Applications are now open through March 15 to graduate and undergraduate students from across Central New York colleges and universities for Compete CNY, the regional qualifier for the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC). Top regional teams will be selected to compete at the state level for over $30,000 in prize money and post-program mentorship available through NYBPC.

Compete CNY is the regional qualifier for the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), hosted at Syracuse University on March 26, 2021 by the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars at Syracuse University. It is open to any full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited college or university in the Central New York Region (Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego Counties). Top teams will be selected at the Compete CNY regional qualifier to move on to the statewide competition which is coordinated by The Upstate Capital Foundation and The Upstate Capital Association of New York.

Interested students should apply to compete in the semifinal regional competition based on the location of their school.  The application, along with the competition rulebook, is available on the NYBPC website.   

Key dates and application links are below.

• Applications new open. Apply here for the NYBPC website and also here for the Compete CNY regional qualifier.
• Workshops and mentorship schedule here.
  • March 4: Competition Overview for Regionals and Finals
  • April 8: NYS Entrepreneurship Resources
  • May 6: Investment
  • June 3: Team Building + Diversity + Boards + HR
• March 4:  Workshop by Upstate Capital Foundation. Sign up here.
• March 15:  Applications to Compete CNY regional round close. Apply here for the Compete CNY regional qualifier. Students should also register their intent to compete on the NYBPC website portal here and be sure to select Central New York as their region..
• March 26:  Compete CNY regional qualifier. (Virtual event hosted by Syracuse University
• April 25:  Finals videos and slide decks due for student teams moving on to the NYBPC
• April 28-Monday May 3:  Finals NYBPC judge review
• May 4:  Judge deliberation calls and top 3 NYBPC teams/track notified
• May 5:  Special prize decisions made by prize sponsors
• Friday May 7:  NYBPC finals and award announcements
  • 9-11 a.m. – “Track rooms” – Top 3 teams pitch “live” for judging panel with live Q&A
  • 11 a.m. -11:30 a.m. – Judge deliberation – track winners determined
  • 12 -1 p.m. – Grand Prize deliberation
  • 4 p.m. – Finals event and award announcements

The six competition tracks this year will be:

• Ag Tech & Food
• Infrastructure, First Responder & Defense
• Med Tech & Life Sciences
• Education & Well Being
• Consumer & Business Products
• Software & Services

In addition to the grand prize, special awards will be given in the following categories:

• Venture backable
• Social entrepreneurship
• BIPOC
• Female Founder
• Veteran Founder
• COVID-19 Response

The on-line Compete CNY application is here.

The on-line NYBPC student application is here.

The 2021 rulebook is here.

Get full competition details here.

About the New York Business Plan Competition:

Since 2010, more than 4,000 students have participated in the NYBPC, with more than 150 student-led ventures started.  The NYBPC provides opportunities for students enrolled in colleges and universities across New York to gain entrepreneurial skills and compete on their ingenuity, first on campus, then in the region, and for top teams, the statewide finals. The program has created over $150M+ economic impact including follow-on funding for 100+ startups. The competition starts with students competing in all 10 regions across the state and culminates with finalists from each region competing at the state level for recognition and prize money.

This year, applicants will tag their ventures by categories, supply basic team information and an executive summary to NYBPC in order to compete in the regional qualifiers.  They will also need to prepare a pitch presentation for the regional qualifier, as well as the statewide finals if they are selected to move on.  Here are some samples provided by NYBPC:

• Sample Executive Summary
• Sample Presentation

Note:  All regions use the same NYBPC application, so it is imperative that student teams correctly select CNY as their region of competition.  

About Compete CNY, the regional qualifier for NYBPC:

The Central New York regional qualifier is open to students from: 

• Cazenovia College
• Cayuga Community College
• Colgate University
• LeMoyne College
• Onondaga Community College
• SUNY Cortland
• SUNY ESF
• SUNY Morrisville
• SUNY Oswego
• SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Syracuse University
• Wells College

NYBPC & Compete CNY FAQ:

Q:  Where can teams find more details on the application, guidelines and official rulebook?

A:  Please refer to the NYBPC website to find the most current information: 

Q: Where do teams submit applications for the CNY regional competition?

A: Go to the NYBPC website and select the competition page.  Look for the link that says “Apply” and be sure to select Central New York as the region.

Q: Can students form teams with students from other schools?

A: Yes.  Multiple-institution teams are allowed and encouraged, as long as the teams are made up entirely of students from accredited New York State colleges and universities, and the students are enrolled during the current academic year.

Q: If teams are working with students from institutions in various regions, can they apply in multiple regions?

A: No.  Teams with students from multiple regions may only apply to and participate in one region.  Select the most appropriate region on the NYBPC website, typically depending on where the team leaders are studying. 

Q: Can someone pitch who is not a student?

A: No.  Student(s) must be the presenter(s) in all stages of the competition.  Additionally, the business venture must be at least 80% owned by students

Q: Can students participate on more than one team?

A: No. students may not participate on more than one team each year of the competition.

Q:  Can student teams compete if they have already raised funds or won other competitions?

A: Yes.  Student teams are eligible to compete in the NYBPC as long as they have not raised more than $100,000 dollars in cumulative public and private capital, including other business plan competitions and grant funding.

Q:  Are students who graduated in December eligible to compete in the spring program?

A: Yes.  Students who are currently enrolled or were enrolled during the academic calendar year, including those who graduate in December or another month, are eligible to compete in the NYBPC.

Q: Are part-time students allowed to participate in the program?

A: Yes.  Part-time students are allowed to participate as long as they are currently enrolled or were enrolled during the academic calendar year.

Q: Does a business need to be incorporated to compete?

A:  It does not need to be incorporated to compete, but it does need to be incorporated (DBA, LLC, etc.) to receive NYBPC prize money.

Q:  What is the timing and format of the pitches?

A:  For Compete CNY, the format will be a five-minute pitch with four minutes of Q&A. Only PowerPoint or PDF formats allowed, and pitch decks must be pre-submitted for Compete CNY.

Q.  Who competes in NYBPC? 

A. Teams selected at regional qualifiers from the 10 Regional Economic Development Council regions in NYS.  These include:  Capital Region, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes, Western New York, Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson, New York City and Long Island.

Q:  Who are the judges?

Compete CNY judges are regional business and civic leaders.  NYBPC finals judges are distinguished entrepreneurs, investors, professional service providers and other engaged in New York State’s innovation ecosystem.

Q:  What are the judging criteria?

A:  Judging criteria for Compete CNY and NYBPC are similar. Judges are asked to evaluate companies according to the following criteria:

• Market Opportunity: Clear market need and a plan to take advantage of the need.
• Competitive Advantage: The product or service is something unique that has a protectable competitive advantage in the proposed market.
• Management Capability: The team has the skills and experience to develop this venture and address the associated risks.
• Financial Understanding: The team has a solid understanding of the financial requirements of the venture.
• Roadmap/Growth Strategy: The team has engaged in short and long-term planning and has considered strategies for growth.
• Sustainable Business Model: The team understands and can communicate their core business model. They have a strategy for developing a sustainable venture.

Q: What is the NYBPC prize package and how do winning teams claim NYBPC prize money?

A: The prizes distributed through the Business Plan Competition vary each year based on sponsorships and the allocation formula determined by the NYBPC steering committee. The prizes are non-dilutive cash awards (taxable income) and are intended to help jumpstart student business ventures. Teams must meet requirements to be eligible to claim cash prizes. Previous Grand Prize winners are not eligible to compete again.  Winning teams will work with NYBPC organizers to develop and achieve milestones in order to receive the full cash prize. Actual prize amounts are not set by NYBPC until shortly before the event, based on sponsorships.

Learn more about NYBPC:  https://www.capitalfoundation.org/nybpc

Submissions are open until March 7 for an e-Fest competition open to all undergraduates at North American colleges and universities.  25 finalists will be selected to compete virtually for more than $200,000 in cash prizes.  Entrepreneurial students from any major are encouraged to submit ventures. This is your chance to not only win cash but to create national exposure for your idea.

e-Fest is presented by EIX.org and the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation.  The mission of EIX.org is to improve the success rates of new ventures by promoting exceptional entrepreneurship teaching and thought leadership.

Key dates:

• March 7 – Applications close
• March 22 – Finalists notified (finalists have 48 hours to accept)
• March 26 – Finalists announced
• e-Fest 2021 Finals, April 22-24

Here is the agenda for the event and the prize package breakdown:

Thursday: Pitch Slam!

Team Prizes:  1st – $10K | 2nd – $5K | 3rd – $2,500

25 finalist teams will each get 90 seconds to deliver elevator pitches to fellow student competitors. Each student in attendance will vote for the 3 venture teams they’d most want to meet with as a potential investor.

