Topics cover in this how-to case study program:
- Spin In® Overview, including:
- Program Objective
- Types of Projects
- Key Benefits
- Program Impact
- Success Stories
- Spin In® Process
- Project Selection
- Executing Agreements
- Team Selection & Requirements
- Project Kick-Off
- Operational Management
- The benefits of targeting the undergraduate population
- Strategies for developing and providing support for student entrepreneurs
- Insight into IP protection and ownership
Entrepreneurship education is fast-becoming a must-have for universities as student interest in alternatives to traditional employment has skyrocketed in recent years. But classroom activity is just not enough to prepare young innovators for the trials and tribulations of building or working in a start-up. At the same time, existing university start-ups are eager for energetic students to help them grow, and local entrepreneurship ecosystems are in dire need of new talent to drive them forward. Yet many university student entrepreneurship programs cater to graduate students, leaving the “earliest-stage” entrepreneurs chomping at the bit.
The University of Delaware’s Spin In® Program is different. It connects university undergraduate students with community entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups to give them an inside look at business innovation in action and a chance to apply what they’re learning in real-life situations. It’s been a boon to the local business community as well as the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the university, with many projects already having gone to market. It’s a vibrant model that any university can learn important lessons from – and adapt to their own community.
Join us as Amalea Rassias, Assistant Director for the Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships (OEIP) at the University of Delaware, describes, in detail, the Spin In® Program’s partnership process that produces gains in economic and workforce development while nurturing entrepreneurship among students.
