|
October 2009 |
|
The Latest News
The Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship started the 2009-2010 school year with
its successful Dingman Jumpstart Program.
Twenty-four students from various UMD schools and
colleges spent two weeks of their summer vacation
learning what it takes to be an entrepreneur and
working hard on launching their own ventures. The
primary goal of the Jumpstart program was to teach
students how to think like an entrepreneur and how
to run a business like one. Entrepreneurial skills
and thinking are indispensable whether one is
running their own business or a department within a
larger company.
The program was structured
around the
Dingman Process
and included workshops, lectures, and one-on-one
sessions led by successful regional entrepreneurs,
investors, lawyers, and Smith School faculty. The
students had a rare opportunity to learn from the
advisors’ extensive real-life experience as well as
make important networking connections.
On the final day of the
program, a panel of the Dingman Center’s
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, staff, and investors
watched ten student teams present the impressive results
of their hard work.
“The Jumpstart program is
completed, and I had a great experience,” said James
O’Connor, founder of Tailgate Specialists, a company
offering customers an all-inclusive, hassle-free
tailgate experience by taking care of the
preparation, setup, and cleanup. “I learned a lot; I
met a lot of great people. I am grateful I did it
and I am happy that programs like this exist.”
O’Connor will be launching his services shortly at
one of the upcoming University of Maryland football
games.
“I came to this program with my
idea of Chesinah—an apron business,” said Juliet
Serem, graduate architecture student and founder of
Chesinah, which produces unique, high quality,
handcrafted kitchen aprons made by economically
disadvantaged women in rural parts of Kenya. “I’ve
learned so much from the Jumpstart program. I had
all these creative ideas, but having them written
down and starting to think about the business plan
and business structure—this has been the most
defining moment.”
“I am always amazed at how many
resources are available here at the Smith School.
All the speakers were fantastic! These two weeks
during my summer was definitely time well-spent!”
said Zoe Pagonis, co-founder of GaZo, a gift shop
selling movie memorabilia to students.
The Jumpstart program received
a great deal of attention from the local media:
News Channel 8 and Washington
Business Tonight
Diamondback: "Consumer spending is down. Loans can be hard to find. In short, it’s not the best time to start a business.
That’s not going to stop 23 university students from trying to do just that. And they have some help. The business school’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the Jumpstart program this week, aiming to bring those students together to brainstorm business concepts and pitch them to potential investors..." Continue reading at
A jumpstart for entrepreneurs.
Washington Business Journal: "A new program at the University of Maryland aims to help student entrepreneurs start more businesses.
About 40 students from various University of Maryland schools and colleges signed up to participate in a 10-day business jumpstart program, offered by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business..." Continue reading at
University of Maryland program gives student businesses jump start.
Neha Gupta, one of the
Jumpstart participants, wrote entries for the
Jumpstart blog. You can read about her experience
here:
Jumpstart
To see more pictures from the
Jumpstart, please join our Fan page on Facebook:
Dingman Center on Facebook!
Interested in being a part of
the next Jumpstart? Email Alla Corey at
acorey@rhsmith.umd.edu.
|
|
|
|
Also Inside This
Issue...
-
Have
a great idea? -
Pitch Dingman! Start down the path towards
owning and operating your own business
-
Pitch
Dingman September 2009 Winners -
The first competition of 2009-2010 produced not
one, but three winners!
-
Dingman Center Goes to Israel
- Dean Anand accompanies 12 students and 2
advisors on a 10-day leadership development
class
in Israel. See below to apply for the 2010
trip
-
Unique Course
Offering in China -
Dingman Center is going to China, January 9-17,
2010. Find out how to participate in the
Dingman Center Annual China Business Plan
Competition
-
Open the Door to
Opportunity - UM Technology Start-up
Bootcamp, October 23, 2009
-
Entrepreneurship Honor - Dr. Rhonda
K. Reger is attending the Fifth Society of
Entrepreneurship Scholars as an invited Senior
Entrepreneurship Scholar
-
Research Lunch
-
Dingman Center Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, Faculty, and
Doctoral Students are invited to attend the
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship Research
Luncheon
-
Terp Marketplace
- A unique holiday shopping
experience featuring a wide
assortment of products offered
by our own UMD student entrepreneurs
-
Portfolio Company Updates
-
First Mobile Down, Winner of September '08
Pitch Dingman Competition, is launching its
revolutionary text messaging ordering service at
the UMD Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium
-
Capital Access Network Updates
- Featured start-ups from our
September breakfast: Oculis Labs, WorkProducts,
and BridgeSpan -
Israeli Embassy Event Invitation
- Visiting Israeli Medical Technology Delegation
-
MBAfinder.net
- Find a qualified student to satisfy your
short-term project needs
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
Have a Great Business Idea?
