;)
Programs to Grow Your Venture
Here are some ways in which either the university you attended or schools in your area may be able to help you launch and grow your venture:
- Universities are promoting entrepreneurship by sponsoring accelerator programs. One example is Stanford Student Startup Accelerator.
- Universities may also have Entrepreneurship Centers that run programs for alumni and students. The New Venture Mentor Program at New York University is one example. The MIT Venture Mentoring Service is another.
- The MBA Team Consulting services offered by business schools is another resource. As an example, here's a link to this program at Rutgers Business School.
- Universities can also have business development programs that are open to local businesses that meet certain criteria. These are not limited to current students or alumni. One such program is Entrepreneurship Pioneers Institute at Rutgers University.
Other organizations, affiliated with universities, that can help include:
- Global Venture Lab Network is an alliance of academic institutions who share best practices to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in a university environment to help create new companies and industries. (Scroll down slightly for the member directory.)
- iBridge Network provides a public, centralized source for unbiased information about early stage technologies and inventions.
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps guides promising research with commercial potential out of university laboratories. Here's a recent article on the program by Steve Blank.
- National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance grants, competitions and ventures. Here is a list of colleges and universities that are members.