Press Releases: 2007

University of Maryland Business School Strengthens Focus on Social Responsibility

College Park, Md. – October 25, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has recently expanded its curriculum – adding new courses and MBA consulting projects – to strengthen its focus on social responsibility. The announcement closely follows the launch of an endowment fund created through donations from alumni Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard head, and Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under rom alumni Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard head, and Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour athletic apparel company, that earmarks $50,000 for investment in student-started socially responsible ventures.

“We’re dedicated to teaching the next generation of business leaders to think about the impact their companies will have on the world – not just economically, but environmentally and socially, too,” said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “Students must learn how to create innovative solutions to global challenges in ways that best benefit society as a whole.”

University of Maryland Ranked Among Nation’s Top 25 for Entrepreneurship Programs

College Park, Md. – October 15, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business programs are rated among in the top in the nation for entrepreneurship, according to a ranking by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review. The ranking, which will be published in the November issue of Entrepreneur, rates Smith’s undergraduate program No. 14 and its MBA program No. 18 in the nation. The recognition comes on the heels of a similar ranking by Fortune Small Business in that magazine’s September issue.

“These ratings indicate the strength and broad scope of our entrepreneurship programs, as we’re one of only 12 schools that appear in both the undergraduate and graduate rankings,” said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “We’re committed to helping students develop into innovators — through both academic courses and hands-on experiences. We prepare undergraduates and MBAs to approach the rapidly evolving business world with entrepreneurial vision, whether they are going out to start businesses or run them.”

University of Maryland MBA Startup Lands Target Deal Board Game Maker’s “Wits & Wagers” on Store Shelves Now

College Park, Md. – October 11, 2007 – North Star Games, a Dingman Center portfolio company has landed its party game, “Wits & Wagers,” on the shelves of Target stores nationwide for the upcoming holiday season. The Dingman Center, part of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, helps students and regional entrepreneurs develop their businesses. North Star Games was started and incubated at the center when founders Dominic Crapuchettes and Satish Pillalamarri were 2004 Smith MBA candidates. It is now one of the Dingman Center’s eight portfolio companies, to which the center provides funding and advisory services in exchange for equity.

“Getting picked up by a top retailer such as Target is a major score for North Star Games,” said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. “We have been supporting NorthStar games for four years and they’ve come a long way. Wits & Wagers is a great game and Target’s decision is further validation. The company is great example to other Smith School student entrepreneurs.”

Carly Fiorina and Under Armour’s Kevin Plank Establish $175K Entrepreneurship Fund at University of Maryland

College Park, MD – October 8, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced the launch of a $175,000 alumni donor endowment fund for the Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship to invest in student- and alumni-run companies. The fund was established with gifts from Smith alumni Carly Fiorina, former president and chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, and Kevin Plank, founder and chief executive of Under Armour. A $50,000 portion of the fund is earmarked for investment in socially responsible ventures. The Dingman Center’s Melissa Carrier will oversee management of the fund — with opportunity for Smith student involvement — in her new role as director of Venture Investments and Social Entrepreneurship.

"Carly and Kevin provide great inspiration as incredible examples of where entrepreneurial drive and leadership can take Smith Students," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center.

University of Maryland Hosts Inaugural Angel Investing Event for Distinguished Alumni

College Park, Md. – Sept. 19, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering and Robert H. Smith School of Business hosted the university’s inaugural Impact of Angel Investing seminar yesterday for distinguished alumni.

The private seminar provided an overview of angel investing for alumni with limited angel investment experience, as well as experienced investors interested in networking with other alumni.

“The university hosted a great event,” says Ron Luzier, Clark School alumnus, class of 1972 and former senior vice president and chief technology officer of Alliant Techsystems Inc.’s Space Division. “It was part history lesson, part tutorial, part introduction to ventures in need of support, and a great networking opportunity. The event was a win-win for the university, entrepreneurs, angel investors and the community at large.”

