Entrepreneurship
At Cornell

Alumni founders of OrthoFit gain momentum

June 1, 2018

Alumni founders of OrthoFit gain momentum | Cornell Chronicle On May 23, Cornell alumni Jason Guss, Apoorva Kiran and Pankaj Singh learned that their company, OrthoFit – founded while they finished Cornell Ph.D.s in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering – has been accepted into the highly competitive MassChallenge Accelerator in Boston. The accelerator provides research and development space, access to world-class resources and up to $1.5 million in cash prizes. Over the past eight years, MassChallenge Boston startups have raised an average of $75,000 while participating in the program. The OrthoFit team also has been selected to receive in-kind Continue reading...

Cornell Tech grads’ solutions to global problems

May 25, 2018

By Jon Craig | May 24, 2018 Jason Koski/University Photography Dan Huttenlocher, the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and vice provost of Cornell Tech, gives opening remarks at the May 18 Open Studio. On May 19, Cornell Tech announced that four student startup teams won co-working space in the Tata Innovation Center on Roosevelt Island and pre-seed funding amid fierce competition from dozens of other Cornell Tech classmates. The awards followed Open Studio presentations on May 18 highlighting students’ computer-based innovations that seek to advance research, health care, food programs, transportation and fashion For example Crater, a local Continue reading...

2018 Cornell Tech Startup Awards

May 22, 2018

May 21, 2018 Categories: Startups, Studio Cornell Tech Announces Winners of 2018 Startup Awards Raoul Navaniti, Johnson Cornell Tech MBA, co-founder of litOS Startup Award winners with David Tisch (right) Darya Moldavskaya, Master in Computer Science ’18, co-founder of ReverCare. Eliza Harkins, Johnson Cornell Tech MBA ’18, co-founder of Kipit. From left to right: Jake Magid, Master in Computer Science ’18, Steve Davis, Parsons School of Design, Elena Zhizhimontova, Master in Computer Science ’18, co-founders of TogethAR. Raoul Navaniti, Johnson Cornell Tech MBA, co-founder of litOS Startup Award winners with David Tisch (right) PreviousNext NEW YORK, NY – Cornell Tech Continue reading...

Entrepreneur 101: To nurture job growth, U.S. universities seed start-ups

May 10, 2018

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A decade ago, Devin Jameson might have chosen to drop out of college and work on Eversound, a wireless headset start-up for senior communities. Instead, Jameson was able to combine his co-founded company with his academic coursework through Cornell University’s eLab program, an accelerator curriculum he completed in 2015. The eLab program runs for a full academic year. Students build out their businesses while participating in lectures, class work, mentorship and receiving a $5,000 investment. At the end of the program, students demo their businesses in front of a crowd of hundreds, including potential Continue reading...

Students display entrepreneurial spirit in competitions

April 25, 2018

More than 100 students who participated in three business competitions and a demonstration embodied the spirit of entrepreneurship at the annual Celebration conference at Cornell April 18-20. “The quality is always going up,” said Zach Shulman ’87, J.D. ’90, director of Entrepreneurship at Cornell, which hosts Celebration. “Students are thinking about starting companies earlier, so they tend to be better prepared.” Winning the Student Business of the Year competition and $5,000 was Combplex, which provides real-time remote monitoring and minimal diagnostics for honeybee colonies. Beekeepers lose about $80 million per year due to the death of their colonies. And Continue reading...

Wayfair founders share story of company’s rise

April 25, 2018

Chris Kitchen/University Photography From left, Niraj Shah ’95 and Steve Conine ’95 speak with Lance Collins, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, April 19 during Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration. Wayfair founders share story of company’s rise By Kathy Hovis | April 23, 2018 Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship News & Events MEDIA INQUIRIES  Cornell drew Niraj Shah ’95 and Steve Conine ’95 together even before they enrolled here as students. The founders of Wayfair, honored April 19 as the 2018 Cornell Entrepreneurs of the Year, met at Cornell during a special six-week summer program for high school students. A year later, Continue reading...

April 25, 2018

Panel tells how ‘Geek Girls’ succeed in tech By Teagan Todd | April 24, 2018 Computing & Information Sciences MEDIA INQUIRIES  Simon Wheeler/University Photography Avani Bhargava, left, co-president of Women in Computing at Cornell, and Éva Tardos, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Computer Science, at the “Geek Girls” panel. Dozens gathered in the Alice Statler Auditorium April 18 to hear panelists discuss the past, present and future of women in technology. “A Conversation with Geek Girls” featured Heather Cabot, co-author of “Geek Girl Rising,” a book that explores what Cabot refers to as “the sisterhood [that has been] shaking up tech.” Cabot Continue reading...

Three students named delegates to Clinton Global Initiative University conference

April 24, 2018

Saloni Verma ’18, Kiyan Rajabi ’18 and Imani Majied ’19 have all received early-decision notification from the Clinton Foundation that they will be delegates to the Clinton Global Initiatives University (CGI U) conference at the University of Chicago in October. When applying to CGI U, students submit a summary of an ongoing project or idea for a “commitment to action” focused on education, environment and climate change, poverty alleviation, peace and human rights, or public health. Verma, a graduate engineering student, has committed to a project to evaluate changes in the memory of older adults who take medications Continue reading...

Demo day, Big Idea competition top Celebration 2018

April 12, 2018

April 10, 2018  Cornell Entrepreneurs of the Year Steve Conine ’95 and Niraj Shah ‘95, co-founders of Wayfair, will be honored on campus April 19 during the annual Celebration conference sponsored by Entrepreneurship at Cornell. More than 300 alumni, friends and entrepreneurs are expected to come to Ithaca for the April 18-20 event, which features symposia on a wide range of topics; a Q&A and dinner with Conine and Shah; numerous student business plan competitions; an expo of resources for entrepreneurs; and multiple networking opportunities. The conference will also feature a keynote speech from Pelin Thorogood, president and Continue reading...

Student business owners vie for campuswide prize

April 6, 2018

Thirteen student companies pitched their business ideas during the Student Business of the Year competition finals March 28 at eHub Collegetown. The competition, sponsored by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, features student businesses nominated from each of Cornell’s schools and colleges. The winner will be announced April 20 during the annual two-day Celebration conference, which draws nearly 300 alumni to campus for panel discussions, a demo day for student businesses and networking opportunities. One of the companies pitching last week was Guardian Health, founded by Andre Hook, MBA/MHA ’18 and Derick Simmons, MHA ’19. The company will provide on-demand health care Continue reading...

Cornell startup Orthofit combats workplace injuries

April 6, 2018

Two years ago, three Cornell students sat in the lab, hunched over their computers, typing their doctoral theses and papers. Their muscles began to ache, and they started to complain to one another. That commiseration led Jason Guss, Ph.D. ’18, Apoorva Kiran, Ph.D. ’17, and Pankaj Singh, Ph.D. ’17, to create a solution that evolved into their startup company, Orthofit. Orthofit is the newest member of Ithaca’s business incubator, Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, and is refining the prototype of its signature product  –  a “smart” glove embedded with sensors to track hand and wrist actions during the workday. Continue reading...

Alcohol from dairy waste may be headed to a tap near you

March 23, 2018

Dairy that is fermented and brewed like beer could soon be on tap as Sam Alcaine, M.S. ’07, assistant professor in the Department of Food Science, turns dairy waste into a flavorful drink with an alcoholic kick. The research is more than a compelling addition to the craft beer craze: Alcoholic dairy products could be a solution to an increasing problem for New York’s powerhouse Greek yogurt industry. The production of Greek yogurt creates acid whey, a leftover liquid with very little protein and few profitable uses. Alcaine, former product innovation manager at Miller Brewing Co., thinks there Continue reading...

