VCIC internal competition

We have two entrepreneurs here today and four teams of students competing in our internal VCIC competition.

Nice work putting this together, Stephen and Amy.

-Howie

Raise funds for your Duke startup here

Hi everyone, 

Do you have an idea for a great startup? Are you trying to raise funds for your startup? 

I'm working with an alumnus that has had a couple of successful exits and is now looking to invest in Duke entrepreneurs. He is working with a couple of friends and they have agreed to look at a few opportunities. 

So we've created the following simple form. If you're interested, please fill the form out. 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=cHBzeVlyYlRmSlFyMGR5RkxjY2djVGc6MA .. 

-Howie

Check out the Grand Challenges Summit

I received the following email.  It seems like a pretty star packed group.  In addition to Charles Vest, formerly president of MIT, and Steven Chu (incoming Secretary of Energy for President Obama), there is also Tom Byers of Stanford University (Panel at 3:15pm, March 2nd).    Worth checking out the program.

This will be held right around the corner at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

http://summit-grand-challenges.pratt.duke.edu/summit-program

Howie

"I am writing regarding an upcoming event which I feel sure will be of interest you.  It is the *Summit on the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges to be held at the Durham Performing Arts Center on March 1-3 (receptions will be held at the Marriott Convention Center and the Washington Duke Hotel & Golf Club).

 

Please see the link below for a detailed program for this event.

http://summit-grand-challenges.pratt.duke.edu/

 

This event is being hosted by Duke, USC Viterbi School of Engineering and Olin College and supported by the National Academy of Engineering.  It is sponsored by Duke Energy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Duke Energy, RTI International and others.

 

Dr. Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate (1997 in Physics) and Dr. Moira Gunn, Host of Tech Nation and BioTech Nation will be speaking along with Dr. Charles Vest, president of the National Academy of Engineering and more.

 

If you'd like further information regarding this event please feel free to contact me via reply email, Kathy Kay at kathy.kay@duke.edu or Deborah Hill at deborah.hill@duke.edu."

Congratulations to Cerene Biomedics

Congratulations to Cerene Biomedics, which travelled to SEBIO (www.sebio.com) and won their track to win $100,000.  

Cerene previously won the Duke Start-Up Challenge in the spring of 2008.

From CNN's spring write-up "Cerene Biomedics is working to prevent seizures using a kind of high-tech brain freeze."

-Howie

Standing room only at the Duke Start-up Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition

Finals event - Standing room only at the Duke Start-up Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition, originally uploaded by Entrepreneurship at Duke University.

We had a fantastic turnout for the Elevator Pitch Competition on Wednesday, November 19th. This event was run by the Duke Start-Up Challenge (www.dukestartupchallenge.org) and was tied in with Entrepreneurship Week at Duke University (www.eweekatduke.com)

Congrats to Cerene Biomedics

Congrats to Cerene Biomedics for being selected to present at SEBIO!

Cerene has participated in Barry Myer's Invention to Application course, as well as being the winner of the Duke Start-Up Challenge in the spring of 2008. 

http://news.sebio.org/2008/11/18/sebio-announces-four-finalists-selected-in-2nd-annual-bioplan-competition-finalists-to-present-at-upcoming-investor-forum/

A great Fall 2008

It's been a great (and rather busy) Fall 2008 here at Duke University.

Some highlights:

1) Over 60 competitors at our Elevator Pitch Competiton (part of the Duke Start-Up Challenge) up from around 25 last year.

2) Entrepreneurship Week at Duke University 2008 was a great success.  Pictures can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/eshipatduke, and the website for the event is at www.eweekatduke.com.  We had between 11 great events that engaged undergraduated, the School of Medicine, Fuqua, Law, etc...

3)  Launched the Program for Entrepreneurs, a pilot program that lets eight students receive an MBA while starting a company (with course credit).  We have eight great and motivated students going through this program.

4)  Had our first official Duke Entrepreneurship Education Series, a weekly series where we brought speakers in, and walked students through the process of starting a company. www.dukedees.com 

5)  Held our first "One Day Startup", a set of workshops where students work to start a company in one day.  We had 70 students spend their Saturday with us, and had great feedback on the event.