Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

These inventions have received provisional patents that are jointly owned by the U of A and regional healthcare institution partners, a critical step that will give the inventors time to perfect their concept before filing for a full patent.

Three Inventions From BioDesign Program Receive Provisional Patents Interdisciplinary student interns participating in the Northwest Arkansas BioDesign Sprints program have teamed up with clinicians and other healthcare professionals to create three novel inventions.

"As we’re building a cycling industry up here, we think we can help support a hub of outdoor recreation companies in Arkansas that are building products, services and hopefully digital solutions all around outdoor recreation."

Outdoor rec startups thrive at UA’s GORP business incubator - Talk Business & Politics Phil Shellhammer wants to develop a statewide hub of outdoor recreation companies. The entrepreneur and former retail executive is focused on that goal as the leader of the Greenhouse Outdoor...

Over three days in June, participants from various Student Affairs departments identified problems and created possible solutions designed to help students succeed.

Student Affairs Using Human-Centered Design Approach to Help Students Succeed

Join us for a Woman-Run conversation with Amanda Earhart, the CEO of PushKin, about seeking venture capital funding. We’ll get together on Thursday, August 10, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., at The Brewer Hub (Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation) in Fayetteville for a Woman-Run happy hour and chat.

Amanda has raised pre-seed capital and grown a team on a mission at PushKin to bring the power of real-time analytics to the service economy. She draws from her 20+ years of experience as a software engineer and pre-IPO leader, growing teams from 6 to 600 at eBay and Meta. In 2021, she graduated with her EMBA from the University of Arkansas with a focus on entrepreneurship.

Register now at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nwa-woman-run-seeking-venture-capital-tickets-675531572117

The University of Arkansas swept the graduate division at the 2023 Arkansas Governor's Cup en route to a dominant showing that saw five U of A student startup teams earn nearly $60,000 for their companies.

Sweep Sensation: U of A Teams Capture Graduate Division at Governor's Cup Five U of A student startup teams won a total of $58,500 at the 2023 Arkansas Governor's Cup, more than half of the $114,000 prize pool.

A venture capitalist focused on female entrepreneurs and an investor from Arkansas looking to disrupt the largest industries in the world will highlight two keynote events at the fourth annual Heartland Challenge Student Startup Competition.

Rising Venture Capitalists to Headline Keynote Events at 2023 Heartland Challenge Anna Mason, managing partner for Ingeborg Investments, and Earnest Sweat, a venture partner at GreatPoint Ventures, will offer keynote

"GORP will support these startups with workshop training, team mentoring and dedicated product/service development to help them scale globally."

U of A program helps outdoor recreation programs The University of Arkansas' Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program announced its third cohort of startups. It's picked 6 companies to help them scale globally.

Overseen by the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, GORP is a business incubator focused on the outdoor recreation industry. The program is housed inside the Greenhouse at the U of A Collaborative in Bentonville.

Startups in U of A's Outdoor Recreation Incubator Showcase Their Progress Six startup companies offered what they learned and shared prototypes at the conclusion of a 12-week program of workshops, mentoring and seed funding.

Gene MassID was among 10 teams to receive funding in the Oct. 11 competition, which awarded more than $10,000.

Startup Focused on Brain Cancer Treatment Wins $2,000 at Seed Funding Pitch Competition Veronica Garcia and Hayot Tuychiev secured $2,000 for legal fees and further research for their diagnostic tool. They were among 10 teams that earned funding for proposed startups.

"More than 20 colleges and universities have representatives at SEED, 'every region in the state is in this room' -- as well as some areas of Missouri and Oklahoma -- and "I hope you leave with new connections and ideas, and [first] steps for growing entrepreneurial ecosystems.'"

SEED Summit for entrepreneurs kicks off in Fayetteville FAYETTEVILLE -- Academic and community collaborators are sharing economic development ideas at this week's inaugural SEED Summit, which focuses on supporting entrepreneurial spirit.

Designed to support promising students in the pursuit of deep entrepreneurial training, the Graduate Entrepreneurial Fellowship launched in 2021 with support from the Walton Family Foundation.

Six Students Named Graduate Entrepreneurial Fellows For Fall 2022 Six students representing three U of A colleges have been awarded the Graduate Entrepreneurial Fellowship through the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Five cycling companies are joined by three other eclectic outdoor startups: one focused on guided tours along the Buffalo River, another that has designed an all-in-one mobile tree stand and a sole founder with a prototype to improve camping from inside your vehicle.

U of A Startup Incubator Supporting Eight Companies During Fall Semester The U of A Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program has taken on eight new startups, each of which seek to develop a successful business related to outdoor recreation and service.

We'll host the FemHealth Founders (FHF) on Aug. 11 at the !

FHF was launched by entrepreneurs April Roy, Natalie Shew and Elizabeth Prenger to empower female founders who are offering solutions to women’s health and wellness issues.

This event is organized by Wright Lindsey Jennings' Woman-Run initiative, which connects current and aspiring woman business leaders through networking, mentorship, education and resources that address the unique needs of women in business.

Space is limited, so please register: https://lnkd.in/gtUF9MhV

In February, Pedro Somarriba joined the initial cohort of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). Less than six months later, he's on the heels of a product launch with plans to expand his inventory.