Starting a business as an immigrant

February 22, 2018

On Feb. 7, Upstate Capital Association of New York hosted “Starting Up and Staying Here: Immigrant Entrepreneurship,” a networking event at Cornell University’s eHub focused on immigrant entrepreneurship in the region, encouraging professional networking, and examining legal restrictions on startups that international students confront if they remain in the U.S. after earning their degrees. Following a welcome speech from Cayuga Venture Fund partner and Upstate Capital Executive committee member Jennifer Tegan, four immigrant entrepreneurs presented their startup pitches to the audience: Cornell alumnus Vipul Saran, founder of sustainable food processing company Farther Farms; Morteza Ahmadi, co-founder of artificial Continue reading...

Interested in social entrepreneurship? Become a ‘change-maker’

February 6, 2018

Applications to become a delegate to the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) are open through April. All Cornell students – particularly those in their sophomore year or who already have a social entrepreneurship project underway – are welcome to apply. Notification of acceptance will be in May, with the expectation that students will work on their individual commitment to action for at least one full year. Many delegates reapply to the CGIU program for consecutive years as their projects grow. The current cohort of Cornell delegates includes 15 students. They presented their commitments to action during a pitch Continue reading...

Entrepreneurship and innovation minor to create ‘agents of change’

January 29, 2018

Entrepreneurship and innovation minor to create ‘agents of change’ By Susan Kelley | January 29, 2018 Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship News & Events Media Inquiries Media Contact Rebecca Valli rv234@cornell.edu 202-434-8049 The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business has launched a new minor in entrepreneurship and innovation open to undergraduates majoring in any field at any college or school at Cornell. The minor leverages the collective strength of the many entrepreneurship courses and programs offered throughout campus. And it responds to an increasing demand from students and employers for entrepreneurial thinking and skills. The minor’s mission is to Continue reading...

Wayfair founders named 2018 Cornell Entrepreneurs of the Year

January 24, 2018

Entrepreneurship at Cornell has announced that Niraj Shah ’95 and Steve Conine ’95 have been named 2018 Cornell Entrepreneurs of the Year. They will be honored April 19-20 during Celebration, Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s conference in Ithaca. Shah and Conine co-founded Wayfair in 2002 and rapidly grew the business to become the largest online retailer of home furnishings, housewares and home improvement goods in the U.S. Wayfair has extensive operations in the U.S. and Europe and employs more than 6,800 people. Both graduates of the College of Engineering, Shah and Conine partnered in several successful ventures before founding Wayfair, Continue reading...

Press Release: Thiel-Backed Maidbot, Inc Creator Of Rosie The Robot Partners With

January 8, 2018

Thiel-Backed Maidbot, Inc Creator Of Rosie The Robot Partners With BISSELL, Inc. Have you ever watched the Jetsons? Maidbot, Inc., a robotics company that created Rosie, the first housekeeping robot and indoor mobile data platform for hotels and commercial buildings, announced today it received a strategic investment from BISSELL, Inc. BISSELL led the investment round with participation from existing and new investors including 1517 Fund, Comet Labs, and Rough Draft Ventures, along with strategic hospitality and industrial cleaning organizations. The investment will help the company expand its sales and marketing efforts, build out its engineering capabilities, and accelerate Continue reading...

Waste Makes Bio-Oil

December 7, 2017

by Caitlin Hayes For every cup of Greek yogurt made, two cups of wastewater are produced. Companies have to dispose of this waste, called acid whey. The majority of it is handled either by trucking it to a wastewater treatment plant to process at a cost or by transporting it to farmers to use as fertilizer or in animal feed. The farmers accept the acid whey, but its use requires work. Until recently, dairy companies paid farmers to take it off their hands. With the long-distance trucking of acid whey alone, the environmental impacts are considerable, in addition to Continue reading...

Lt. Gov. Hochul announces $15M from state for CHESS upgrade

November 17, 2017

Jason Koski/University Photography Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, right, speaks with CHESS associate director Ernie Fontes, far left, during a tour of the facility Nov. 15 at Wilson Laboratory prior to Hochul’s funding announcement. Looking on, left to right, are State Sen. Tom O’Mara, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and President Martha E. Pollack. In the background, center, is Ritchie Patterson, director of the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education. Hailing the retention and creation of 250 jobs as one of its most important benefits, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul formally announced Nov. 15 that the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source Continue reading...

State-supported entrepreneurship launches businesses, creates jobs

November 17, 2017

Financial support from New York state, combined with universities’ innovation and assets, is a powerful catalyst that generates businesses and cultivates jobs, according to testimony from a key player in the upstate entrepreneurship ecosystem. Tom Schryver ’93, MBA ’02, executive director of Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement, testified Nov. 10 to state legislators in Albany, saying state-funded entrepreneurship programs are an effective way to support economic growth. He addressed the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry. “If we can leverage colleges and universities – our research, students, faculty Continue reading...

‘Literally Endless’ Resources Help Support Student Startups

November 13, 2017

Colby Triolo ’19 is one of hundreds of students running a startup at Cornell, and she remembers the “very second” the idea for her startup came to her. After suffering from post-concussion syndrome for almost two years, Triolo had her first headache free day in 724 days. Two weeks later, she was in the car with her dad explaining how she overcame her condition and was back to exercising. While talking about it she said the words “You make you,” and they both knew that this slogan was something that “needs to be shared.” Flash forward three years Continue reading...

Chemical engineer turned CEO: ‘Wonderful time to be an entrepreneur’

November 13, 2017

Cornell has named a Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year every year since Robert F. Smith’s junior year as a chemical engineering student. On Nov. 3, Smith – one of the world’s top business minds – received this year’s award from President Martha E. Pollack. “Your leadership and thoughtful, socially responsible philanthropy mean a great deal to me and to Cornell,” Pollack said. “As one of the university’s most distinguished alumni, you are an outstanding example for our students by demonstrating the extraordinary impact Cornellians can have across the nation and around the world.” Smith, a member of the Continue reading...

Entrepreneurs converge with students, alumni, faculty and staff at Summit

November 8, 2017

More than 500 people, including many Cornell alumni, faculty, staff and students, gathered in New York City for Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s sixth Summit event Nov. 3. Speakers shared stories of their entrepreneurial journeys and the lessons they’ve learned from starting companies, while participants explored 17 booths featuring products and services from Cornell start-ups and programs. “Across all of Cornell’s campuses, entrepreneurship is thriving,” said Cornell President Martha E. Pollack, as she introduced Robert F. Smith ’85, CEO of Vista Equity Partners, who was honored at the conference as the 2017 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year. Not only is Continue reading...

No More Dull, Dirty, & Dangerous Work: An Interview with Micah Estis Green, Founder of Maidbot & Pioneer of the Connected Hotel

October 30, 2017

Micah Estis Green has always had an interest in robots — he’s been putting together robots from kits since he was five years old. But it wasn’t until his freshman year at Cornell University as a business major with a focus in hospitality that he combined his love of robotics with a fresh take on an old-school industry. Now Micah is Founder, CEO, and President at Maidbot, a robotics company revolutionizing the often sluggish hospitality industry. It all started in a class called Intro to Hotel Operations. As part of his coursework, Micah was working as a hotel housekeeper when Continue reading...

Entrepreneurship Summit NYC set for Nov. 3

October 12, 2017

Cornell President Martha E. Pollack will join entrepreneurs from Brooklyn Brewery, Rent the Runway and Shutterstock as featured speakers for the sixth Cornell Entrepreneurship Summit NYC Nov. 3, organized and hosted by Entrepreneurship at Cornell. The event will also honor Robert Smith, founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, as the 2017 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year. The summit, with the theme “Where Ideas Collide,” will feature nine entrepreneurial business leaders speaking in TED-style talks and fireside chats about their entrepreneurial journeys. They will share insights about their successes and challenges, and motivate and inspire participants to Continue reading...

Student delegates to attend Clinton Global Initiative conference

October 12, 2017

Fourteen Cornell students were selected by the Clinton Foundation as delegates to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University conference Oct. 13-15 at Northeastern University in Boston. The meeting will bring together more than 1,100 student leaders, who will make “Commitments to Action” in the initiative’s five focus areas: education; environment and climate change; peace and human rights; poverty alleviation; and public health. Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative convenes global and emerging leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, initiative members have made more than Continue reading...

Students across colleges work together on hospitality hackathon

October 10, 2017

From sensors that help chefs automatically manage their inventory to apps that help housekeeping staff more efficiently clean their hotels, 115 Cornell students spent the weekend of Sept. 29-Oct. 1 coming up with ideas focused on the luxury hotel industry during a hospitality hackathon. Hosted at eHub Collegetown by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, the event attracted graduate and undergraduate students from many Cornell schools and colleges, who formed diverse teams focused on personalizing guest experiences, creating a frictionless experience for guests and developing a data-driven product. “This was the first in what will be a series of hackathons, and Continue reading...

Seven entrepreneurship faculty hire assistants with alumni support

September 27, 2017

Seven faculty members were honored with awards from the Louis H. Zalaznick Teaching Assistantship program, allowing them to expand their courses or add teaching assistants. The program, administered by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, was established in 1993 by David W. Zalaznick ’76, a Cornell trustee, and his wife, Barbara ’76, to honor David’s father, Louis. The awards allow faculty affiliated with Entrepreneurship at Cornell to extend their capacity to work with students by providing one or more assistants to help with their courses or course development. Zalaznick award winners for this year and their projects: John Callister, the Harvey Continue reading...

Beehive monitoring company wins pitch at entrepreneurship kickoff contest

September 18, 2017

Beehive monitoring company wins pitch at entrepreneurship kickoff contest By Kathy Hovis  | September 15, 2017 Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship Community Engagement Media Inquiries Media Contact Joe Schwartz bjs54@cornell.edu 607-254-6235 facebook icon twitter icon email icon plus icon Chris Kitchen/University Photography ‹›× × Previous Next Santiago Alegria ’18, a team member of Petal, presents his pitch during a contest Sept. 13 at the Entrepreneurship Kickoff event in eHub in Kennedy Hall. A company with a device to help beekeepers monitor the health of their hives took first place in a pitch contest, and more than 150 students explored Continue reading...

Top 50 Universities Producing VC-backed Entrepreneurs

September 6, 2017

This report began as an idea for a blog post several years back. Since then it has transformed into an in-depth breakdown of which schools produce the ultimate bui lding blocks of the venture industry: founders. Looking at the data fi ltered down to where founders went to school serves several purposes. It may produce pride for those that see their alma mater at or near the top of the listings, it may even be a point of contention between rival schools. But this data is in fact an impor tant piece of understanding the venture ecosystem(s) as Continue reading...

Here are the top schools among founders who raise big dollars

August 25, 2017

You don’t need a fancy university degree to launch a startup and secure venture capital. But looking at the data on who gets funded, alumni affiliation sure seems to be a big contributing factor. For this back-to-school series, Crunchbase is taking a look at how top U.S. universities rank in terms of graduating entrepreneurs who go on to launch funded startups. We look at which institutions launch the most startups, as well as the most highly capitalized. But first, a spoiler alert: If you’re looking for surprises, stop reading now. The results largely confirm what people in venture Continue reading...

Entrepreneurship: A developing ecosystem of, through and beyond Cornell

May 24, 2017

It is not an exaggeration to say entrepreneurship is woven throughout Cornell’s academic culture. After all, the university’s co-founder and namesake, Ezra Cornell, was a 19th-century entrepreneur who made his fortune in the telegraph business. Today, entrepreneurship is fostered in numerous ways that reflect the university’s educational and public service mission and interdisciplinary ethos. Through research, coursework, fellowships, leadership initiatives, business incubators, community outreach, business plan competitions and more, an evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem has emerged at Cornell. Its reach extends throughout the university, from minds and hubs across the Ithaca campus and into the local community to the Continue reading...

An inside look at Ithaca’s business incubators

May 24, 2017

One of the more important challenges Ithaca faces in 2017 is business retention. Between Ithaca College, Cornell University and Tompkins Cortland Community College there’s certainly enough young brainpower and entrepreneurial energy to develop an intriguing and appealing start-up environment. The only problem, of course, is keeping that talent in-house and not losing it to the bright lights of New York City or other glamorous cities.  Enter Rev: Ithaca Startup Works and Cornell University’s eHub. Though both cater to different markets, both are essentially set up to achieve similar goals, namely providing resources and workspace that make it as Continue reading...

At NYC makeathon, students change lives with technology

May 18, 2017

Cornell students, faculty and volunteers teamed up at an April 21-23 makeathon in New York City to create technologies that can improve the lives of people with disabilities. The event was a collaboration among Cornell Tech, Entrepreneurship at Cornell, the ILR School’s K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, the New York City Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities and TOM Tikkun Olam Makers.

Doing the Right Thing

May 10, 2017

Emerging businesses today are helping themselves by helping others as entrepreneurs respond to both society’s and customers’ demands to make a difference while making profits. Yve-Car Momperousse, MS ’14, and Katherine Herleman, MS ’17, are the women behind two companies that address concerns such as environmental protection, meaningful employment, global warming, and sustainable energy. And their businesses are rewarding on many levels. Momperousse and Herleman delivered their stories on April 28 at “The Power of Social Enterprise,” a discussion moderated by Monica Touesnard, associate director of Johnson’s Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise. The panel was sponsored by the Continue reading...

Ties that Bind, Lessons Learned

May 10, 2017

What do you do if you are next in line for joining your family business? Will you choose that route, and if so, when and how? Will you walk away to pursue something entirely different? People faced with that choice say they learned valuable lessons as they decided whether to accept the legacy left by their parents and other close relatives, launch a new business of their own, or gain experience elsewhere and then return to the fold. Four Johnson MBAs — three Johnson students and an alumnus — shared their personal experiences of growing up in family Continue reading...

Entrepreneurship Celebration is April 27-28

April 24, 2017

More than 200 alumni are expected to return to campus – along with a few humanoid robots – for Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration conference, April 27-28. Keynote speaker for the event will be Rodolphe Gelin, chief scientific officer of SoftBank Robotics Holdings, who will bring three versions of “Pepper” the robot with him. “We look forward to hosting Celebration each year, as it is a wonderful student-centric conference,” said Zach Shulman ’87, J.D. ’90, director of Entrepreneurship at Cornell. “Each year brings new programming and tons of entrepreneurial energy.” Celebration public events Wednesday, April 26 5:30-7 p.m.: “Generation Continue reading...

How to Start a Startup @ Cornell

April 13, 2017

How to Start a Startup @ Cornell Want to understand the potential of starting a company while at Cornell? Look no further than John Zimmer (SHA ’06), Co-Founder of Lyft. John found the inspiration for Lyft from a city planning course he took as an undergraduate student in the School of Hotel Administration. From TechCrunch: “At Cornell John took a class called “Creating Green Cities and Sustainable Futures,” which was taught by Professor Robert Young. Over the course of the semester, Young walked students through changes in city infrastructure over the centuries and challenged them to imagine the future Continue reading...

Students from across campus pitch business ideas

April 6, 2017

Students representing 11 startup companies with products ranging from organic skin care products to concussion detection devices pitched their businesses to a panel of judges March 20, vying for the 2017 Student Business of the Year, given by Entrepreneurship at Cornell. The students, who represented many of Cornell’s schools and colleges, as well as graduate programs, were nominated by their respective school or college for the honor, which includes a $5,000 prize. The winner will be announced at a lunch during Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration conference April 27-28. Jason Guss, a doctoral student in engineering, said his product Continue reading...

CVM hosts first-ever animal health hackathon

April 4, 2017

The world’s first-ever hackathon dedicated to animal health took place last weekend–generating dozens of innovations and sparking unique collaborations. The event, co-hosted by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and Entrepreneurship at Cornell, partnered 130 Cornell students from across degrees, majors, and colleges (including  32 DVM students) with professional mentors to generate ideas for promoting animal health. The Hackathon was held at the eHub Collegetown, a flexible co-working space for budding Cornell entrepreneurs located just off the Ithaca, N.Y. campus. The first day began with presentations and panel discussions from innovators and leaders from a range of organizations, including clinics, startups Continue reading...

Water Sensor Moves from Basic Research to Promising Business

February 14, 2017

A water sensor technology that began as basic research at Cornell is blooming into a business that fills a vital need for grape, nut, apple, and other growers. While current water sensing tools are expensive, inaccurate, or labor intensive, the new sensor tells growers when their plants need irrigation with accurate, real-time readings at reasonable cost. Much like a blood pressure gauge for humans, the sensor reads the water pressure inside the plant. When plants are thirsty, their water pressure is low, sometimes even negative. The sensor reads this pressure inside the plant to help growers ensure plant health Continue reading...

Cornell Tech, eLab startup Datalogue raises $1.5 million

February 6, 2017

Datalogue, a Cornell startup with roots on the Ithaca and Cornell Tech campuses, uses deep learning and artificial intelligence to automate data preparation. The company raised $1.5 million in seed funding from Bloomberg Beta, Flybridge, NVIDIA and other investors to support its work in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Founder and CEO Tim Delisle, M.H.A ’15, who is now pursuing an M.Sc. with a concentration in Health Tech at the Jacobs-Technion Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, calls the successful fundraising “a crazy ride,” noting the New York City-based Datalogue incorporated in February 2016 before they had graduated Cornell’s Continue reading...

Robert F. Smith is Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2017

February 3, 2017

Entrepreneurship at Cornell has announced that Robert F. Smith ’85 has been named the Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2017. He will be honored Nov. 3 during Cornell’s annual Entrepreneurship Summit in New York City. Smith’s company, Vista Equity Partners, manages equity capital of more than $26 billion and oversees a portfolio of more than 35 software companies that employ more than 42,000 people worldwide. Under his leadership, Vista has exclusively focused on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled solutions. Smith earned his bachelor’s in chemical engineering at Cornell and his MBA from Columbia Business School. He worked at Continue reading...

Weill Cornell lab helps translate ideas into innovations

February 1, 2017

Weill Cornell Medicine has recently launched a dedicated program to foster an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the institution. The program, the Dean’s Entrepreneurship Lab, provides resources and educational opportunities to students and faculty who have ideas with commercial potential that they want to translate from the lab to the patient. This bench-to-bedside process is complicated, with a wide gap between what scientists typically pursue on their own – publishing research, developing a prototype – and later phases of development, like starting a company. The Dean’s Entrepreneurship Lab, or eLab, strives to bridge this divide, helping researchers Continue reading...

Cornell Tech postdoc program pushing scientists and engineers to start businesses

January 25, 2017

Can Entrepreneurship Revive The Troubled PhD? An innovative Cornell Tech postdoc program aims to keep research at its core while pushing scientists and engineers to start businesses. Cornell Tech’s graduate programs will start moving to a new campus on Roosevelt Island later this year.[Photos: Kyle Thompson for Fast Company] PhD students once dreamed of lifelong tenure, generous sabbaticals, and a closet full of jackets with elbow patches. Academic life, with its dusty-booked charm, ruled the day. No longer. Even in STEM fields, roughly 40% of PhDs are graduating without employment commitments. Could the solution be teaching postdocs to Continue reading...

Students win top prize in NYC financial hackathon

November 29, 2016

Students win top prize in NYC financial hackathon By Kathy Hovis Cornell undergraduate and graduate students took part in a financial technology hackathon organized by Entrepreneurship at Cornell Nov. 11 at Cornell Tech in New York City. The students were joined by graduate students from Cornell Tech, Howard University, New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a weekend of “coding, camaraderie and creativity” as they worked on solutions for problems in two categories – detecting money laundering and financial inclusion. “We wanted to take a weekend to get students thinking about ways their skills can be applied for the Continue reading...

Gift lets entrepreneurship faculty hire assistants

November 18, 2016

Gift lets entrepreneurship faculty hire assistants By Kathy Hovis Eight faculty members from five colleges, as well as Cornell Tech, were honored recently with awards from the Louis H. Zalaznick Teaching Assistantship program. The awards allow them to expand their courses or hire teaching assistants. The program, administered by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, was established in 1993 by David W. Zalaznick ’76, a current Cornell Trustee, and his wife, Barbara ’76, to honor David’s father, Louis. The awards allow faculty affiliated with Entrepreneurship at Cornell to extend their capacity to work with students by providing assistant(s) to help with Continue reading...

Entrepreneurs gather for Cornell-hosted summit in NYC

November 9, 2016

Entrepreneurs gather for Cornell-hosted summit in NYC By Kathy Hovis Jason Koski/University Photography Sendar Mizrakci, MBA ’17, second from left, and Ziad Jarjouhi, MBA ’17, founders of PureSpinach, talk to some of the attendees at Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Summit 2016 event Nov. 4 in New York City. PureSpinach won top honors in the summit’s pitch contest. From ways to improve company culture to strategies for recovering from a setback, entrepreneurial leaders shared their thoughts with an audience of more than 500 Nov. 4 at Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Summit 2016 in New York City. Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest, Continue reading...

Sparking Ideas: ILR alum facilitates student entrepreneurial experiences

October 28, 2016

According to Peter Cortle ’10, “There hasn’t been a better time to get involved in entrepreneurship as a student at Cornell.” Cortle would know. He is the founding director of eHub, a community space for student entrepreneurs that opened this fall through a partnership between Entrepreneurship at Cornell and Student Agencies Foundation with the support of ILR and other schools on campus. He is also the founder of multiple startup organizations, including Life Changing Labs, a non-profit summer incubator and mentorship network for Cornell entrepreneurs, and Life Changing Summer, a program that teaches entrepreneurship and computer science to Continue reading...

Exceptional Activities in Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines GCEC Award

October 11, 2016

On October 1st, Entrepreneurship at Cornell was  recognized for “Exceptional Activities in Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines” by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC)  at the annual conference hosted University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology.   Directors, staff members and  faculty from entrepreneurship centers at academic institutions representing 16 countries were among the more than 400 attendees participating in the three-day conference.  The GCEC awards – in eight categories –  are designed to showcase and celebrate the very best of university entrepreneurship.  92 award applications were received, setting a record number of submissions,  for consideration by a Continue reading...

Entrepreneurs celebrate two new co-working spaces

September 30, 2016

Two newly renovated spaces – eHub Collegetown and Rev: Ithaca Startup Works – opened their doors last week to students and community members, offering many new resources for local entrepreneurs. The spaces allow students and members of the Ithaca entrepreneurial community to germinate ideas, receive mentorship, produce their services and products, and grow their businesses. “The entrepreneurial mindset has always been a core value in Ithaca. In recent years, however, our ecosystem has grown stronger, faster,” said Tom Schryver ’93, MBA ’02, executive director of Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement. “With the opening of eHub and the Continue reading...

Rosie: Johnson grads deliver with convenient shopping app

September 27, 2016

It is a familiar and often repeated story in business. Someone sees — and seizes — opportunity where others foresee failure or misfortune. “When we started this four years ago, everyone thought we were crazy,” says Jon Ambrose MBA ’14, chief operating officer and a co-founder of Rosie Applications Inc. “Technology in the grocery industry was the worst idea of all time, according to most people back then.” But Ambrose and his fellow co-founders, Chief Executive Officer Nick Nickitas MBA ’14, and Chief Technology Officer Michael Ryzewic, saw opportunity where others did not. They created their startup company, Rosie Applications Inc., in Continue reading...

Growing Entrepreneur Community Celebrates Two New Co-working Spaces

September 22, 2016

By Kathy Hovis,  staff writer, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Two newly renovated buildings — eHub Collegetown and Rev: Ithaca Startup Works  — are opening their doors this week to students and community members, offering a plethora of new resources for local entrepreneurs. The spaces will allow students and members of the larger Ithaca entrepreneurial community to germinate ideas, receive mentorship, produce their services and products and grow their businesses within Tompkins County. “The entrepreneurial mindset has always been a core value in Ithaca. In recent years, however, our ecosystem has grown stronger, faster,” said Tom Schryver Continue reading...

Entrepreneurial students share ideas at eHub opening

September 16, 2016

More than 300 students filled the eHub space in Kennedy Hall Aug. 31 for a grand opening celebration, a showcase of student businesses and a pitch contest. InvestMend, founded by Samuel Kramer ’18 took first place in the student pitch contest, winning $1,010 and entry into eLab, a student business accelerator run by Entrepreneurship at Cornell and the Student Agencies Foundation. Kramer’s company matches investors interested in renewable energy with small-project developers. “I’m currently recruiting one person with a background in finance who wants to save the world,” Kramer told the audience. Second place went to Vispio, an Continue reading...

The 10 Universities That Produce the Most Startup Founders

September 14, 2016

From Mark Zuckerberg to Bill Gates to Steve Jobs, some of the world’s most famous and successful founders are college dropouts. That might lead some people to believe that most startup entrepreneurs don’t bother to get a degree. But those people would be wrong. Despite the hype around a few incredible dropout success stories, the vast majority of startup founders complete college, and a whole host of tech scene veterans (with the notable exception of Peter Thiel) say that, given the huge uncertainty inherent in the startup game, it’s generally wise for aspiring founders to finish their degrees. Continue reading...

High schoolers create business ideas at summer boot camp

August 5, 2016

Eleven high school students from as far away as Romania and as close as Ithaca spent three weeks on campus creating new businesses with entrepreneurial Cornell student mentors this summer. The students were part of the “Life Changing Summer” program hosted by Life Changing Labs (LCL) and Entrepreneurship at Cornell in the new eHub space in Kennedy Hall. Ithaca high-schooler Freya Ryd’s idea for an app called “Commun” would allow people at social events or conferences to connect with like-minded folks in the same room. Asaru Turner of Atlanta has an idea for a “Detective” device that would Continue reading...

Venture Capitalist Fosters Student Entrepreneurship

July 18, 2016

Venture Capitalist Zach Shulman talks about his role as Director of Entrepreneurship at Cornell University and how he plans on continuing to help young entrepreneurs thrive. Nominations are open for the 2016 Upstate Venture Ecosystem Awards. Honor the leaders creating a new venture economy in Upstate New York, and plan on joining us at the celebration on September 16 at the Turning Stone Resort. In 2015, Zach Shulman won the Ecosystem Champion Award – an award reserved for an individual who is catalyzing and supporting startup activity across multiple Upstate communities. Zach has two dominant activities. He has been Director Continue reading...

eHub opens doors to first set of student entrepreneurs

June 29, 2016

The first floor of Kennedy Hall has been transformed from a lobby and waiting area to a humming incubator for entrepreneurial students. Even in summer, 10 teams of students are using the space to help move their businesses along without the pressures of classes. eHub opened earlier this month and houses the offices of Entrepreneurship at Cornell and Blackstone LaunchPad, as well as conference rooms and a large meeting area for groups and informal meetings. A second eHub location in Collegetown is set to open in early August. Students meeting in the Kennedy eHub space are part of Continue reading...

eHub Provides Space for Community, Collaboration to Cornell Entrepreneurs

June 28, 2016

Entrepreneurship at Cornell and Student Agencies Foundation, working in tandem with several Cornell colleges, has opened a 5,000 square foot workspace on campus for student entrepreneurs to collaborate and advance their ventures, according to Zach Shulman, director of Entrepreneurship at Cornell. The workspace, located in Kennedy Hall, opened for student usage June 4, and a larger center will open at 409 College Avenue in August, Shulman said. The Kennedy Hall location provides “collaboration space” for students, lecture space for entrepreneurship programs and various staff offices, according to the Entrepreneurship at Cornell website. <iframe id=”74458bb90a” name=”74458bb90a” src=”http://oncampusweb-d.openx.net/w/1.0/afr?auid=538220187&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no” Continue reading...

Cornell Tech “Project Runway” participant launches Nanit

June 20, 2016

What if a simple camera capturing data for machine learning could tell you the threat level of an individual approaching a fence? What if the same combination of camera and computer could classify the behavior of shoppers in a grocery store isle and judge things like intent to purchase, presence of decision paralysis, and ease of identifying desired products? Fueled by advances in image recognition and processing power, smart-cameras that can classify human behavior rather than simply observe it may be the next step for IoT. Nanit is one of the first companies in this space. Dr. Assaf Glazer, a parent Continue reading...

Students promote new entrepreneur resource

May 13, 2016

Students promote new entrepreneur resource By Kathy Hovis Jason Koski/University Photography Managing Director Felix Litvinsky with the 2016 Blackstone LaunchPad fellows Tiffany St. Bernard, left, Kenny Sang and Tatiana Cherne. Three student fellows recently joined the staff of Blackstone LaunchPad (BLP) and are already offering innovative programming for entrepreneurial Cornell students. Tiffany St. Bernard, a graduate student in the field of biomedical engineering, and undergrads Tatiana Cherne ’16 and Kenny Sang ’17, have been working to spread the word about BLP, which provides mentoring, coaching and resources for entrepreneurial students, faculty, staff and alumni. They helped organize the Continue reading...