Friday: Innovation Challenge

Team Prizes:  1st – $20K | 2nd – $10K | 3rd – $5K

After a day of workshops, discussions and networking, Friday evening is a change of pace. Teams will be mixed and matched into new teams of four students each. Teams will be given a “challenge” and 3 hours to create innovative solutions. Judges will roam around, listening to pitches and investing “bucks” along the way. The 2017 topic was “autonomous mobile machines”. In 2018, the topic was “addressing problems of waste”. In 2019, the topic is “addressing food insecurity in the educational system”. In 2021, the topic is… to be determined!

Friday & Saturday: Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge

Team Prizes: 1st – $50K | 2nd – $30K | 3rd – $20K | 4th – $15K | 5th – $10K
Qualifying Round 2nd and 3rd Place Teams: 2nd – $2500 | 3rd – $1000

Split over two days for 2021, Friday will feature the semi-finals round (5 groups of 5 teams, each with a panel of 4-5 judges). One team from each group will advance to the championship round on Saturday with a new set of judges. 

Special Recognition

Social Impact Award:  $10K     Global Impact Award:  $10K

Teams that submit entries for e-Fest will be able to apply for consideration for two additional cash prizes, for social and global impact. To qualify for one or both awards, teams will provide an impact statement along with their submission. This impact statement should explain how the venture is mission-driven and can help move the needle in social or global contexts. From among the top 25 finalists considered for each award, a dedicated group of judges will review and score submissions to determine the two winners.

Click here to view the complete rules and eligibility for e-Fest. 

Read the judging criteria here.

Click here to apply.

Learn more at the competition website.

India’s growing population and desire for economic growth makes climate-friendly investment a must. That’s why The Center for Sustainable Enterprise, with generous support from Quantum Advisors, has created a new global student competition, the India Impact Challenge powered by Quantum Advisors, inviting student teams from around the world to pitch ideas on how to tackle climate change in India. Early bird deadline is March 6, with finals on April 16 – 17.

Why India? India is currently the second most populous nation and, according to the United Nations, India is expected to surpass China as the world’s most populous around 2027. This presents challenges, but also enormous opportunity for investment in more climate-friendly growth in India to limit global warming.

The India Impact Challenge is for student teams interested in devising plausible investment strategies in India’s private sector to facilitate equitable growth, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

The competition is open to all students enrolled in an institution for higher education throughout the world at either the undergraduate or graduate level.

For more details, visit the competition website: https://cse.unc.edu/indiaimpactchallenge/index.php/about-the-competition/

Follow the India Impact Challenge LinkedIn page for information and updates.

The LaunchPad is hiring two paid student writers for the spring semester.  We are looking for people who are obsessed with writing and love to produce feature articles.  You will be responsible for interviewing and writing one spotlight profile a week focusing on a Syracuse University student innovator or a young alum entrepreneur. 

These are incredibly interesting people, so you will enjoy meeting them and telling their stories. We want to profile students from all academic areas who are working on innovation ideas, student startups or creative ventures.  We value diversity and inclusion. 

Each story will be half human interest part (what makes the person tick), and half on the idea (product/service/technology/impact venture/creative project) they are working on. 

We can help you source story ideas and also welcome input from your network. 

Stories will be published on the web and will be shared widely across Syracuse University news and social media outlets. 

Writers will receive great exposure while building an impressive portfolio of published work.  Plus, you’ll have fun meeting amazing people and telling great narrative stories. 

Samples are here. 

Apply only if you absolutely adore writing, are self-motivated, love producing original work on a weekly deadline, and enjoy creative storytelling. Please send a resume and links to some of your writing samples to LaunchPad@syr.edu

Check out this posting on SU JobOpps for a program manager to support the mission of the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars at SU Libraries. This is a highly collaborative role, working with LaunchPad staff and academic units across campus to deliver effective programs that support the student innovation experience and help participants become trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.

