Jan 27 2015
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Community, Cupid's Cup, Events, Pitch Dingman

Welcome back, Terps!

We hope everyone had a happy holiday season and is refreshed for a productive spring semester at Van Munching Hall.

The Dingman Center is hosting many exciting entrepreneurship events and programs this spring. Here are a few you don’t want to miss!

The 10th Annual Cupid’s Cup

cupidscupAn impressive 197 applications were submitted from 93 universities around the globe for the 10th Annual Cupid’s Cup competition, chaired by Under Armour CEO and Terp alumnus, Kevin Plank.

The applications — which hailed from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Greece, Nigeria, and beyond — are now undergoing the initial review process. Judges will select 12 applicants to advance to the semifinals on March 12. Watch out for that announcement in mid-February. And, be sure to save the date for the showcase and final competition on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland.

For more information please visit the Cupid’s Cup website.

The Pitch Dingman Competition

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For all those student entrepreneurs out there, are you ready to take your startup to the next level? Consider applying for the spring Pitch Dingman Competition to be held March 4, 2015, from 6-7:30pm at in Tyser Auditorium in Van Munching Hall. Five finalists will pitch to a panel of all-star judges including regional entrepreneurs and members of the Smith School community, as they compete for $3,500 in start-up funding.

The application deadline is Monday, February 16 at 10 a.m. Click here for more information and eligibility requirements.

Pitch Dingman Sessions are Back!

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Beginning Friday, Jan. 30, Pitch Dingman sessions will continue every Friday for the remainder of the semester. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to attend a walk-in sessions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to get feedback on their business ideas. In addition to insights from experienced entrepreneurs, participants will leave Pitch Dingman with actionable next steps. Students interested in competing in the March 4 Pitch Dingman Competition must attend at least one walk-in session.

Questions? Email pitchdingman@rhsmith.umd.edu or visit the website.

 

To hear about additional events, programs and news, visit our website, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn and continue reading this blog.

 

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Jan 16 2015
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Dingman Jumpstart: The Weekend Bootcamp

Last weekend, 17 University of Maryland (UMD) alumni came to the Smith School’s Van Munching Hall to jumpstart their business ideas at the Dingman Center’s re-vamped program, Dingman Jumpstart. The program helps alumni increase their odds of building successful businesses by learning how to reduce customer risk and develop clear action plans. The alumni, called Dingman Jumpstart Cohort Alpha, experienced a series of lectures and workshops presented by an all-star lineup of instructors who have all been trained in the National Science Foundations I-Corps curriculum. The weekend kicked off with a Friday evening reception complete with speed pitches then two days of lectures and workshops followed.

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Dec 18 2014
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Community, Dingman Jumpstart, EnTERPreneurs, Events, Fearless Founders, Pitch Dingman, student entrepreneur

That’s a Wrap! Looking back at the Fall Semester

It’s hard to believe it’s already December. Final exams are coming to an end and soon students will be off for the winter break. Those who engage with the Dingman Center, know our mission is to build a community that discovers, equips, connects and celebrates entrepreneurship. This semester was no exception. We hit the ground running in August, bringing back our signature programs, such as Pitch Dingman Fridays, the Pitch Dingman Competition during Global Entrepreneurship Week, and Terp Marketplace.

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Dec 16 2014
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Fearless Founders Program Awards Grant Funding to Student Entrepreneurs

fearless founders stampLast night, the Dingman Center awarded a total of $8,500 in grant funding to student entrepreneurs in the Hatch stage of the Fearless Founders. Congratulations to all of the students who worked hard this semester going through the customer discovery process and iterating on their businesses. Keep reading for the full list of winners.

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Dec 12 2014
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Community, EnTERPreneurs

Brent Goldfarb Appointed Academic Director of the Dingman Center

We are excited to announce that Brent Goldfarb, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship, has been appointed the Academic Director of the Dingman Center, where he will will direct research and education programs for the center.

“Brent is ideal for this role,” said Smith School Dean Alex Triantis. “He pushes his students out of their comfort zones. His #RealEntrepreneurship, for example, has challenged them to conceive, launch and operate actual companies.”

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Goldfarb’s entrepreneurship courses are some of Dingman’s most popular at the Smith School of Business. His capstone courses include #RealEntrepreneurship and AdVENTURE Challenge: China, which was recently featured in BizEd magazine.