Equine Design wins Student Business of the Year by a nose

April 19, 2016

Equine Design wins Student Business of the Year by a nose By Susan Kelley Jason Koski/University Photography Caitlin Parrucci ’15, M.Eng. ’16, discusses her business Equine Design at Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration. Equine Design was named winner of the 2016 Student Business of the Year. Equine Design, a company that keeps horses healthy by tracking their water intake, is the winner of the 2016 Student Business of the Year. Founder Caitlin Parrucci, ’15, M.Eng. ’16, accepted the $5,000 prize from Entrepreneurship at Cornell at an award ceremony April 15, part of the group’s annual entrepreneurship Celebration April 14-15. Continue reading...

Students pitch business ideas at Celebration events

April 19, 2016

Students pitch business ideas at Celebration events By Kathy Hovis Jason Koski/University Photography Mikayla Diesch ’16 and Hannah Gallovic ’16, founders of Wristbeat, pose with their check for $3,000 from Entrepreneurship at Cornell. Wristbeat was named co-winner of the Big Idea competition. Jason Koski/University Photography Beverly Wallenstein ’16, founder of Girls Rule Business, poses with her check for $3,000 from Entrepreneurship at Cornell. Girls Rule Business was named co-winner of the Big Idea competition. An easy-to-wear heart monitor and a nonprofit that encourages young girls to start their own business shared top honors April 15 in the Big Continue reading...

Pillsbury: Success for entrepreneurs stems from courage, balance

April 19, 2016

If anyone knows what it takes to be an entrepreneur, it’s Leland “Lee” Pillsbury ’69. The 2016 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year shared lessons learned during his illustrious career with the next generation of Cornell entrepreneurs April 15. “Most important, it’s the jockey, not the horse. It’s you as an individual and the management team that’s far more important than the business idea,” Pillsbury said. With serious moments and a sprinkling of jokes, he gave an animated keynote speech at a luncheon honoring 2016 Student Business of the Year nominees. The previous evening, Entrepreneurship at Cornell had presented Continue reading...

Entrepreneurship to play ‘essential’ role in College of Business

April 18, 2016

By Susan Kelley Jason Koski/University Photography The College of Business leaders speak at the Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration conference April 14. From left: Dean Soumitra Dutta; Chris Barrett, deputy dean and dean designate of academic affairs; and Rohit Verma, dean designate for external relations. With entrepreneurship faculty and classes now scattered across campus, the nascent College of Business is poised to act as the focal point for entrepreneurship-related academics at Cornell, coordinating scholarship and teaching activities that will become an essential aspect of the college’s strength and coordinating them with activities in other colleges, administrators said. On a Continue reading...

Celebration draws Cornellian business leaders April 14-15

April 6, 2016

Being a successful entrepreneur is like surviving a Tough Mudder race pretty much every day. Adam Slutsky ’85 should know. Slutsky has fond memories of his Cornell days selling T-shirts as a Student Agencies entrepreneur. Today, he’s CEO of Tough Mudder, a company that hosts more than 60 obstacle course races each year across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany and Australia, attracting more than 2 million people. And he’s run a couple other companies between those two. He’ll be a keynote speaker during Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration event, April 14-15. Slutsky founded Moviefone in 1989, which offers Continue reading...

Business competitions highlight student ideas

April 6, 2016

Jason Koski/University Photography ILR student Beverly Wallenstein will enter her business idea, Girls Mean Business, in the 2016 Big Idea Competition. Would-be student entrepreneurs from across campus spent some of their spring break polishing their pitches for the Big Idea Competition, to be held Friday, April 15, at 4:30 p.m. in the Statler Ballroom during the 2016 Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration. Alyssa Holman ’18, a biology and society major in the College of Arts and Sciences, wants to create 3-D hearts that could be used in transplants. “Only 2,000 to 3,000 people get heart transplants every year, but there Continue reading...

Managing director named for Blackstone LaunchPad

February 25, 2016

Entrepreneurship at Cornell recently welcomed the first managing director for Blackstone LaunchPad (BLP) at Cornell, an initiative of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation that provides mentoring, coaching and resources for entrepreneurial students, faculty, staff and alumni. Felix Litvinsky, a seasoned international technology entrepreneur and a member of various angel investor groups, began the job Jan. 25. Blackstone LaunchPad offers free, confidential mentorship for individuals and startups at any stage in any industry, as well as access to a global network and other resources. It operates at 17 campuses across the country and in Ireland. Litvinsky has been speaking in Continue reading...

Leland Pillsbury named Entrepreneur of the Year for 2016

January 28, 2016

Entrepreneurship at Cornell has announced that Leland C. Pillsbury ’69 has been named Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2016. He will be honored April 14-15 during Cornell’s annual entrepreneurship celebration conference in Ithaca. Pillsbury was CEO, founder and chairman of Thayer Lodging Group from 1991 until its sale to Brookfield Properties in 2014. He serves as a senior adviser to Brookfield and remains active in hotel real estate transactions and travel technology. Pillsbury has played a major role in the launch of more than 15 new companies and is a founding investor in Thayer Ventures, a venture capital fund Continue reading...

Cornell entrepreneurs make move for visibility

January 20, 2016

A Collegetown address could be getting a makeover to create a more “clear street presence” for the organizations that inhabit it. Cornell University and a student-run affiliate organization, Student Agencies Foundation, recently submitted a site plan review application to the City of Ithaca to renovate the facade of the nearly 30-year-old structure at 409 College Ave. in the hope of making the organization easier to find and to create a modern space for a new, entrepreneurial program the building will house. A rendering of the proposed renovations to 409 College Avenue in Collegetown. (Photo: STREAM Collaborative) eHub is the working name for the experimental Continue reading...

Meet Fifteen of the Brightest College Entrepreneurs and Their Innovative Startups (including 2 from Cornell)

January 20, 2016

We are hearing a ton of buzz from CES about the latest and greatest innovative products from some of the world’s top companies everything from the world’s first human flying drone, to refrigerators where you can buy groceries from fridge. All of these ideas had to start somewhere and today we are seeing the innovators behind these great products starting younger and younger. College students today are more interested than ever about entrepreneurship. Today one-third of all business incubators are housed on college campuses and the number of entrepreneurship courses has increased from 250 in 1985 to more than 5,000 recorded in Continue reading...

Entrepreneurial students pitch to alumni at NYC event

December 21, 2015

Students who are part of eLab pitched their start-up business ideas to a group of 54 alumni and other prospective advisers at a New York City event Dec. 4. Twelve teams – with ideas ranging from a system to monitor equine water intake to a platform to connect college students to charities they care about – shared their midyear progress. The midyear pitching event was new this year for eLab students, whose ideas span animal care, hardware, financial technology, biotech, food production, food science, philanthropy, Web platforms, data mining and distribution, said Jeremiah Cotman, eLab coordinator. Students presented Continue reading...

Videolicious’ Amanda Eilian on Healthy Pessimism in Entrepreneurship

November 19, 2015

Should more founders listen to their inner pessimist? Amanda Eilian, co-founder and president of New York-based Videolicious, said this trait is critical to success. “Pessimism is actually a positive thing as an entrepreneur,” she said. She spoke Friday at the Cornell Entrepreneurship Summit in New York, a daylong event that included Hampton Creek CEO Josh Tetrick, and Brandon Steiner, an old-school Brooklynite who literally found a way to make a buck selling dirt as CEO of Steiner Sports Marketing & Memorabilia. Eilian’s message was more about not believing one’s own hype, and less about walking around grumbling that Continue reading...