We’re looking for:

• An innovative and collaborative thinker with a track record translating thinking into action, with experience building and mentoring teams;
• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, self-reliant, results oriented, energetic and flexible, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment;
• Personal skills to help plan and scale growth, and effectively communicate to support existing program operations and expansion;
• Demonstrated experience as an entrepreneur or mentor in a startup, and/or leadership role in an incubator or accelerator program;
• Demonstrated knowledge of early-stage development and funding of ventures;
• Relevant experience that can be drawn upon in advising and mentoring early-stage companies, particularly student startups;
• Demonstrated ability to understand the key attributes of technologies, products, markets and teams that lead to successful startup companies;
• Familiarity with the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars program and understanding of the LaunchPad roadmap process and the Toolkit used to help advance ventures from concept to commercialization;
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, as well as organizational ability;
• Empathetic and intuitive personal qualities to that foster a positive environment and organizational culture that teaches skills such as creativity and critical thinking, leadership, listening, problem solving, project management, research and discovery, resilience, risk management, team building and conflict resolution, and working in a highly collaborative environment.
• A community builder, who can positively contribute to building a highly networked and supportive, cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural innovation hub across the entire LaunchPad ecosystem;
• A doer who can manage multiple projects and effectively execute.

Read the entire job description, qualifications and responsibilities here:  https://www.sujobopps.com/postings/86006

There’s big news this week from SparkCharge as it launches BoostEV, the world’s very first on-demand and mobile electric vehicle charging network. Now, with just the push of a button via SparkCharge’s new BoostEV smartphone app, electric vehicle owners can access this new network and have a charge delivered directly to their vehicle. It’s quick, convenient, contact free, and a much anticipated next innovation by Josh Aviv ’15 G’ 17 who created the company as a student at Syracuse University.

Forward-thinking companies like Allstate Roadside, Spiffy, and others, have teamed up with SparkCharge to service electric vehicles in a way that has never been done before. Now these companies can provide electric vehicle owners with a quick and convenient charging service by delivering a portable Roadie charging system to any location the driver desires. This service eliminates the need to rely on existing, non-mobile, electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

BoostEV Charging as a Service (CaaS) is now available in select cities such as, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, Raleigh, Richmond, VA, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

“We’re building a completely new type of EV charging infrastructure,” shared SparkCharge CEO, Josh Aviv. “It’s mobile, on-demand and for the first time truly gives EV owners freedom and control to charge their car anytime, anywhere by ordering the service through the Boost EV app. Just like food delivery, EV owners can now have range delivered to them on the spot. When people think about EV charging, we know BoostEV will be top of mind for them.”

SparkCharge’s revolutionary electric vehicle charging network has already captured the attention of innovative, customer-centric companies. “Our relationship with SparkCharge supports our commitment to providing innovative solutions and a circle of protection for customers,” said Joan Trach, Allstate Roadside Chief Operating Officer. “With SparkCharge, Allstate Roadside is able to protect more customers by expanding roadside service and protection to those with electric vehicles. No matter what type of vehicle you drive, Allstate Roadside is there for you.”

“When SparkCharge appeared on Shark Tank, I knew they were on the cusp of something game changing, and this is it. They have created a new, innovative EV charging infrastructure that eliminates the stress of range anxiety for all EV owners. The EV market is growing so fast and having a network completely free from the legacy issues of old infrastructure is huge. As an electric vehicle owner myself, getting my car charged while I do other things is priceless,” said Mark Cuban, serial entrepreneur, and SparkCharge investor.

With other states joining Massachusetts and California’s ban of new gas vehicle sales starting in 2035, the growing demand for electric vehicles is accelerating rapidly. The lack of needed infrastructure to support this growth has made mobile (non-grid reliant) charging a necessity to accelerate the momentum for EV adoption.

Companies like Spiffy are innovating by joining SparkCharge and offering BoostEV as a charging service alongside their mobile car wash and detail, disinfection, tire changing and other mobile maintenance services. “Delivering convenient, trusted, professional and green car care directly to our customers is what Spiffy is all about,” said Spiffy VP of Marketing, Grayson Leverenz. “SparkCharge aligns beautifully with our values and helps us delight our customers with outstanding EV charging experiences. We are excited to be on this journey with them.”

“The wait and see approach to consumer demand for EV charging is no longer viable for companies in the automotive world. Some major automotive and service provider companies still don’t have a plan for EV charging. I truly believe that mobile, on-demand charging will grow the EV market exponentially. This is just the start of the charging revolution. We’re building amazing programs that utilize BoostEV with large OEMs, utilities, fleet, hospitality, and several other industries,” said Aviv. “Being involved with great companies like Allstate Roadside, Spiffy and others means that our BoostEV service will be a fast-growing, green staple for EV drivers for years to come.”