University of Maryland Business School Award $50K to Chinese Entrepreneurs in Business Plan Competition in Beijing

College Park, Md. – September 11, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, a leading provider of Executive MBA programs in China, awarded the final winners of the Smith School’s third annual China Business Plan Competition. The three winning teams were announced Sept. 10 at the culmination of the yearlong competition, which began with more than 200 entries. G. Anandalingam, senior associate dean of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, named the winners at an awards ceremony at the TsingHua Innovation Plaza in Beijing.

University of Maryland MBA, Undergraduate Business Programs Among Nation's Top in Entrepreneurship

College Park, Md. – September 10, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business MBA and undergraduate programs are rated among in the top 25 in the nation for entrepreneurship, according to a ranking published in the September issue of Fortune Small Business magazine.

“If you are looking to immerse yourself in entrepreneurship, this school is among the best,” writes Fortune Small Business of the Robert H. Smith School of Business in its “America’s Best Colleges for Entrepreneurs” feature.

The Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is a key reason for its place as one of the top schools for entrepreneurship. The center, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, was one of the first university entrepreneurship centers in the nation to help students start and grow businesses. The magazine highlights Smith for Dingman Center programs that provide students with access to mentoring and weekly opportunities to pitch their business ideas for feedback from a roster of experienced entrepreneurs-in-residence.

Smith School Presents Live Web Cast of $50K China Business Plan Competition

Beijing, China – August 31, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business announced today it will Web cast the Sept. 10 final round of its $50,000 China Business Plan Competition live from Beijing. The Web cast will be available for viewing on the homepage of its exclusive portal partner, QQ.com, on the QQ Technology Channel.

The Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship hosts the annual China Business Plan Competition, in which entrepreneurs compete for more than $50,000 in cash, business training and other prizes to kick-start their businesses. The 2007 competition field of approximately 200 entrants was narrowed to five finalist teams that will compete Sept. 10 at the TsingHua Science Park at Innovation Plaza in Beijing. The event and Web cast will begin at 2 p.m. in Beijing (2 a.m. EDT) with the final round competition and will last through the announcement of the winners at 5:30 p.m. (5:30 a.m. EDT). Among the highlights of the program is an opportunity for each of the finalist teams to hear feedback on their business plans from a panel of seasoned venture capitalists who serve as judges.

University of Maryland Business School Names Finalists in $50,000 Business Plan Competition

Beijing, China – August 8, 2007 — The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced the 20 semifinalists of the school’s 2007 China Business Plan Competition. The competition will award winners with more than $50,000 in cash and prizes, including a $25,000 grand prize, $15,000 second prize and $10,000 third prize. The Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship hosts the China Business Plan Competition, now in its third year, in support of the growth of world-class business ideas and business leaders in China. Entrepreneurship is a key area of focus for the Smith School, which offers its leading Executive MBA programs in Beijing and Shanghai.

“My congratulations to the semifinalists,” said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “Each year I am impressed by the number and quality of entries, and this year is no exception.”

Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship Portfolio Company Joins Homeland Security Incubator

College Park, Md. – April 27, 2007 – Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship portfolio company Exponential Storage recently joined the Chesapeake Innovation Center, the region’s premier incubator for homeland security-focused businesses. The Dingman Center, part of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, helps entrepreneurs from the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. region start and grow their businesses.

Exponential Storage provides affordable and secure data storage. The company joined the Dingman Center as a portfolio company in late 2005, where it received entrepreneurship mentoring and access to funding opportunities. Company founders worked closely with Dingman Center Managing Director Asher Epstein and Smith Senior Fellow Mark Walsh, the managing partner of a private equity and investment firm who lends his expertise to Dingman activities.

University of Maryland's Business School Expands Third Annual China Business Plan Competition

Beijing, China – April 17, 2007 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, a leading provider of Executive MBA programs in China, today announced a series of initiatives designed to promote world-class innovation and business ideas through the expansion of its annual China Business Plan Competition. Now in its third year, the competition will award $50,000 in prize money during a final round competition in September.

“The support of leading U.S. and Chinese government partners have enabled the Smith School to create a vibrant event that continues to increase in scale and stature,” said Howard Frank, dean of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. “I look forward to attending the final round of the competition in September.”