Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
WSU NAC Presentation (4-5-13)
1. Entrepreneurship at Weber State
Alex Lawrence
Vice Provost, Innovation and Economic Development
Director, Entrepreneurship Program
2. Overview
• Catalysts for Entrepreneurship at WSU
• Our Unique Focus
• Entrepreneurship Minor
• Other Contributors
• Goals and Outcomes
• Questions and Contact Info
3. Catalysts
• Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center
• Endowed Chair (Hall)
• Budget for Entrepreneurship Minor (Hall)
• Bill Child Endowment
• University wide support at highest levels
• Unique community partnerships
• Startup Ogden
• WEA Mentors
• Startup Weekend, Summit Series, Hack Ogden
4. Unique Focus
• Target all potential entrepreneurs – any discipline
• Be a reflection of our communities
• $500k - $5M annually businesses
• Mainstream – not small, not “lifestyle”
• The real thing = applied
5. Entrepreneurship Minor
• Developed in collaboration with Steve Blank at Stanford
• Proven model modified to reflect our community and
student base
• Significant time outside of the classroom
• $25,000 competitive grants to create real companies
6. Course Overview
1001 Principles of Entrepreneurship (Lawrence)
• Non-business majors
• Three day course
1002 Intro to Entrepreneurship (Lawrence)
• Opportunity Recognition
• Building a business model
• Non-corporate viewpoint
1003 Ideation and Customer Development (Dotson)
• Testing ideas with customers
• Significant time outside of classroom
7. Course Overview
1004 Entrepreneurial Finance (TBD)
• Bootstrapping
• Alternatives to investors
2001 Sales and Marketing (TBD)
• Scaling a successful business model
• Generating revenue
2002 Generating Revenue and Profits (TBD)
• 25% of funding to startups with most traction
2003 Growing the Business (TBD)
• 75% of remaining funding to accelerate sales
8. Entrepreneurship Minor - Grants
• $25k to startups with product/market fit
• Repayment after $500k in revenue
• No equity stake
• Great experience = great alumni
• Lead USA in student startups with revenue
9. Approval Process For Minor
• All WSU approvals met
• May 17th to Regents for approval
• First course this Summer
• Hire Endowed Chair this Summer
• Launch Fall 2013, first startups in 2014
10. Other Unique Contributors
• Weber Entrepreneurs Association
• New student startup room in GSBE
• Startup Weekend
• Summit Series (Powder Mountain)
• Startup Ogden
12. Startup Ogden
• $3.2M partnership with Campus
Stores, CE, WSURF and Ogden City
• Triumphant return of WSU to downtown
• Statewide hub for startups and entrepreneurship
• Significant opportunities for WSU students
• Mentors
• Events
• Real world experience
• Affordable access
• Co-founders and other serendipity
13. Goals And Outcomes
• The most student startups with revenue in Utah.
• National recognition as a program that helps
students start real companies while in school.
• Successful entrepreneurial alumni that will have a
new and unique loyalty to WSU.
• Entrepreneurs that don’t love higher ed will love
this program and point to it as “worth it”.
14. Questions and Contact Information
Alex Lawrence
801-626-8940 (office)
801-859-8282 (mobile)
alexanderlawrence@weber.edu (email)
This presentation is at:
