Entrepreneurship
"The establishment of a portfolio of successful technology entrepreneurship programs involving faculty as well as graduate and undergraduate students is rapidly creating a strong culture of entrepreneurship in our university which, I am sure, will have a profound positive impact in the economy of our region and nation in the years to come,"
- Nariman Farvardin, Dean of Clark School of Engineering.
The University of Maryland has a rich entrepreneurial culture. Since the fall 2003 semester, the M.S. in Telecommunications program has offered a range of technology entrepreneurship opportunities for our students. These opportunities allow students to hone and develop their entrepreneurial interests as well as to build skills, learn tools, and gain exposure to successful technology entrepreneurs.
In conjunction with the M. S. in Telecommunications curriculum, this entrepreneurial offering allows students in the ENTS program the opportunity to take an interest or an idea and develop it through to fruition.
ENTS Entrepreneurial Sequence may include:
Workshops/Seminars
The ENTS Program will develop and identify pertinent campus workshops, seminars and events to assist students in developing tools and skills as well as sharpening their entrepreneurial interests. ENTS students need to sign in and make the Program Office aware of their attendance at these events so these activities can be taken in consideration in future entrepreneurial program initiatives.
Hinman CEO
The Hinman CEO program offers weekly presentations by outside guest speakers from the entrepreneurial community. Speakers include successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, legal experts, technologists, and service providers. University of Maryland educators that focus in the areas of business plan writing and review, financing, business law, ethics, start up company incubation also participate with the seminar series.
Technology Ventures Club
The Technology Ventures Club (TVC) is a dynamic forum for technically-oriented graduate students to explore starting their own ventures and commercializing emerging technologies. The TVC is open to graduate students from all technical disciplines. The TVC is dedicated to facilitating new venture formation through:Workshops, Interactive presentations, Direct access, Exciting networking events and social mixers. TVC Events
ENTS 689J: Introduction to Business and Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
ENTS 689K:Telecommunications Entrepreneurial Practicum (6 credits)
Taken at the 3 credit level, ENTS 689K serves as an elective in the M.S. in Telecom Degree Program. The ENTS academic advisor will collaborate with the project managers to submit a grade, ensure appropriate credit level, and serve as a point of contact within the ENTS program.
1. Work with the New Markets Growth Fund, as a Technical Associate. In collaboration with a project manager, a student will evaluate telecommunications based companies looking for investment from a technocommercial perspective. More Information
2. Work with the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). In collaboration with a project manager a student will evaluate commercialization potential of telecommunications technologies coming from the University of Maryland. The students' evaluation will be an input for the decision to patent. More Information
3. The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is dedicated to facilitating, supporting, and encouraging new enterprise growth. One of the oldest original entrepreneur centers in the country, the Dingman Center at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, has established itself as a national catalyst for entrepreneurship. More Information
ENTS 609E: Telecommunications Entrepreneurial Project (3 credits)
Enrollment in the Entrepreneurial Telecommunications Project will be selective. Students' applications for ENTS 609E will be reviewed to determine those students who have best availed themselves to the cross-disciplinary aspects of the ENTS program and to entrepreneurial workshops and skill building activities.
The project will be advised by a faculty member or industry instructor who has a proven entrepreneurial track record. Specific parameters and requirements for each project will be determined between the student(s) and the project advisor.
This project will be a culmination of course work, workshops, seminars, independent study, and the leveraging of many aspects of the entrepreneurial culture at the University of Maryland, College Park to provide the student with a unique academic experience. ENTS609E will first be offered during the spring 2004 semster.
