The program, which introduces Indiana high school juniors and seniors to entrepreneurial processes and creating startups, has been honored for its work in advancing entrepreneurship and business incubation in young people.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy was named the Incubator Innovation Award winner at the National Business Incubator Association's (NBIA) 24th International Conference on Business Incubation held in Orlando.
“Commercial Reality - Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit and a Culture that Supports Commercialization in a Research University”
The program, which introduces Indiana high school juniors and seniors to entrepreneurial processes and creating startups, has been honored for its work in advancing entrepreneurship and business incubation in young people.
"To capture the entrepreneurial imagination of these Indiana high school students, my colleagues at the Purdue Research Park and our community volunteers are diligent in guaranteeing we provide the best possible resources and cover a wide range of subject areas," said Timothy Peoples, director of the Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy. "This recognition from NBIA confirms we are on the right track in helping students better understand the entrepreneurial process."
During the weeklong Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy, Indiana high school juniors and seniors work in teams on business cases to determine the best way for a business to compete, identify capital needs and devise a plan to manage the business. On the final day, teams give a 15-minute investor pitch to a panel of judges in a business plan competition setting. The winning teams receive Purdue tuition vouchers.
More than 130 students have attended the academy, and more than $13,000 has been awarded in vouchers since the inaugural event in 2007. The next Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy will be June 20-26.
Finalists in the NBIA competition were judged on multiple criteria, including the innovation's impact on clients or the nominating organization, creativity and financial management. The other finalist was "Commercial Reality - Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit and a Culture that Supports Commercialization in a Research University" from the Arizona Center for Innovation in Tucson.
Also during the NBIA conference, three Purdue Research Park officials led two 75-minute programming sessions:
* "Enhancing Your Client Advisory Services Process," led by John Hanak, director of the Purdue Technology Centers, and Peoples, along with Rick Solomon of RAN ONE Americas in Stony Brook, N.Y.
* "Youth Entrepreneurship - Launching Tomorrow's Leaders," led by Peoples and Juliana Spiker, Entrepreneurship Academy coordinator, along with Wendy Kennedy of Ottawa, Canada.
