In 2008 the University of Miami started a student entrepreneurship program called Launch Pad. Unlike most academic entrepreneurship programs, it's not a major or set of courses. Instead, it's mostly an individual study program using outside advisers to teach aspiring student entrepreneurs what they need to know about starting a business.
Miami's Launch Pad is housed in their career center and positions entrepreneurship as an alternative to a traditional job. It is available to all Miami students. Miami also has a traditional entrepreneurship major and set of courses in their undergraduate business school.
Since the program started, University of Miami students and recent grads have launched 45 companies. This level of success led to the Blackstone Charitable Foundation committing to spend $50 million over the next 5 years setting up Launch Pads at other schools, starting with Wayne State and Walsh College.
Inc. Magazine has a nice Launch Pad summary and Business Week also covers it in an article on youth unemployment.
Based on our work with entrepreneurs, we're strong supporters of entrepreneurial education and training. Miami's approach is an exciting innovation in this field.
The only way business incubation will be a success is if universities starts establishing incubation in their institutions.
Posted by: mashilo | June 23, 2011 at 01:12 AM