Students Tackle Community Issues at 24 Hour Hackathon

November 17, 2015

Nearly 150 students participated in the University’s first Random Hacks of Kindness hackathon, coding for 24 hours straight from Saturday to Sunday morning to formulate solutions to community problems put forth by local organizations and nonprofits in Tompkins County. At the end of the hackathon, representatives from Accenture, the AFYA Foundation and the Cornell Public Service Center selected three winning teams out of the 25 participating teams, who were eligible to receive $2,000 to $3,000 to execute their proposed solution, according to the Random Hacks of Kindness website. The hackathon was sponsored by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, which hosts Continue reading...

Summit shows taking risks drives success for entrepreneurs

November 11, 2015

Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett made it clear Nov. 6 how excited the university and she are about Cornell’s expanding commitment to new business startups and entrepreneurship in Ithaca and in New York City. She spoke near the conclusion of a daylong “Erase the Edge” Cornell Entrepreneurship Summit at The TimesCenter Gallery in Manhattan at which CEOs presented and students pitched business ideas. Approximately 450 people attended the daylong event, hosted annually by Entrepreneurship at Cornell. Cornell was founded by an entrepreneur, and the university has always been entrepreneurial, Garrett said, citing more than a dozen active, collaborative and Continue reading...

Queen Elizabeth Prize Foundation 2015: Queen Elizabeth II Honors Dr Robert Langer

October 29, 2015

Queen Elizabeth II honored chemical engineer Dr Robert Langer with a one million pound award for his advances in engineering at the Throne Room in Buckingham Palace Monday. The British monarch was joined by her granddaughter Princess Eugenie at the special prize-giving event. Also present were Prince Philip, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne. Elizabeth presented the award in the presence of select guests and other members of the royal family. The 89-year-old monarch looked resplendent in a cream and gold dress at the award ceremony. She accessorized with a three-string pearl necklace, small pearl earrings and gold watch. Continue reading...

Alum Robert Langer wins Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering

October 29, 2015

Robert Langer ’70 has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for “revolutionary advances and leadership in engineering at the interface of chemistry and medicine.” The 1 million pound prize recognizes engineers responsible for innovations that benefit humanity. The queen will present Langer the prize at Buckingham Palace later this year. Langer, who has a chemical engineering bachelor’s degree from Cornell, is the David H. Koch Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he leads the largest biomedical engineering lab in the world. His research is in engineering polymers to control the delivery of drugs Continue reading...

Blackstone Charitable Foundation Announces Largest Expansion of Successful Campus Entrepreneurship Program “Blackstone LaunchPad” to Five Universities Across New York State

October 26, 2015

New York, New York, October 23rd, 2015 – The Blackstone Charitable Foundation today announced the largest expansion of its campus entrepreneurship program, Blackstone LaunchPad, to five universities across the state of New York. New York becomes the eighth Blackstone LaunchPad region, following Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Montana, California, and Ireland. The Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s three-year, $4.5 million grant will establish a partnership between Cornell University, New York University, Syracuse University, University at Albany (SUNY), and University at Buffalo (SUNY) to introduce entrepreneurship as a viable career option and provide over 180,000 students, regardless of major, with a network Continue reading...

Zalaznick awards support course expansion, TAs

October 13, 2015

Eight faculty members from four Cornell colleges were honored recently with awards from the Louis H. Zalaznick Teaching Assistantship program, allowing them to expand their courses or add teaching assistants. The program, administered by Entrepreneurship at Cornell, was established in 1993 by Cornell trustee David W. Zalaznick ’76 and his wife, Barbara ’76, to honor David’s father, Louis. The awards allow faculty affiliated with Entrepreneurship at Cornell to extend their capacity to work with students by providing one or more assistants to help with their courses or course development. Zalaznick award winners for 2015 and their projects: David Continue reading...

new eLab Project Coordinator named

October 8, 2015

New to the eLab Management Team this year is Jeremiah Cotman, taking on the role of Project Coordinator. He was chosen for his strengths in problem solving, written content, and ability to build strong relationships quickly. He is thrilled by the startup’s journey from idea to concept to something alive and working. After four years at eLab, starting as a volunteer and progressing to the management team, Peter Cortle is stepping down as Program Manager. When asked what he is going to miss most, Peter said, “Working with all of our startup teams on a week-to-week basis – I will continue Continue reading...

eHub grows space for student entrepreneurs

September 15, 2015

Cornell students need community entrepreneurship space that provides an effective environment to hatch ideas, work together, discuss problems, get mentorship and run actual businesses. In partnership with the Student Agencies Foundation, Cornell is addressing this need by creating eHub. eHub, slated to open in spring 2016, will be housed in two newly renovated facilities designed to foster entrepreneurism among Cornell students, faculty and staff. eHub will include 10,000 square feet on the second and third floors of the Student Agencies building at 409 College Ave. and 4,000 square feet on the first floor of Kennedy Hall on campus. Continue reading...

Horse water intake device takes entrepreneurship prize

September 10, 2015

The winner of the pitch contest during the Entrepreneurship Kickoff event Sept. 2 wants to solve a problem for horse owners all over the world. A competitive equestrian for 15 years, Caitlin Parrucci ’15, is creating a specialized drinking bucket called “Thirst Alert” that measures horse water intake and issues alerts when there’s been a change or when the bucket is low. Changes in water intake can be an early signal that a horse is suffering from colic, so these alerts could help owners prevent the disease. Parrucci was one of seven students who presented ideas during the Continue reading...

InvitedHome, founded by Cornell alumni Henry Parry-Okeden, ranked 28th fastest growing company in America by INC. Magazine

August 12, 2015

Inc. magazine names Colorado-based InvitedHome one of the 500 fastest growing private companies in the U.S., and rates it first in the travel category   With a three-year sales growth of 8,000 percent, InvitedHome is transforming the way homeowners, investors and travelers think about vacation rentals     BOULDER, Colo. – Aug. 12, 2015 – A new leader in the bourgeoning vacation rental industry, InvitedHome has captured the attention – and trust – of home owners and travelers alike, earning it a spot on the coveted Inc. 500 list for fastest growing private companies in the U.S. InvitedHome’s impressive Continue reading...

Startup Schools: America’s Most Entrepreneurial Universities 2015

August 11, 2015

The usual suspects still rule our annual Most Entrepreneurial Research Universities this year, with Stanford University on top once again. Only 3 newcomers make it on top 20: Brigham Young University, Northeastern and University of San Francisco, while San Diego State, UC Santa Barbara and Syracuse fell behind.  

Which Universities Produce the Best Startup Talent?

July 22, 2015

It’s an ongoing debate just how much influence universities have over the startup landscape anymore. There’s an exhaustive list of entrepreneurs who never finished their degrees who actively speak out against the importance of higher ed in the tech industry, and accessing all the pertinent skills has never been easier. Meanwhile coding bootcamps churn out job-ready developers in a mere fraction of the time it would take to get a traditional degree (albeit, for about the same price tag). Image Credit: Flickr/COD Newsroom So what about those technically gifted students who want to work in tech and also Continue reading...

Student interns help stir growth at Ithaca Hummus

July 16, 2015

From making their production line more efficient to creating attractive displays in grocery stores and refining employee job descriptions, a trio of Cornell student interns are contributing their talents – and learning lots about food preparation – this summer at Ithaca Hummus. The company’s production facility is in a business park just outside of Groton, New York, where lines of gleaming stainless-steel kettles can hold more than 1,000 pounds of garbanzo beans, enough to fill the 4,000-5,000 containers Ithaca Hummus ships out weekly to retailers. It takes 8 to 10 hours to cook and cool the beans until Continue reading...

