UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP E-Scholars Program Finalist - Outstanding Specialty Entrepreneurship Program

Purpose of E-Scholars E-Scholars gives Students from any major on campus an opportunity to design, implement, and lead a business enterprise that aims to be the best of its kind in the world

Comprehensive Program Objectives E-Scholars develop their entrepreneurial mindset Learn how to come up with innovative ideas  Develop innovative realistic business plans Learn how to do business anywhere in the world  Domestic and International Travel  It is the responsibility of the students to identify and contact people they think will be helpful in the development of their ideas  Learn to set up their own business meetings with international and domestic contacts

Comprehensive Students Served Any undergraduate major is eligible to apply Each E-Scholar class is made up of 20 students  Approximately 50% Business Majors  Remaining 50% being from other schools of Engineering, Nursing, Education, or College of Arts and Sciences Typically students begin the program the Fall semester of their junior year  In some cases students begin the program their senior year

The Faces of E-Scholars

Innovative Program Event Timeline October/November- Idea Bash/Business Pitch E-scholars Fall Break – NYC Best Practices and Hypotheses Validation February – Invention to Venture Event Late February/Early March – E-scholar Student Consortium Spring Break – International Business Trip April-$100K Business Plan Competition

Unique Program Description The E-Scholars program utilizes unique learning strategies in a three course sequence Goals:  To enhance the creative potential of each student  To develop mindsets and skill sets which enable the students to successfully implement their innovations

Effective Successful Outcome This strategy has proven successful Demonstrated by:  The success of alumni in efforts ranging from innovations that assist disabled people, to new art therapies that build self- esteem in homeless children  Placement in fast growing, VC backed local ventures  Development of serial entrepreneurs  Nike, Adidas, Intel

E-Scholars Curriculum Fall 2011 Spring 2012 BUS481 Entrepreneurship Apprenticeship (3) Venture Launch/Prototyping Entrepreneurial Internships Projects BUS480 World-Class Venture Creation (3) Ideation/Opp. Assess. Feasibility Analysis BUS482 Global Entrepreneurship (3) Business Models Intl. Aspects/Culture Business Plan & Pitch

The Role of the Educator Remove barriers that limit or prevent learning Provide rapid assessment Provide feedback Provide access to expertise and to qualified mentors Create an environment and learning system that accelerates student learning

Skills gained in Global Entrepreneurship Business Model Development International Aspects of New Business Cultural Competencies Getting “Outside Your Comfort Zone” Intentional Research and Learning Global Opportunities & Power Shifts

Unique Program Aspects Program tailored for today’s business realities Instill entrepreneurial environmental awareness and thinking, and offer various paths for entrepreneurial students to take E-Scholars are challenged to actually conduct business on their own, as undergraduates Students investigate the international aspects of their intended opportunity  Students travel to one of several international destinations chosen for the program each year E-Scholars all compete in our annual Launch Pad $100K Business Plan Competition

Support Program Funding Total expenses for the 20 students in the program each year= $8000/student or $160,000 total Students pay a fee of $4000 and are each matched with a $4000 scholarship Primary Program Costs include:  Travel (domestic/international)  Program materials  Conference and event fees  Center for Entrepreneurship staff

Impact $100K Business Plan Competition Annual competition that all E-Scholars compete in Provides an investment into investor ready student businesses  Up to $50,000 annually in funds and $50,000 in-kind services to students willing to execute their opportunity

Impact Program Benefits Core catalyst for students across campus developing their entrepreneurial mindset Fostered the development of many beneficial partnerships Students develop skills to compete in the global business environment Student interact with top entrepreneurs Students get the opportunity to design, implement, and lead a business project

Impact Program Outcomes 230 graduates (since the first class of E-Scholars in 1999) Nearly all E-Scholar alumni are regular contributors to the Center for Entrepreneurship Many have started businesses since leaving/ continued the business started in the program UP Hive The E-Scholar program is now in its 12 th year at the University of Portland

Continuous Innovation Other schools have successfully launched and customized their E-scholars programs  College of St. Benedicts/St. Johns University – Minnesota  St. Mary’s University – San Antonio, Texas Holloway/Sebastiao driving new approaches to means-driven entrepreneurship - workshop leaders of concurrent session at this conference Entrepreneurship faculty continue to research and integrate changes and best practices in the field

Sustaining Entrepreneurship

Escholar Alumni Ventures

Costello’s Travel Caffé: Chris Costello

EnableMart Dennis Moulton & Nick Tostenrude

Seven Planet DJ Widmer

Partnerships