The nationally recognized Invention to Venture (I2V) workshop, which offers students the opportunity to learn essential entrepreneurial thinking skills and network with inventors and entrepreneurs, is coming back to Orlando for the eighth consecutive year.<\/p>\n
The University of Central Florida\u2019s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and (CEI) and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance will hold the event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center on UCF\u2019s main campus. I2V is a program of the NCIIA with sponsorship from the Lemelson Foundation and the Kauffman Foundation.<\/p>\n
Invention to Venture is designed to help students, faculty members and industry leaders tap into the untouched entrepreneurial resources. The Orlando workshop allows attendees to gain information on business formation, networking, service providers, and financing sources.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s workshop features an elite group of national and statewide business leaders\u00a0who will share their knowledge and insight with attendees.\u00a0 A complete detailed biography can be found online.<\/p>\n
Scott Gerber<\/strong> \u2013 CEO, Gerber Enterprises<\/em><\/p>\n Pete McAlindon<\/strong> \u2013 CEO & Director, <\/em>Blue Orb, Inc.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Michael O’Donnell<\/strong> – Executive in Residence, UCF College of Business Administration<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Ted Murphy <\/strong>\u00a0– Founder & CEO, Chairman of the Board, IZEA<\/em><\/p>\n Thomas O\u2019Neal <\/strong>– Associate Vice President of Research and Commercialization at UCF & Executive Director of the UCF Business Incubation Program (UCFBIP)<\/em><\/p>\n Gordon Hogan <\/strong>\u2013 Director, UCF Business Incubation Program<\/em><\/p>\n Andrea Wesser<\/strong> \u2013 President\/CTO, PharmAcute, LLC<\/em><\/p>\n Al Ducharme \u00a0<\/strong>– Assistant Dean, CECS & President\/CEO Hoverfly<\/em><\/p>\n Carol Ann Dykes <\/strong>– Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation – Central Florida<\/em> Research Park<\/em><\/p>\n Ace Glenn <\/strong>\u2013 Founder & CEO, CourseMob<\/em><\/p>\n Herb Gingold<\/strong> \u2013 Technical Sales Representative, Texas Instruments<\/em><\/p>\n Scott Wall <\/strong>\u2013 RBC Bank<\/em><\/p>\n Ed Alexander <\/strong>\u2013 Founder, Entrepreneurship Law Firm<\/em><\/p>\n Svetlana Shtrom <\/strong>\u2013 Director, Technology Commercialization<\/em><\/p>\n Cameron Ford <\/strong>\u2013 Founding Director, UCF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n According to Cameron Ford, director of the CEI, \u201cUCF is celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week by offering our annual premier technology entrepreneurship educational event for both the campus and regional business community.\u00a0 Attendees will learn unique insights and skills from both local and national business leaders, that lead to success and high-growth, innovation-based ventures.\u201d<\/p>\n I2V connects students with real entrepreneurs and investors to teach them how to create successful business around their technology. Approximately 150 to 250 aspiring entrepreneurs attend the Orlando workshop each year. Attendees will experience hands-on workshop activities that they can apply to their entrepreneurial ideas immediately. These workshops include topics ranging from opportunity assessment, sales and marketing, intellectual property, and the management team to presenting the business plan and financing your venture.<\/p>\n I2V has been conducted at top colleges and universities such as the University of Maryland, the University of Florida, Illinois Institute of Technology, the University of California San Diego, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Southern Mississippi.<\/p>\n Admission is $8 for all students, $15 for UCF Faculty\/Staff\/Alumni, and $25 for others.<\/p>\n