Pitch Dingman is a great program for those who want
to explore the opportunity to own and operate their
own business. If you have ever thought about giving
it a try, the best and safest time to do it is when
you are a student at the University of Maryland.
Informal Sessions
Where: 3570 Van Munching Hall
Time: 11 am - 1 pm
Dates: 10/2, 10/16, 11/6, 11/13,
Informal sessions are ‘closed-door’ – allowing you
to focus your attention on your presentation and our
feedback. Other students will not be able to listen
to your idea and feedback you receive from us.
Competitions
Where: Van Munching Hall
Time: 11 am - 12 pm
Dates: 10/23, 10/30, 11/20
Everyone is welcome to attend Pitch Dingman
Competitions as an audience member; there is no need
to register.
To compete in the end-of-month $2,500 competitions,
you must first attend at least one informal session.
Want to know more? Please visit
Pitch Dingman Online.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
September 2009 Pitch Dingman
Competition Winners
September 2009 Pitch
Dingman Competition Winners
The competition was tight and
the judges decided to split the $2,500 award. Two
winners and one runner-up prize was given as
described below.
Ad Network ($1,250 Award)
 The
$1,000 prize went to Diego Alvarez, a
University of Maryland MBA student, for the idea of
Ad Network, which aims at targeting the Latin
American market in Facebook. It aims at helping
Facebook application developers meet
brands/companies in Latin America and work on
customized marketing campaigns. Starting with the
Colombian market, companies will benefit from over
10,000 potential customers that use the applications
everyday. The application is embedded with marketing
campaigns and the potential market can be segmented
by demographics using the Facebook. Diego also won
the $250 Audience Choice Award.
Terplist.com ($1,000
Award)
 Ely
Franko and Steve Feiner also won the $1,000 prize
for the idea of
Terplist.com, which is a start-up company by
students for students. It focuses on catering to the
needs of the university’s student body by providing
them information regarding housing, jobs, event
coverage, restaurant, bar, and store information, as
well as campus classifieds. Basically creating a
comprehensive resource from where the students can
get relevant information. The best part is, as this
site has been created by the students and for the
students, it can take care of their specific needs.
Ely and Steve were applauded for the idea and even
got rewarded at the end of a very tight competition.
BullzEye ($500 Award)
 The
judges also awarded $500 to the third place winner,
Yixuan Sun and his team,
BullzEye, which focuses at helping the retail
stores provide a better customer service without
increasing the employee expenses. The idea is to
provide the item location, electronic coupons and
other applicable information with the application
which this team is developing for smart phones, such
as iPhone®, Google phone®, and Blackberry®. The
users will not only be able to find all the stores
where a particular item is available but also the
location of the item within that particular store.
The idea is to save time and money during shopping
(especially at large and unfamiliar retail stores).
The team is trying to target all the major retail
stores nationwide.
Future Competitions
Where: Van Munching Hall
Time: 11 am - 12 pm
Dates: 10/30, 11/20
Everyone is welcome to attend Pitch Dingman
Competitions as an audience member; there is no need
to register.
To compete in the end-of-month $2,500 competitions,
you must first attend at least one informal session.
Want to know more? Please visit
Pitch Dingman Online.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
The Dingman Center
Delegation to Israel
The Smith School of Business
partnered with the Technion Israel Institute of
Technology this past summer to deliver a class on
cross cultural leadership. Led by Gilad Chen,
Associate Professor of Management and Organization
and organized by Asher Epstein, Managing Director of
the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, 12 MBA
students accompanied by Robert H. Smith School of
Business Dean "Anand" Anandalingam traveled to Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem, and Haifa from July 22nd – 30th
exploring the country’s business and cultural
history.