SparkCharge was founded in 2017 by Aviv, with the goal of building and growing the world’s largest mobile electric vehicle charging network. This network is now a reality due to three key factors: hardware, software, and partnerships. The Roadie Charging System is a portable, powerful, modular charging solution that makes DC fast charging possible anywhere regardless of infrastructure. The app BoostEV allows EV drivers to request a charge delivery right to their vehicle. SparkCharge partners then provide on-demand charging as requested on BoostEV via the Roadie Charging System, the world’s only portable charging network.

Aviv worked with the Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars and the Syracuse CoE to help develop and commercialize the idea he developed as a graduate student in Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool).

The Farm to Flame Energy team of President and CEO Kwaku Jyamfi ’18 (Computer Science and Engineering), Co-founder and advisor Will McKnight ’19 (Maxwell) and CFO Stefano Alva won a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I EPA Grant for $100,000 to help commercialize its fuel processor which provides scalable, end-to-end electricity generation systems for underserved communities.  These grants are highly selective, with only one or two awarded per state per cycle. 

Jyamfi and McKnight developed Farm to Flame as student founders at Syracuse University.  Jyamfi continued working on the venture as a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon where he met Alva.  McKnight and Jyamfi were very engaged with the SU campus innovation ecosystem as students where they incubated the venture, and continued to stay engaged with the SU community.  The team competed in numerous campus events such as the Impact Prize and won the campus Hult Prize competition, advancing to the Hult Prize global regionals.  After graduation, they continued to win awards at national energy competitions as they worked at building the prototype and achieving proof of concept.

The team did extensive research and discovery as it built the venture. As the global power generation market continues to grow, hundreds of millions of people are still facing electricity supply deficits.  Farm to Flame Energy created a sustainable solution that addresses both resource management and the gap of accessible and affordable renewable baseload capacity.  Farm to Flame Energy offers a novel combustion that enables biomass from construction, food processing and agricultural waste streams to be transformed to extremely affordable electricity at record low-emissions.  Farm to Flame briquettes burn cleaner than wood, charcoal and wood pellets, and are capable of providing an alternative to the 2.5 billion people that rely on solid biomass to cook their meals.

The SBIR funding will help with developing new applications that will push the state-of-the art in the biomass combustion field using machine learning, neural network algorithms, LIDAR sensors and other technical advancements. The company has already built a 28W lab-scale generator and is now pursuing a path to market working with small businesses, farms, local governments and educational institutions that want to offset their energy expenditures and create energy independence.  

The company established a partnership to deploy its generator through the Syracuse Center of Excellence and secured a long-term generating agreement with the University of Calabar, Nigeria.

As it continues along its path to commercialization, Farm to Flame briquettes will be tested on farms and then distributed through retailers and e-commerce channels.

EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program provides grants to help develop and commercialize novel technologies that support EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR Program established by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982. EPA issues annual solicitations for Phase I and Phase II research proposals from science and technology-based firms. Phase II contracts are limited to small businesses that have successfully completed their Phase I projects.

Read the Farm to Flame startup story here and  here.

Syracuse University startup OthersideAI, co-founded by Matt Shumer, Miles Feldstein and Jason Kuperberg, is among a small prestigious group of tech companies selected for SXSW Pitch, the premiere showcase for industry experts, high-profile media professionals, venture capital investors and angel investors. The March 17 – 18 event is part of the SXSW Online digital experience and offers a chance to get a first look at some of the most exciting new technologies being launched around the world.

OthersideAI, an AI technology powered e-mail generator, is a finalist in the Future of Work category.  The company was created this past summer in the Syracuse University LaunchPad by two students and an alumnus.  It has raised more than $2.6 million in investment and garnered tremendous trade press.  This selection by SXSW Pitch earns it the distinction of being recognized as among the top five emerging tech ventures in the world that is redefining work.

This year’s SXSW Pitch features a curated group of five interactive technology companies pitching in eight different categories:  

Future of Work

Technologies that enable, empower, change, and expand capabilities in the future of work and the working experience. These technologies may find applications in the gig economy, remote working and connectivity, business communications, project management, workforce incentives and benefits, payments, manufacturing, human resources, education and skills training, recruiting, and others.

Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Voice

Technologies related to machine-simulated intelligence, consciousness, empathy, or speech. These technologies may also cover Internet of Things and smart devices, or a machine’s ability to perform, anticipate, and streamline tasks without human assistance. These startups seek to address a wide variety of issues.

Enterprise & Smart Data

Technologies that increase productivity for businesses and/or individuals by simplifying informational data through new workflows and analytics. These startups may have applications in data collection, management, analysis, presentation, interpretation, security, and augmentation across industries such as business, finance, advertising, and more.  

