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UPCOMING EVENTS
2024 ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACADEMY - Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Every Wednesday in October | 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Milgard Hall 311, UW, Tacoma
Curious about becoming an entrepreneur? Join us!
Entrepreneurs can be found in any field and every organization. If you want to develop a proactive, impact-driven approach to your studies and your career, this program is for you.
Each week we will explore new venture ideas, practice creative problem solving, and learn from local entrepreneurs.
FREE for ALL UWT Students!
Program Schedule
Wednesday, October 2 - Becoming and Entrepreneur Entrepreneurial Identity
- Jerry Korum / Korum Motors
Wednesday, October 9 - Curiosity and Creativity
- Markiss Cooper / CoopaSims Transport
Wednesday, October 16 - Solving Problems & Meeting Needs
- Greg Beirsack / Reach Dental Service
- Neetal Parekh / Innov8Social
Wednesday, October 23 - Creating Value for Customers
- Andrew Fry / serial entrepreneur
- Brendan Smith / 2kDoplr
Wednesday, October 30 - From Idea to Enterprise
- Terryn Moser & Julia Brown / The Cat&Rabbitt Cakeshop
- Makoto Eyre / Homeostasis
PAST EVENTS
South Sound Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Conference
May 12, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm | Milgard Hall 110, UW, Tacoma
We were joined by future young entrepreneurs at UW Tacoma for a South Sound Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Conference. Individuals supporting entrepreneurs with training, policy, funding, or other resources, were a part of our ecosystem. This event brought us together to discuss strengths and weaknesses in the ecosystem and identify strategies for moving forward. We also heard the preliminary research findings from The Bee Project Tacoma.
Followed by lunch, we visited the Innovation Expo, a fair celebrating creative ideas and new enterprises from across the South Sound.
Schedule of Events - Friday, May 12th 2023
8:30 AM - Coffee and online survey completion
9:00 AM - Welcome – UW Tacoma Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange
9:05 AM - Collaborating to Support Entrepreneurs – Jill Purdy, UW Tacoma & Tamsin Bell, EDB
9:10 AM - Our Regional Entrepreneurial Ecosystem – Tim Strege, William Factory Incubator
9:15 AM - Why Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Matter – Christina Theodoraki, Toulouse Business School
9:30 AM - Strengths and Weaknesses of the South Sound Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - table discussions
10:30 AM - Break
10:45 AM - Recommendations for the Ecosystem - table discussions
11:15 AM - Preliminary Research Findings – The BEE Project researchers
11:55 AM - Concluding Remarks – Dean Altaf Merchant, Milgard School of Business
12:00 PM - Lunch hosted by the EDB of Tacoma/Pierce County
1:00 PM - Innovation Expo – Global Innovation and Design Lab - MLG 203
Student and community entrepreneurship fair – visit the tables, hear the ideas, and vote for your favorites.
3:00 PM - Expo Prizes Announced - MLG 203
Expert Panel - Financing a Business
May 1, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 1:20 pm | Milgard Hall 110, UW, Tacoma
Students, faculty, staff, and community members joined us for a panel discussion on Financing a Business with Business Impact NW, BECU Business Services, and Commencement Bank. This conversation helped participants understand what kind of funding is available to entrepreneurs and small businesses and what criteria are used to award funding.
Our panelists discussed:
- Different types of financing
- What it takes for a business to receive financing
- What mistakes to avoid in choosing financing
Expert Panelists:
Christine Buckley, Business Impact NW
Pat Lewis, Commencement Bank
Brent Robinson, BECU Business Services
