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Entrepreneurship is an increasing area of study in college campuses across America. According to , entrepreneurship courses have increased by nearly 2,000% since 1985. Here at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the growth is evident.
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When Brad Werner first began teaching entrepreneurship at CU, he was hidden in a corner of the Colorado Law School with twenty-something students. Now, he says, he teaches two courses with waitlists down the block.
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It’s unclear whether CU’s Entrepreneurship program’s growth was a result of student demand, or if student demand increased as a result of the program’s growth. Either way, it’s clear that the two are working together to inspire the creation of fantastic products and companies by students.
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Engineering student, Laurel Foderberg, is taking her company idea to the next level through her entrepreneurship class. She’s created a product to help students with limited fine motor skills to open their lockers, as the rotational movement can be difficult. While her love of design made creating the product easy, her entrepreneurship class is teaching her how to get her product in the hands of the people who need it.
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She says that pursuing entrepreneurship in college is smart because there’s little overhead cost when you factor in all of the resources available to students. Just this year, the university opened up a new space for student entrepreneurs called the StartUp Hub. The space boasts 3D printers, a virtual reality station, free coffee and much more. PhD student, Farah Akhtar, says that the bright and colorful space inspires a new energy for productivity.
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For students who really want to take their involvement in entrepreneurship a step further, the New Venture Challenge is the place to start. The program allows students to get matched up with mentors and teammates, grow your idea, and eventually compete for funding. Director of NVC, Ali LeBeau Greenstein, says that this year’s prize is a staggering 200,000 dollars.
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Any Buff with an idea can flourish in the entrepreneurship environment at CU. The hardest part is finding the courage to take a leap of faith.
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