Students had the opportunity to
meet and visit with various corporate and academic
leaders. A few of their site visits included:
Microsoft Israel R
and D Center,
one of Microsoft’s four strategic regional
development centers with a focus on product
development in Telecom, Security, Online Services
and Entertainment.
Students also participated in a
large variety of site-seeing activities including a
tour of Jerusalem’s Old City, floating in the Dead
Sea, and dinner with Dean Anand in Jaffa.
Join a diverse group of Smith
MBA students and Asher Epstein, Managing Director of
the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, to explore
Israel, a robust and fast-growing economy in the
Middle East. Spend 10 days experiencing business and
culture on this fascinating journey with the Robert
H. Smith School of Business.
For more information, please
visit the course website here
Doing Business in Israel
or contact Asher Epstein at
aepstein@rhsmith.umd.edu.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
A Unique Course Offering:
Focus on China
The Dingman Center has
partnered with Beida University and the Guanghua
School of Management to provide a unique classroom
experience for full-time 2nd-year students.
BUSI 758 will be offered as a
joint class between students at Beida and Students
at Smith. Accepted students will be enrolled
in BUSI 758 in the B term in the fall of 2009 from
October 22d through December 10th. The entire class
will then travel to China from January 9th - 17th,
2010 to participate alongside their Chinese
classmates in the Dingman Center Annual China
Business Plan Competition.
The 2 credit class will be
taught by Dingman Center Entrepreneurs in Residence,
Director Asher Epstein, and Professor Bob Baum.
Please contact Asher Epstein
for more information: aepstein@rhsmith.umd.edu.
Please note: There will be
some additional fees for the trip costs of
approximately
$3,500 per student inclusive of airfare. No
additional fees for the course credit are required.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
University of Maryland Technology
Start-Up Bootcamp
www.bootcamp.umd.edu
Whether you have an idea, an early stage venture or
just want to learn how to start a company, the
University of Maryland Technology Start-Up Boot Camp
is full of opportunities for you.
LEARN THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS
Opening the event is keynote speaker and UM alumnus
Brian Hinman,
co-founder and former CEO of Polycom, Inc. (NASD:
PLCM), the world's leading teleconferencing company,
co-founder and former President and CEO of 2Wire,
provider of broadband service platforms for DSL, and
now a venture partner with Silicon Valley-based Oak
Investment Partners. At the age of 22, Hinman
pioneered video compression technology that has
endured as standards today.
LEARN THE NUTS AND BOLTS
•
Market Research Tools and Techniques
•
Perfecting Your Pitch and Presentation
•
Great Ideas: Spurring Creativity and Innovation
•
Keep the Wolves at Bay: Using Your Intellectual
Property Against Competition
•
Here to Help! University Resources to Assist You
Every Step of the Way
LEARN HOW TO LAUNCH A BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANY
•
FDA Express Lane: Efficiently Navigating the FDA
Approval Process
•
Where's the Money? Finding Funding for Biotechnology
Ventures
•
Biotechnology Entrepreneurship: Nuances of Launching
and Growing a Biotechnology Venturer
LEARN HOW TO LAUNCH A HIGH-TECH VENTURE
•
Create the Why to Buy: Marketing for High-Tech
Companies and Products
•
Where's the Money? Funding for High-Tech Ventures
•
High-Tech Entrepreneurship: Nuances of Launching and
Growing a High-Tech Venturer
CONNECT WITH THE NEW VENTURE COMMUNITY
•
Network with hundreds of current and aspiring
entrepreneurs.
•
Meet experts and people who can connect you with the
resources you need.
•
Connect with potential investors.
The University of Maryland Technology Start-Up Boot
Camp is an intensive, one-day workshop and
networking event about launching new ventures. The
Boot Camp is FREE to University of Maryland
students, faculty and staff. The cost is $75 for all
others. |
|
BACK TO TOP |
Entrepreneurship
Honor
Dr. Rhonda K. Reger, Invited Senior
Entrepreneurship Scholar
Dr. Rhonda K. Reger (Management & Organizations
Department) will be an invited Senior
Entrepreneurship Scholar at the fifth Society of
Entrepreneurship Scholars (SES) meeting on October
8th and 9th 2009, in Washington D.C. at the Johns
Hopkins facility. This event is sponsored by Ohio
State University and the Kauffman Foundation.
