U News | University of Wisconsin-Madison is launching the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub
The University of Kansas receives another $10 million to tear down and construct a new Entrepreneurship Hub.
From the University of Wisconsin-Madison:
In spite of budget cutbacks in other areas, The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW-Madison) is executing its campus entrepreneurship plan with the formation of a new entity, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub. The Hub, aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial pathways, was approved by campus governance in May, and a search for its first Executive Director is underway.
In October 2024, the university released a report commissioned by Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin that outlines a new strategy to boost entrepreneurship at UW–Madison. The report was developed by a working group that engaged more than 200 stakeholders within and outside the university. It lays out an initiative that builds on UW–Madison’s rich history of innovation to further empower the university’s founders — UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff — to help them transform their ideas into real-world impact. Mnookin appointed Jon Eckhardt as Special Adviser for the “founder-first” entrepreneurial initiative to help move the effort forward.
“UW–Madison has a long legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship, from the discovery and patenting of the blood thinner warfarin to today’s spinoff companies pioneering modern solutions, such as fusion energy. We have an opportunity to make this legacy even stronger,” says Mnookin. “The university is a home for founders, the people who drive entrepreneurship, and by providing them with the right support and infrastructure, we can create even greater economic growth throughout the state.”
The Hub is part of the university’s overall strategy to become a leading destination for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. The initiative is based on the notion that entrepreneurship is a creative act that improves society through economic impact, embodying the Wisconsin Idea. The Hub will execute the strategy by coordinating and developing new entrepreneurship resources and programs.
From the University of Virginia:
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business is fortifying its commitment to student entrepreneurship with an expanded Batten Founder Fellows (BFF) program, offering substantial grant funding and post-graduation support to MBA students launching ventures.
After a successful pilot in 2024, the program — led by the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology — has grown to support three founders from the Class of 2025, providing not only financial backing but also a powerful endorsement of their entrepreneurial journeys beyond Darden.
“The Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology is a true advantage that entrepreneurially minded Darden students have. With this program, our aim is to get resources directly into the hands of promising founders upon graduation,” said Omar Garriott, Executive Director of the Batten Institute.
Many student founders are eager to continue building their ventures after graduation, but a variety of factors, notably financial constraints, often push them toward more traditional career paths, said Jason Brewster, Director of Venturing Programs at the Batten Institute.
From the University of Kansas:
Demolition began on the former building housing a market, making way for the incoming Entrepreneurship Hub at the University of Kansas (KU). The demolition commenced just a week after the Lawrence Historic Resources Commission approved it.
The Hub is a planned space that “will foster entrepreneurship and innovation and serve all KU students, regardless of their field of study,” according to a KU News release. An anonymous donor pledged another $10 million gift commitment on top of the donor’s 2023 lead gift of $50 million to transform business education and research at the KU School of Business.
The site was home to McLain’s Market from 2018 to 2023. Before that, it was the decades-long home of the Jayhawk Bookstore.
The Hub will house spaces for current entrepreneurship groups such as The Catalyst and Jayhawk Consulting. It will also host programs like Boundless Creativity, Startup Jayhawk, KU’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, and pitch workshops for students.
From the University of Central Florida:
The University of Central Florida (UCF) has launched the Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IAI), a bold initiative that will elevate UCF’s leadership in this transformative technology.
The institute will unite more than two dozen world-class faculty across multiple colleges who are advancing foundational and applied artificial intelligence (AI) in areas like computer vision, robotics, machine learning, healthcare, finance, and mathematics. By bringing AI-related faculty, students, research, and partners together, the institute will serve as a nucleus for collaboration, driving education and discovery with real-world impact.
“AI is massively transforming how we live, work and learn. As Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University, UCF is uniquely positioned to lead in this critical space,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright.
From the Georgia Institute of Technology:
Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp has announced a new world-renowned tenant for Science Square, signaling Georgia Tech’s role in Atlanta and Georgia’s expanding life sciences sector.
According to the Governor’s Office, Shriners Children’s will establish a new pediatric medical research facility at Science Square, investing more than $153 million into the facility and creating 470 new jobs. The move by this nonprofit healthcare system, which has locations across North America and a global reach, shows the continued momentum in the region for this important area of research and development.
The Shriners Children’s Research Institute will be in Science Square Labs, positioned across from Georgia Tech’s North Avenue Research Area. The institute will serve as a multidisciplinary innovation hub focused on advancing healthcare for children. Areas of research will include cell and gene therapies, robotics, artificial intelligence, medical devices, biologics, and data informatics.
“Georgia Tech is excited to welcome Shriners Children’s to Science Square,” said Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera. “We developed Science Square to create a leading hub for life sciences research and innovation, and Shriners’ decision to be here will accelerate our progress to drive medical innovation, create high-impact jobs, and greatly strengthen Atlanta’s thriving innovation ecosystem.”
From North Carolina State University:
Researchers at North Carolina State University (NC State) have demonstrated a new tool to improve the security of small-scale business transactions with the goal of helping ensure that businesses are paid and customers get what they pay for. The tool, which relies on blockchain-powered smart contracts, essentially serves the same function that letters of credit provide for large companies.
A key idea here is the “letter of credit,” which is a letter from a financial institution guaranteeing that a seller will receive payment from the buyer in full and at a specific time, provided that the seller meets the contract specifications. The financial institution effectively backs the transaction, so that the seller can feel secure in making the transaction. Letters of credit are widely used in international transactions between large organizations, but are not generally available to small businesses or the public.
“The service provided by letters of credit would also be tremendously valuable for small businesses and everyday people who don’t currently have access to that type of financial service,” says Brandon McConnell, co-author of two papers on the work and an Associate Research Professor in NC State’s Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. “For example, if a contractor takes a job from a homeowner, it would be useful for there to be an established way – outside of the courts – for the contractor to ensure they are paid and for the homeowner to ensure the work is done.
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