Entrepreneur Launches Product After Going Through U of A Business Incubator

"The Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation works closely with nearby Startup Ju**ie and the Fayetteville Public Library, forming an innovation corridor. Farther north, a Bentonville facility known as the Greenhouse supports entrepreneurs in the development of ideas in outdoor recreation, health care and software applications."

Rex Nelson | Staff NWADG.com is the premier digital source for news in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and surrounding areas in Northwest Arkansas. Featuring content from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"A science center with a planetarium and a 36-foot telescope would be a one-of-a-kind destination for the region's students, but the project needs money to get it off the ground ... NWA Space has worked for about five years to bring the region a planetarium and has made some significant progress toward that goal."

NWA Space seeks support for science center, planetarium in Lowell A science center with a planetarium and a 36-foot telescope would be a one-of-a-kind destination for the region's students, but the project needs money to get it off the ground, according to organizers.

"In a pandemic pinch, the founder of Noble Graze put her signature charcuterie boards in single-serve mason jars. They were an instant hit and were allowed under the food service COVID restrictions."

NWA entrepreneur sets jarring food trend Fayetteville native and serial entrepreneur Suzanne Billings is an international trendsetter with her jarcuterie creations.

"We had a basic idea, GORP helped us to think bigger," said Tyler Baumgardner, who along with his wife Morgan founded Encore Bike Rentals. "GORP came in and started to push us."

4 finish UA business program BENTONVILLE -- The first cohort of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program, a business incubator focused on outdoor recreation entrepreneurs, graduated in late April, and the participants say the program has magnified their chance for success right out of the gate.

Northwest Arkansas philanthropist Alice Walton and famed Sequoia Capital investor Jim Goetz headline an all-star list of speakers and judges at the third annual Heartland Challenge, a competition designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth enterprise.

The keynote event will kickoff the competition on Friday, April 15 at the Great Hall inside Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Alice Walton, Jim Goetz to Kick Off 2022 Heartland Challenge Northwest Arkansas philanthropist Alice Walton and famed Sequoia Capital investor Jim Goetz headline the third annual Heartland Challenge, a competition simulating the venture capital process.

Stop by the Hub tonight for the Startup Crawl, Startup Ju**ie's incredible one-night tour of 's startup community.

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Pryor Center in downtown Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS

We will be closed for lunch today!! But catch us in Fayetteville, AR this evening from 5pm to 8pm on Mountain Ave

Good Morning America correspondent and University of Arkansas alum T. J. Holmes dropped by today to spotlight the community, which included Coleman Warren and Simple + Sweet Creamery.

Warren, who is a Rhodes Scholar and U of A Student Body President, established Simple+Sweet as a way to fight food hunger in .

Simple + Sweet donates more than 50 percent of its profits to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and has contributed roughly 10,000 meals to date.

‘GMA’s’ T.J. Holmes visits alma mater, University of Arkansas “GMA” says “Rise and Shine” to the Razorbacks, with a big surprise from ALDI for one student business owner.

Twelve graduate startup teams across North America will compete this spring in the third annual Heartland Challenge, a competition designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth enterprise.

Student Startup Teams to Compete For $110,000 Cash Prize Pool in U of A's Heartland Challenge Twelve graduate startup teams across North America will compete this spring in the third annual Heartland Challenge, a competition designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth enterprise.

The U of A and regional healthcare leaders are teaming up to create an innovative new program that will focus on the challenges within the healthcare industry and create new solutions to bring to the marketplace.

New Program Will Identify Healthcare Challenges and Design Solutions The U of A is partnering with regional healthcare leaders to create a new program that will help identify challenges and yield new solutions in the healthcare industry.

GORP will support these startups with workshop training, team mentoring and dedicated product/service development to help them scale globally.

Housed at the Collaborative, U of A’s education and research hub in Bentonville, the 12-week program also provides up to $15,000 in “non-dilutive seed funding” per company, funding that doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.

Local Startups Selected by Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program The new business incubator focuses on entrepreneurs in the outdoor recreation industry. Ideas of the startups range from bicycling, rock climbing, fishing and hunting.

ICYMI: QSR magazine proclaimed Fayetteville-based Slim Chickens the “Breakout Brand of the Year” in the restaurant industry for 2021.

"Tom Gordon and Greg Smart co-founded the business in 2003 and started franchising a decade later. In July 2019, the growth potential attracted investment from 10 Point Capital , an Atlanta-based private equity firm that also backs Walk-On’s and Tropical Smoothie Cafe."

Industry mag labels Fayetteville's Slim Chickens 'Breakout Brand of the Year' - Talk Business & Politics According to QSR magazine, a major trade publication for the industry, Fayetteville-based Slim Chickens has had no trouble standing out in the world of quick-service restaurants. In a lengthy profile...

Cureate is back for another workshop series for food/beverage entrepreneurs looking to grow their business!

This 10-week curriculum with 10 other businesses is coupled with 1:1 leadership coaching and an end-of-program pitch competition worth $5,000!

Pictured here are the fall 2021 graduates.

Apply by Jan. 23: https://lnkd.in/g4fTStWg

Victor W. Hwang, CEO and founder of Right to Start, visited earlier this summer to see our growing startup scene.

He spoke to startups and advocates like Rockin' Baker and Conexión de Negocios Latinos about how they're working with entrepreneurs and civic leaders to help overcome the challenges that entrepreneurs face everyday.

The Start Show | Northwest Arkansas Today, we're visiting one of the fastest growing regions in America. 30 new faces move here everyday. At the same time, there is still a small town atmospher...