Previous Senior Scholars have included noted
entrepreneurship scholars such as Howard Aldrich,
Bob Hoskisson, Joe Mahoney, Jay Barney, Mike Hitt,
Michael Lubatkin, Kay Schoonhoven, and Jean
Bartunek, representing renowned universities such as
Purdue University, The Ohio State University, Texas
A&M, University of Illinois, and the University of
North Carolina.
The Kauffman Foundation seeks to foster "a society
of economically independent individuals who are
engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of
their communities."
Congratulations to Dr. Reger!
|
|
BACK TO TOP
|
|
Research Lunch
Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship Research Lunch
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
12:00 – 1:10 pm
Executive Dining Room 2517 of Van Munching Hall
Dingman Center Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and
Robert H. Smith School of Business Faculty and
Doctoral Students are invited to attend the
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
Research Luncheon. The
Lunch will be provided by the
Department of Management and Organization.
The overall purpose of the luncheon
program is to improve the quantity and quality of
Smith entrepreneurship research.
Each luncheon enables dialogue
between researchers and practitioners to improve the
development of research questions and practical
grounding. The program offers entrepreneurship
research support for all Smith departments in term
of cash research awards, mentoring, and connections
with data sources.
Bob Baum and Asher Epstein
will summarize the 2009 – 2010 luncheon plan and
describe the spring research award program. David
Waguespack and Ben Hallen will each describe one of
their current research studies.
Please RSVP by October 9:
RSVP Here!
Please direct any questions to:
mrh@rhsmith.umd.edu.
|
|
BACK TO TOPP |
|
Terp Marketplace
It's never too early to start planning your holiday
shopping! Please support our student entrepreneurs
by shopping at this unique venue. We will have a
wide assortment of products offered by our own UMD
student entrepreneurs: hand-made Kenyan aprons,
award-winning handbags, Smith Store merchandise,
unique jewelry, stationary, and
many other thoughtful gift ideas.
Are you a UMD student entrepreneur and would like to
sell your goods at the Terp Marketplace? Please
email Alla Corey at
acorey@rhsmith.umd.edu.
Please include product
description and price.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
Portfolio
Company Updates
 First Down Mobile,
LLC., today announced that the company will offer
its revolutionary text messaging ordering service at
the University of Maryland Chevy Chase Bank Field at
Byrd Stadium in the fall of 2009, home of the
Maryland Terrapins football team. First Down Mobile
LLC.’s service will offer customers the ability to
order food/beverages on the company website
www.FirstDownMobile.com
. Customers will have the ability to select
concession options and specify the time in which
they will be delivered. The company will also offer
a “Ready” function for its premium members which
will enable customers to have their order delivered
at a specific time during a game by sending a text
message to the First Down Mobile servers.
The First Down Mobile concept won first place honors
in the 2008 Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship
contest at the University of Maryland. The company
was formed in late 2008 by three University of
Maryland alumni: Daniel O’Keefe, Michael T. Jobe and
Ryan Ples who formed the company on the concept of
increasing customer satisfaction of fans and alumni at University of
Maryland football games.
“First Down Mobile, LLC., developed this
revolutionary platform for football fans at the
University of Maryland to order their food/beverages
before the game even starts. Premium customers will
also have the ability to text message our servers
when they are ready for their order to be delivered
during the game. This new technology will not only
increase the sales for the University of Maryland
concessions but it will enable customers to have
their food/beverages delivered to their seat at any
time during the game; therefore decreasing long
concession lines,” said Michael T. Jobe, Chief
Executive Officer of First Down Mobile, LLC.
First Down Mobile, LLC., will be introduced to the
great state of Maryland with a ribbon cutting
ceremony at Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium
for the start of the 2009 football season.
Accompanying the company officers will be the
Maryland Trade Ambassador, The Honorable Philip Kapneck, Mr. Robert L. Walker who serves as the
Managing Director of the Division of International
Investment and Trade for Maryland, and Mr. Stanley
Goldstein who serves as the President of the
University of Maryland Terrapin Club.
Mr. Jobe stated, “We are honored and delighted to
have top Maryland state officials and University
Officials join First Down Mobile, LLC., during the
ribbon cutting ceremony at Byrd Stadium in 2009.
