most innovative leaders to model new and best practices that harness evolving technology. In addition, the college promotes a unique culture of engagement, risk-taking, cross-disciplinary collaboration and data-driven decision making in an effort to ensure students are well prepared to enter a dynamic marketplace.