Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

We're SEC champs! ?? #UARK?topped The Princeton Review's 2023 rankings for graduate entrepreneurship programs in the #SEC and placed No. 4 in the South! The prestigious rankings analyzed academic offerings, experiential learning opportunities and career outcomes. ???? Entrepreneurship & Innovation is a community for all disciplines at the University of Arkansas. As a part of it, you can: ?? Explore cutting-edge innovation spaces ?? Network with campus-wide changemakers and visionaries ?? Transform your passion into a project, a product, an event, a business, or a noble cause. Kickstart your entrepreneurial journey ??: https://lnkd.in/eNgfcbj #StartSomethingAR #StudentInnovators #CreativeExploration

Join us TOMORROW for a virtual info. session about the launch of the StartupNWA Hub, how to best utilize its features and how to get the most out of the platform. ??? RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gQTQYrMn OEI is proud to support the Northwest Arkansas Council's launch of StartupNWA Hub, which?links entrepreneurs to accelerators, business associations and investors in one comprehensive, searchable, up-to-date package.????? Built in partnership with EcoMap Technologies, Inc., StartupNWA Hub represents an evolution of the Council's efforts to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help the next generation of businesses flourish in a region known for its innovation. #StartupNWA #InnovationHub #EntrepreneurshipSupport

Bhavya Patel uprooted her life in 2019 when she switched career paths and moved to #NWArk. But taking that risk launched her journey from #UARK student to co-founder of a healthcare startup.????? Patel got involved with OEI, which helped embed her in several programs to kickstart her innovation journey, including the McMillon Innovation Studio and New Venture Development. "I realized that I'm good at (biology), but this is not what I want to do long term," Patel said. "I had a really great interest in business, and I wanted to be connected to this space." ???? Once embedded in NVD, Patel and her classmates formed a startup, Hidalga Technologies, which is revolutionizing oncology care by offering a software solution built on proprietary algorithms to streamline the prior authorization process. "We're all super passionate about growing this company and making an impact in the oncology space," Patel said. "We're going to take it to the next level."????? Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7x5uTeq #StartSomethingAR #HealthTech #StartupJourney

Join forces with Fierce Foundry, a #FemTech venture studio, and other women in #Arkansas to build an impactful company over a weekend! ???? This two-day event from Oct. 5-6 at The Collaborative will focus on innovation, collaboration, and empowerment, providing a platform for participants to develop their skills, network, and showcase their talents. The top three teams will be awarded cash prizes based on functionality and overall user experience of the prototype, viability of business plan and go-to-market strategy. ???? In 48 hours, teams of female engineers, designers, marketers and business leads will: ?? Build a working product prototype that a founder may continue building post-hackathon ?? Create a Go-to-Market Strategy for their product ?? Create an investor deck and business plan (including market research) for their product Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWWfFFyE #FemTech #ArkansasInnovtion #FemaleFounders

"Pop-ups provide a platform for businesses that may not have a permanent physical presence, serving as a low-cost, low-risk environment for entrepreneurs to test their products and build a customer base." ???? #StartupGrowth #SmallBusinessSupport #EntrepreneurLife

Hey #NWArkansas! Have an idea kicking around in your head and just need a small push to get started? Here’s your chance! ???? Apply to the Builders + Backers Idea Accelerator - a 90 day, virtual program w/ up to $5K in funding supported by the Walton Family Foundation, Ford Foundation, Edward Jones and Heartland Forward. Check it out here: ?? https://lnkd.in/gtSSu2yK #IdeaAccelerator #InnovationFunding #StartupSupport

Ready to turn your business idea into reality? Curious about the best roadmap for success?????? Then join us tomorrow for this live webinar led by Caleb Talley, executive director of?Startup Junkie Foundation. In this dynamic session, Caleb will provide invaluable insights and practical steps to kickstart and grow your business. Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from a top consultant and set yourself up for success!????? RSVP: https://lu.ma/out49upo #StartSomethingAR

"We use computer vision to promote firearm safety and basic skills with new gun owners and provide advanced feedback to hunters and marksmen."???? Meet FireWatchAI, one of eight startups in our Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP)! ??????? Based in #BellaVista, FireWatchAI is a veteran-owned company focused on building electronic systems that will speed-up the training time of first-time firearm owners while also increasing fun, accessibility, and overall proficiency of users in the field of modern marksmanship. The team is led by Jeffery Montgomery, a 2013 graduate of the University of Arkansas and current graduate student enrolled in the Master of Science in Product Innovation program.? As a part of #GORP's fall 2024 cohort, FireWatchAI will have access to workshop training, team mentoring and dedicated product/service development to help them scale. They'll also receive $15,000 in "non-dilutive seed funding" - which doesn't require founders to give up equity in the company. ???? Have you got the next big idea for #OutdoorRecreation? Then become a GORP entrepreneur ??: https://lnkd.in/gciY5bup #StartSomethingAR

Join us on Sept. 18 for a virtual info. session about the launch of the StartupNWA Hub, how to best utilize its features and how to get the most out of the platform. ??? RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gQTQYrMn OEI is proud to support the Northwest Arkansas Council's launch of StartupNWA Hub, which?links entrepreneurs to accelerators, business associations and investors in one comprehensive, searchable, up-to-date package.????? Built in partnership with EcoMap Technologies, Inc., StartupNWA Hub represents an evolution of the Council's efforts to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help the next generation of businesses flourish in a region known for its innovation. #StartupNWA #InnovationHub #EntrepreneurshipSupport

We're privileged to announce the latest cohort of our Graduate Entrepreneurial Fellows program! A record 10 students have been selected to pursue intensive entrepreneurial training across myriad industries. ???? The fellows, listed below alongside their discipline, will devote at least 20 hours per week to their entrepreneurial pursuits:? ??Lexi Applequist, Biomedical Engineering ??Warrenesha Arnold, Entrepreneurship ??Lance Cordes, Biomedical Engineering ??Chetanjot Kaur Romana, Food Science ??Ghazaleh Salmanian, Materials Science and Engineering ??Odunayo Sobowale, MBA, Information Systems ??Rohit Srinivasa, Agricultural Law ??Mikayla Tolliver, Experimental Psychology ??Joshua Upshaw, Experimental Psychology ??Landen Usher, Master of Science in Product Innovation Launched in 2021, the Graduate Entrepreneurial Fellowship supports exceptional graduate students in the pursuit of deep entrepreneurial training, allowing them to bridge their academic research with the problems they care about in society and industry. Read more about our fellows: https://lnkd.in/gE3cJg3M #StartSomethingAR #StartupLeaders #FounderJourney