Ilan Orgel has always had an entrepreneurial drive – and a sense of style. Before coming to the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School and beginning his finance degree, Orgel lived in New York, where he’d often wait in long, early morning lines to buy sneakers he would later resell at a profit.

Blockchain technology has gained prominence in recent years with the rise of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), but its potential to impact the business world has yet to be fully realized. This impact will touch existing enterprises and propel the launch of many new businesses as well. That’s where Maryland Smith comes in.

After two years of virtual competitions, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship team is excited to bring back Pitch Dingman Competition in a live format.

There are secrets to baking that also apply to being an entrepreneur. And five Maryland siblings are putting those secrets to work in their latest venture. The Dubbaneh brothers and sisters – Ronnie, Danny, Ronia, Johnny and Deanna – know that to be successful in baking, you have to take care in every step of the process, be patient, give it your time and attention, and love what you’re doing. It’s the same for starting a business.

In the 2022 edition of the annual rankings, announced today by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine, UMD placed No. 10 for undergraduate entrepreneurship education across all institutions—its seventh consecutive year in the top 10 and 10th straight year in the top 25—and No. 4 among public universities. It was also listed at No. 24 for graduate entrepreneurship education. New this year, The Princeton Review ranked schools regionally, and UMD came in at No. 2 in the Northeast.

Arion Long says she’s not just a chief executive officer; she’s also a chief estrogen officer. The founder of Femly, a company that makes plant-based and organic feminine hygiene products, Long visited Maryland Smith to speak with future entrepreneurs, as part of the annual Ladies First Speaker Event.

Broccoli, beef and baby formula are too often out of reach for people living many miles from a grocery store—or lacking a ride to one—forcing them to choose between paying hefty delivery fees or just going without.

Entrepreneurs beat long odds when they launch a company and sell it to investors. Jason Cohen ’96 has done it many times. It’s not how he started his career.

It’s no secret that gender imbalances still exist in many fields, with significant implications in entrepreneurship. According to Harvard Business Review, women-led startups received just 2.3% of venture capital funding in 2020. The Dingman Center’s Ladies First Initiative, led by Sara Herald, MBA ‘11, has been on a mission to change this narrative since its inception in 2016.