Having these highly regarded officers endorse our
business will play an integral role in the success
of First Down Mobile, LLC.”
The company website can be accessed at
FirstDownMobile.com.
Please read
The Washington Times article covering
FirstDownMobile.
*About Portfolio Companies |
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
Capital
Access Network Updates
The Dingman Center’s Capital Access
Network (CAN) is screening regional early-stage
companies and coaching entrepreneurs in an effort to
successfully connect them with the angel investor
community. The CAN Program, sponsored by Morrison
and Forester, Silicon Valley Bank, and Deloitte, brought the
following great start-up companies to the September Investor Breakfast:
-
Oculis Labs
protects
computer screens against eavesdropping. This
major advance in information security enables
the government intelligence and defense
community and commercial markets to
improve security for classified materials,
reduce the cost of current security
infrastructure, and extend protection to mobile
and off-base workers.
-
WorkProducts, a
highly capital efficient business, is the
architect of the MatterSpace® ELM software
product that provides Evidence Lifecycle
Management (ELM) in order to make “Try vs.
Settle” analysis for corporate and outside
counsel during litigation. -
BridgeSpan provides financial
literacy education to student purchasers while
in school, debt counseling after they leave
school and financial hardship protection through
an interest-free line of credit for an upfront
fee to cover their monthly student loan payments
in the event of financial hardship after
graduation.
The next CAN Breakfast will be held on Wednesday,
October 14, 2009. CAN Breakfasts are by
invitation-only.
CAN Program Sponsors:
 
*About CAN
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
Invitation to an Israeli Embassy Event
The Embassy of Israel
Commercial Mission and Maryland/Israel Development
Center joined by the Israel Export &
International Cooperation Institute invite you to a
reception honoring the visiting Israeli Medical
Technology Delegation to MarketReach America @
AdvaMed 2009.
When: Tuesday, the Thirteenth of October
7:00-7:45pm Buffet Reception &
Poster Session
7:45-8:15pm Program with
Company Presentations
8:15-9:00pm Dessert and
Networking
To see the list of
participating companies,
click here.
To arrange meetings with the Israeli entrepreneurs
contact Barry Bogage,
bbogage@MarylandIsrael.org. RSVP by Oct. 7th to:
amy.keinan@israeltrade.gov.il.
Embassy of Israel
Jerusalem Hall
3514 International Drive, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Invitation and Photo I.D. required
Business Attire
Dietary Laws Observed
Cooperating Partners:
Dingman Center of
Entrepreneurship, Univ. of MD
Greater Baltimore Technology
Council
Mid-Atlantic Venture
Association
Technology Council of Maryland
World Trade Center Institute |
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
MBAfinder.net
MBAfinder.net assists you in
finding high quality and talented individuals to
assist with your short-term business project.
Through this system you can find, contact and
recruit talented students for short- to medium-term
projects.
MBAfinder.net offers unlimited access to both MBA
(graduate) and undergraduate business students at
the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University
of Maryland. You can post your projects and find
assistance for the following areas:
-
Presentation Development
-
Financial Modeling
-
Budget Analysis
-
Proposal Development
-
Cost Benefit Analysis
-
Feasibility Studies
-
Market Research
-
Industry Research
-
Customer Relationship
-
Competitive Analysis
The projects usually proposed through
MBAfinder.net are
short- to medium-term in duration, ranging from a
few hours to around 20 hours in total. Compensation
can be per-hour or per-project, depending on your
preferences.
|
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
The Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship
Founded by Rudy Lamone in 1986, the Dingman Center
was one of the first of its kind in the country and
has emerged as a top-ranked entrepreneurship center.
Thanks to initial funding with a generous grant from
Michael D. Dingman, founder of the Signal Corporation
(now part of Honeywell International), the Dingman Center
continues to grow as a regional and national catalyst
in the field of entrepreneurship. The Center is now
aggressively evolving, and in some areas, is expanding
its services to further its role as a leader in the
student, regional, and academic entrepreneurial communities.
The Dingman Center is currently led by:
Asher Epstein, Managing Director
John LaPides, Chairman of the Board and Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Craig Dye, Director for Venture
Investments
Please visit our Web site at
Dingman Center Online.
Join Dingman Center's
Fan Page on Facebook!
*Past Newsletters
|
|
|
|
|
