Entrepreneurship

Innovation Quest Organizers Expect ‘Extraordinary Turnout’ for This Year’s Competition

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – The leaders of UConn’s highly successful Innovation Quest (iQ) competition said there are millions of varied ideas that could create prosperous startups.

But one irrevocable dynamic separates those who succeed from those who fail.

“The key to being successful is that you have to continually innovate,’’ says Rich Dino, director of the iQ program, who is also a serial entrepreneur and an associate professor emeritus. “Our entrepreneurs learn to ‘hear the footsteps behind them’ and accelerate the move forward by continued innovation.’’

Retired Professor Offers $100K Matching Gift to Save Veterans’ Entrepreneurship Program

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – United States Marine Corps veteran Tony Audette builds custom motorcycles for celebrities, business titans, and other enthusiasts who want a bike that’s unlike any other. His exclusive motorcycles sell for upwards of $130,000.

After two years in business, Audette Motorcycles, in Canton, is thriving. Audette credits much of his business knowledge and expertise to the School of Business’ Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV). The startup accelerator steered him away from several costly business mistakes, he said.

Startup Strives to Simplify Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Reduce Toxic Waste

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Did you know that the prescription you picked up at the pharmacy likely once contained a host of toxic materials that were used as a catalyst for its creation?

Don’t panic. In the development process, the toxins are stripped from the medication, and the FDA has stringent guidelines ensuring its safety.

But UConn chemistry professors Eugene Pinkhassik, Sergey Dergunov, and Ph.D. candidate Kevin Rivera have an innovation that they believe can offer a better, safer, less expensive, and more environmentally sound alternative.

UConn’s Werth Institute Recognized for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education

Posted on by Jaclyn Severance

UConn Today – From business to nutritional sciences, engineering to the arts, the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has distinguished itself as a dynamic and multidisciplinary environment where all UConn students can find an opportunity to learn, connect, and innovate alongside their entrepreneurially minded peers and with the help of seasoned educators and mentors.