Entertainment, Gaming & Content

Technologies and applications that are reinventing the ways humans find enjoyment through areas such as leisure, education, and entertainment. Industries these technologies address may include gaming, music, film, television, video, arts, news and publishing, streaming, and digital storytelling. These startups may also deploy new and hybrid entertainment delivery models such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and other novel visualization technologies.

Health, Wearables & Wellbeing

Technologies focused on human-centric applications that advance health and connect individuals with health systems and facilities, care teams, providers, insurance, corporate and personal wellness services, and public health & social services. These startups may also include applications in aging and geriatrics, general wellness, diagnosis, treatment, fertility, genetics, exercise, home fitness, nutrition, sleep, sports, and wearable technologies.

Innovative World Technologies

This category is for any creative and innovative application, product, or service that does not fit in another SXSW Pitch category, as well as technologies that act as the infrastructure that new technologies are built on. Examples that might fit into this category include (but are not limited to) payments and financial technologies, blockchain, space and aerospace, biotechnology and nanotechnology, agriculture and natural resources, pet tech, cannabusiness, sustainability, drones, home refinancing, quantum computing and computer chip technology, energy, and others.

Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics

Technologies that create and advance smart cities by providing services and products for local environments, which includes buildings, neighborhoods, communities, and public spaces. These innovations may find applications in real estate development, transportation, logistics, delivery, autonomous vehicles, ridesharing, infrastructure, utilities, public works, security, population data, government and civic services, and more.

Social & Culture

Technologies that explore and expand the boundaries of how humans experience life as individuals, as communities, and as global citizens. Examples of such sectors include but are not limited to social media and networking, family-tech, dating and friendship, travel and hospitality, environment and climate change, home, fashion, and consumer tech. This category also covers social enterprise technologies that aim to solve social or societal problems, impact positive change, and improve lives.

Learn more about Otherside AI’s journey as a Syracuse University startup here.

The LaunchPad Speaker Series is a new virtual Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars network offering. Featuring leaders from LaunchPad partner organizations and campus networks, the Spring College Entrepreneurs Speaker Series will highlight successful and diverse entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and other influential stakeholders in the innovation economy. These individuals will share stories, skills, insights, inspiration, and critical lessons learned around entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in an interactive online format. The LaunchPad Speaker Series is open to all 900,000+ students and staff in the LaunchPad global network.

The series will focus on skill development critical for entrepreneurship and careers in the 21st century. These capabilities include leadership, problem-solving, communication, effective use of social capital, and technical business acumen, among others. Insights will be provided from knowledgeable experts in working with students and entrepreneurs and will cover areas including startup pipeline and hiring, internships, and entrepreneurship as a side hustle.

The dates are:  March 12, March 31, April 9, April 21 and April 30.  Descriptions are below.

• Session 1: How can an entrepreneurial mindset prepare you for a successful career? How can you develop skills innovation employers want to see? Find out from Cam Houser, Founder of @Actionworksco, in this @BXLaunchPad Speaker Series session on Fri 3/12. Registration Link
• Session 2: Join @BXLaunchPad alumni including Kyra Durko, of @TwoSigmaVC, Zach Little of @CheckUp_App and @IncrementumAU, Kelsey Davis (Syracuse University LaunchPad alum) of @cllctve in this Wed 3/31 LaunchPad Speaker Series panel on the ways in which to leverage your entrepreneurial college experience to build a successful career. Registration Link
• Session 3:Wondering what hiring executives at places like @Blackstone, @Techstars, and @Hubspot look for? This is your chance to get the inside track and their perspectives on how to communicate your entrepreneurial inclination and experience on resumes and interviews. Fri 4/9 Registration Link
• Session 4:Think you have to be pursuing your startup idea full-time to benefit from it? Think again. @pjmcginnis, author of The 10% Entrepreneur and Fear of Missing Out will share his thoughts in this Wed 4/21 @BXLaunchPad Speaker Series session on side-hustle entrepreneurship and stories of successful founders who engage in entrepreneurship outside of their day jobs. Registration Link
• Session 5: There are far more internship opportunities out there than just those listed on your university’s career center website. Justin Lokitz, Innovation Mentor & Co-founder at Accelab will speak about inventing your own college internship, creating your dream position, making the most of a summer job, and working in a startup environment in this @BXLaunchPad Speaker Series session. Fri 4/30 Registration Link

For more information, please visit www.blackstonelaunchpad.org.