Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Mission

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a multifaceted operation that seeks to launch multiple programs by tapping into the creative talents in and around Georgia College & State University to enhance the positive societal impact of the university.

ACTIVITIES
 

• Hosting the Bobcat Business Builder Bootcamp (B-Quad)
  Once a semester the Center will host a two-day learning event, open to all students as well as community members who wish to participate, that will seek to educate participants on what it takes to launch and build a business. 
   
• The Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship is partnering with local and regional economic development entities to launch a business incubator on campus. 
  The goal is to give area start-ups the chance to grow their operations in a low-cost environment with shared resources and easy access to of subject matter experts in our faculty community.
   
• Providing business consultancy services 
  With faculty mentorship, students will be given opportunities to serve as consultants for local and regional organizations in a variety of areas (e.g., marketing, strategy, HR, operations, and the like).
   
• Coordinating grant funded research
  The Center will help faculty develop opportunities for grant funded applied research, giving them an avenue to conduct multidisciplinary research that has a direct societal impact.
  • Recent grant funded projects include:
    • $100,000 from the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation to launch a workforce development program for Solar Design and Entrepreneurship
    • $25,000 from Georgia Power to launch a business accelerator
    • $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to develop industry partnerships and increase innovative capacity at the university.
    • $130,000 from the Knight Foundation to fund renovation of space to launch a business incubator and support programming for other Center activities.
• Youth Entrepreneurship Program
  In coordination with CREATE Milledgeville, we have launched the Youth Entrepreneurship Program. This is open to all high school juniors and seniors in Baldwin County. The competitive program offers students a chance to receive funds to start their own business and run it for two months before pitching their business plan to a panel of judges for a chance at thousands in prize money.
• Rural Youth in Business
  This summer program brings in high school students from across the state of Georgia to the GCSU campus to give them a crash course in college life and entrepreneurship.
• The Venture Capital Challenge
  This quick pitch competition gives Georgia College students five minutes to sell their business idea to a panel of judges Shark Tank style. Winners of the competition then become the university representatives to the USG Innovation Competition, for a chance to win $25,000 in prove money!