LAUNCH
Entrepreneurship is a skillset that goes beyond the classroom and starting a business. If you’re ready to take your ideas to the next level, UA has multiple services available to help you launch your idea.
Mentorship
Mentorship is vital to launching a new idea. Getting input from people that have “been there, done that” can help avoid potential pitfalls.
Akron SBDC
Akron’s Small Business Development Center is part of a nationwide network of SBDCs that provide seminars and workshops in areas like business planning and accounting, as well as one-on-one consulting. SBDC has partnered with UA’s EX[L] Center to hold office hours on UA’s campus, as well as hosting events at the Akron Global Business Accelerator nearby.
Contact: info@akronsbdc.org
Alumni Relations
Alumni can be great mentors because of their expertise and desire to give back to the campus community in a meaningful way.
Contact: Willy Kollman, wrk1@uakron.edu
I-Corps
Discover the potential of your business idea through direct customer interactions as part of a 7-week program that provides training, mentorship and accountability. Students and faculty from all colleges and departments and from regional universities and colleges, as well as early-stage companies, are encouraged to apply. Students can apply with their own ideas or apply to join existing teams or startups.
Contact (email): NSFICorpsSites@uakron.edu
Starting Line
The Starting Line Pre-Accelerator prepares you to apply to UARF's I-Corps Accelerator program or other regional accelerators. The 10-step self-paced process walks you through key activities that help to refine your idea and build value in your business. At several steps along the way, you will receive feedback from our experienced new venture managers, and even meet in-person with UARF's I-Corps instructors to get tailored feedback.
Contact (email): UAStartingLine@gmail.com
UARF Senior Fellows
UARF's Senior Fellows are seasoned industry executives, who have started their own businesses and know the innovation process well. They can assist you with honest, practical advice on your idea, the challenges of becoming an entrepreneur, and who to work with to get the support your business needs.
Funding
Funding and exposure to pitching opportunities early and often is very important to sustain and grow a new venture. UA has a number of organizations that provide such opportunities to pitch and potentially receive funding through competitive processes.
ARCHAngels
The ARCHAngels (Akron Regional CHange Angels) Network is a regional forum that meets quarterly to introduce tech-based entrepreneurs to investors in Northeast Ohio particularly within the greater Akron area. The network presents high-quality companies and is open to student attendees, offering an exceptional forum to learn about the pitching process.
Contacts:
- Gordon Schorr, schorr@uakron.edu
- Barry Rosenbaum, barry@uakron.edu
- Daniel Hampu, dhampu@uakron.edu
NEOSVF
A student-run organization that funds high-growth potential, startups in Northeast Ohio in the area. Not only does NEOSVF provide funding for companies, it also provides an experiential learning opportunity for students of Northeast Ohio's colleges and universities to make real decisions about investing, which is done by teaching the partners about the startups, early-stage financing, and the due diligence process.
Contact (email): neosvffund@gmail.com
Contact (through site): http://www.neosvf.com/contact.html
LaunchTown
The LaunchTown Entrepreneurship Awards are an idea competition, seeking students with the best idea for a new business, product or service that addresses a significant market need. This is an open competition, available to all students, of all majors, from all colleges and universities. $10,000 in cash prizes available.
Contact: contactlaunchtown@gmail.com
UARF's Spark Fund
UARF’s Spark Fund provides resources and support to develop the proof needed to transform UA technologies that have gone through an I-Corps program into a validated prototype that can be licensed to a scalable startup company.
Contacts:
- Elyse Ball, ebal@uakron.edu
- Daniel Hampu, dhampu@uakron.edu
Commercialization
Commercializing new technologies can be difficult. UA has a number of people that are well-versed in technology commercialization and programs that can help guide new technology ventures through to commercialization.
I-Corps
Discover the potential of your business idea through direct customer interactions as part of a 7-week program that provides training, mentorship and accountability. Students and faculty from all colleges and departments and from regional universities and colleges, as well as early-stage companies, are encouraged to apply. Students can apply with their own ideas or apply to join existing teams or startups.
Contact (email): NSFICorpsSites@uakron.edu
UARF's Spark Fund
UARF’s Spark Fund provides resources and support to develop the proof needed to transform UA technologies that have gone through an I-Corps program into a validated prototype that can be licensed to a scalable startup company.
Contacts:
Elyse Ball, ebal@uakron.edu
Daniel Hampu, dhampu@uakron.edu
UA's Office of Technology Transfer
Some new companies may want to license technologies from UA to get access to the patents and knowhow they need. UA’s Office of Technology Transfer, in collaboration with UARF, has developed a national reputation for supporting startups, including developing flexible licensing arrangements that help startups succeed.
Contact: mehraj@uakron.edu
LaunchTown
The LaunchTown Entrepreneurship Awards are an idea competition, seeking students with the best idea for a new business, product or service that addresses a significant market need. This is an open competition, available to all students, of all majors, from all colleges and universities. $10,000 in cash prizes available.
Contact: contactlaunchtown@gmail.com
Space
Growing businesses need places to meet and make. Fortunately, UA has access to a range of professional office spaces and shared maker spaces to support new ventures.
Akron Innovation Campus
The University of Akron Research Foundation (UARF) has created the Akron Innovation Campus to help foster an open innovation culture in Northeast Ohio driven by universities, industry, business and other stakeholders in the region's communities. The campus contains competitively priced offices, as well as shared meeting spaces for student and faculty innovators.
Contact: uarf@uakron.edu
Location: 411 and 441 Wolf Ledges Parkway in Akron, OH 44311
Bierce Library MakerStudio
The Bierce Library MakerStudio is open to all UA students, faculty, and staff, free of charge. It gives those interested a chance to partake in the 3D Studio, Craft Studio, and One Button Studio.
Contact: Maria Hawkins
mhawkins@uakron.edu
330-972-8814
Location: University of Akron Bierce Library
Wayne College, Schantz MakerSpace
Schantz MakerSpace was created for people who share this belief, have a desire to learn or improve their skills, and wish to see the knowledge of craftsmanship survive into the future.
Contact: Tom Hammons, M.A.
tjh1@uakron.edu
330-684-8722