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In his new role, Goldfarb will continue to develop courses similar to AdVENTURE Challenge: China, a program described as “Amazing Race meets venture creation.” Competing students spend a week in China learning critical thinking skills through the practice of customer discovery.

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In addition to developing cutting edge curriculum, Goldfarb focuses his research on technology applications and strategies for driving startups and the economy.

“Brent’s expertise has been invaluable to the Dingman Center and our students,” said Dingman Center Managing Director Elana Fine. “His increased role will strengthen our ties to faculty and further integrate Dingman Center programs into the Smith School curriculum.  Our combined vision is to create a broader portfolio of courses and experiences to attract and equip students interested in entrepreneurship.”

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Dec 10 2014
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Community, Dingman Jumpstart, The Pitch

What’s Up at the Dingman Center?

Every two weeks, the Dingman Center distributes The Pitch, which highlights important happenings in our community. In case you missed it, here’s a look at what’s up in entrepreneurship:

Dean Triantis Named One of InTheCapital’s “50 on Fire” for Education

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Congrats to Dean Alex Triantis, who has been named one of InTheCapital’s “50 on Fire“; a list of the year’s disruptive innovators covering nine industries. Since his appointment, the school has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund the Center for International Business Education and Research. Dingman Center Angels portfolio company, Homesnap also made the list. Check out the full list here!

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Dec 04 2014
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Cupid's Cup, MyFridgeRental.com, Pitch Dingman, startup, Startup Success, student entrepreneur, Terps

Catching up with Cupid’s Cup Champ, MyFridgeRental.com

This year Cupid’s Cup is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Kevin Plank is looking for the next entrepreneur who has what it takes to win the cup and more than $100,000 in cash prizes.

As we gear up for this year’s competition, we caught up with founders Adam and Eric VanWagner to see how things are going with MyFridgeRental.com, the 2011 Cupid’s Cup champion.

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Adam VanWagner ’11

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Eric VanWagner ’11

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Dec 04 2014
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Terp Toolkit

Terp Toolkit: Building the Right Entrepreneurial Board

Research by Christine Beckman, Originally published in Research@Smith, Volume 15, No 1

Entrepreneurial boards typically stay actively involved in the growth of a new venture and can be critical to the company’s success. So it is important for startups to know which types of people they should offer board seats to.

boardChristine Beckman, associate professor of management and organization at the Robert H. Smith School of Business and Academic Director at UMD’s Center for Social Value Creation, looked at the influence of entrepreneurial boards and the makeup that helps startups grow quickly in a paper she co-coauthored for Academy of Management Journal. The authors followed 105 semiconductor firms founded in the United States from 1977 through 1990 to see how well the companies did and how the inaugural board members impacted success.

Continue reading for key findings from Professor Beckman’s study and takeaways to build an effective board for your startup.

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Dec 01 2014
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Community

What’s Happening at the Dingman Center?

Every two weeks, the Dingman Center distributes The Pitch, which highlights important happenings in our community. In case you missed it, here’s a look at what’s up in entrepreneurship:

 Big Idea CONNECTpreneur FORUM is Back!

On December 4th, the Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Forum is back and promises to be better than ever. The quarterly event, which will be held at the Tysons Corner Marriott from 7-11a.m., brings together over 300 of the top founders, angel investors, CXOs, VCs and business leaders from the mid-Atlantic region. This unique event features a morning of awesome networking, newsmaking speakers and a showcase of exciting companies, including Dingman portfolio company, Naaya.

Register by December 1st to receive a special Thanksgiving discount rate.

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Nov 25 2014
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EnTERPreneurs, Fearless Founders

Terp Entrepreneur Launches Locks of Curls

Fredrica Antwi, Founder, Locks of Curls

Fredrica Antwi, Founder, Locks of Curls

Fredrica Antwi, a senior studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Maryland, was tired of spending a ton of money purchasing hair products to tame her naturally curly hair. After countless trips to the beauty supply store left her broke and unhappy, she decided to do something about it.

“I would spend so much money purchasing products but at the end of the day, they would end up in a cabinet somewhere unfinished,” said Fredrica.

So, she came up with Locks of Curls, an exciting way for people with naturally curly hair to experiment with products without a huge commitment or breaking the bank.

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