Students spend summer incubating their business ideas

July 9, 2015

While most Cornell students headed home for the summer – off to internships, work or play – a group of entrepreneurial undergrads and graduate students are staying in Ithaca for intensive business development as part of the new Life Changing Labs (LCL) summer incubator. Six student teams are working on their businesses in apartments and offices, meeting together at least three times a week in the PopShop space in Collegetown. They are supported by the LCL management team, internal mentors and a group of 10 student interns – so called “Life Changers,” who help with everything from customer Continue reading...

Students, alumni showcase innovation at South by Southwest

May 4, 2015

Students, alumni showcase innovation at South by Southwest By Kathy Hovis Cornell showcased a wide range of student and alumni innovation during this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, with more than 200 joining in a Cornell-sponsored reception during the film, music and interactive gathering in Austin, Texas in March. The reception, hosted by the Cornell Entrepreneur Network, Cornell Silicon Valley and Entrepreneurship at Cornell, gave alumni and Cornell-affiliated guests the chance to connect and share ideas. “Having [a] Cornell presence at SXSW has proven to be very beneficial to our alumni, parents and friends, and they expect Continue reading...

ILR helps local small businesses with ADA best practices

May 1, 2015

Which of the following businesses need to be accessible to people with disabilities: car dealership, private dentist office, take-out only eatery or hair salon in a private home? (Answer below.) Cook About a dozen employees from local small businesses and agencies attended “Accessibility and Your Small Business: Best Practices for a Limited Budget” April 23 to learn answers to these and other questions related to Title III regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The workshop was presented by LaWanda Cook, extension associate and training specialist for the Northeast ADA Center, which is one of 10 regional Continue reading...

Sprouting student startup wins $100,000 business contest

May 1, 2015

Germinating from a campus incubator, Uma Bioseed – a startup business developed by Cornell MBA students – has won the 2015 New York Business Plan Competition, besting more than 500 other student-led teams. Winning the competition carried a $100,000 grand prize. “Winning this competition harkens back to Cornell’s land-grant and ‘any study’ roots, arising from cross-discipline Cornell innovations and leveraged by the business school to help launch it,” said Brennan Whitaker Duty, MBA ’15. Duty, Abhijeet Bais, MBA ’15, and Margaret “Margo” Wu, MBA ‘15, serve as the management team of the new company. As a Cornell-based startup, Continue reading...

Jay Walker shares 10 ‘superforces’ of the business future

April 27, 2015

Jay Walker ’77 has founded 40 to 50 companies, and while most of them failed, he had several big hits along the way, namely priceline.com, Synapse and Walker Digital. He also is an owner of TEDMED, an annual healthcare innovation summit. He told a crowd of nearly 300 at the eLab Demo Day April 16 that he feels pretty comfortable giving advice to future entrepreneurs, and did just that as keynote speaker for the event, part of Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration two-day conference and a showcase for 10 student companies working at the student business accelerator. “Entrepreneurship is Continue reading...

Alumni, students share business ideas at Celebration

April 27, 2015

For alumni like Vijay Vashee, M.E.N. ‘75, coming back to campus for two days every April for Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration event is a treat. “I just love meeting talented, young, smart people and helping them see how they can change the world,” said Vashee, one of more than 200 alumni who returned to campus April 16-17 for the annual conference. “It’s only the young who are willing to take the risks we need.” Vashee talked while taking a break from judging the Big Idea Competition, one of several student contests held during the event. Vashee is a Continue reading...

Students honored for business plans and ideas

April 27, 2015

Three student teams took home prizes April 16-17 in contests held during Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Celebration conference, while another 10 teams presented their final pitches at eLab’s Demo Day. In the undergraduate Big Idea competition, Alexis Osler ’17, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, won first prize in the for-profit category for his software idea, “Rheumatology,” a tool to help doctors provide better care for arthritis patients. Iyore N. Olaye ’16 and Noel Alexander ’16, both students in the College of Engineering, took home first prize in the nonprofit category for “GreenBack,” a scholarship management Continue reading...

Priceline.com Founder Jay Walker’s Ten Big Super Forces Changing the World

April 20, 2015

One of the greatest opportunities that an entrepreneur can have is for their venture to be aligned with great social or economic forces underway.  This may bring them an opportunity to achieve uniquely great success, as explained by Priceline.com founder Jay Walker in his keynote at Cornell University.  When Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration invited Walker to speak at their eLab Demo Day on April 16, they gained someone able to share their experiences of having accomplished just that.  Three of Walker’s 40 plus startups have individually gained over 50 million customers. While Walker is known for having founded Priceline.com, the Continue reading...

April Brings Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration; Priceline.com Founder Jay Walker Keynote Speaker

March 26, 2015

This April 16-17, Cornell University is holding its annual Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration, a two day conference that brings together multiple colleges and programs on the Ithaca campus with Cornell students, faculty, staff, and alumni.  The event is an immersive experience for all of the approximate 700 attendees, offering networking opportunities, expert advice on venture development, an eLab Demo Day, a special keynote speech by Priceline.com founder Jay Walker, and access to a range of resources helpful to entrepreneurs. Keynote speaker Jay Walker is best known as the founder of Priceline.com and now heads Walker Digital, a privately-held Continue reading...

8 steps to launching a successful business in college

March 18, 2015

Starting a business before you even graduate from college might seem like a risky move, but it’s actually the best time to do it. “Starting while in college is a great time, because failing has few consequences. They generally don’t have children, mortgages, or jobs to risk, so failing just makes them students,” says Eden S. Blair, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Here’s how to start your own business in college while giving it the best chance of success: 1. Find a mentor Being in college gives you access to resources you won’t have in Continue reading...

Alumni entrepreneurs, investors to return for “Celebration”

March 17, 2015

Alumni entrepreneurs working in areas as diverse as app development and food product marketing will return to campus Thursday and Friday, April 16-17, to share their insights with students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered for Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s annual Celebration conference. Celebration events The following events are free and open to the public. Register here for the conference and Celebration banquet. Thursday, April 16 9:30 a.m. to noon: Cornell Venture Challenge Finalist Presentations, Amphitheater, Statler Hotel 4:15-6:15 p.m.: eLab Demo Day, with keynote by Jay Walker ’77, Statler Auditorium Friday, April 17 4:30-6 p.m.: “BIG Idea” Undergraduate Competition Continue reading...

Karpman takes up residence in entrepreneur program

March 5, 2015

Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s new entrepreneur in residence, Robert Karpman, has been on the job only two weeks. But he’s already heard from several students, including one with ideas for engineering medical tissue and an architecture student wanting advice on equipment needed for the development of a mobile clinic. An entrepreneur and orthopedic surgeon, Karpman has been teaching Business as a Second Language, a course that introduces business and managerial concepts to students in science, engineering and technology fields. Karpman said it’s important for students working on biomedical and healthcare innovations to know how doctors and health care workers Continue reading...

UPDATED: MEDIA ADVISORY: President Clinton to visit Clinton Foundation projects in Haiti

February 24, 2015

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton will visit Kreyol Essence suppliers and farmers in Mirebalais, Haiti on Monday, February 23rd. Kreyòl Essence, founded by Haitian-American social entrepreneur Yve-Car Momperousse is the first agribusiness in Haiti to develop eco-luxury beauty products based on unrefined castor oil. During the 2013-2014 academic year, Yve- Car participated in Cornell’s eLab accelerator program.