About Entrepreneurship
Led by Dr. Carol Reeves, fondly nicknamed "The Coach" by Fortune magazine, the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation has achieved worldwide acclaim for its student achievements, including recognition in The New York Times, CNN Money, NPR, Inventor's Digest, and the NASDAQ.
A History of Start-Up Success
Our students count more wins at state and national business plan competitions than any other university – 22 national wins, 54 awards at the Arkansas Governor's Cup, and 3 wins at the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State. Since 2002, students have won more than $2.8 million in prize money and raised $60 million to build their businesses. The greatest success stories, however, are the 35 startup companies and organizations founded by the program's alumni.
The fundamentals taught in the classroom include identifying and analyzing opportunities, developing viable business models, and funding the start-up process. Whether it's the graduate certificate in entrepreneurship or the MBA entrepreneurship concentration, the goal is the same: to equip students with the tools and opportunities to develop ideas and get noticed.
In the Fall of 2017, entrepreneurship students will have a new resource in the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub on the Fayetteville square. The Hub will provide meeting and co-working space for students and alumni, host events and workshops, and serve the Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurial community. Email oei@uark.edu to sign up for news and updates.
The program helped me become a more well-rounded scientist. It helped me to understand the value of being able to communicate a scientific idea to a diverse audience with the intention of fostering collaboration and growing a business venture.
- Dr. Ellen Brune, 2012
CSO, Boston Mountain Biotech
The entrepreneurship program opened the door to opportunities that otherwise would not have materialized. It literally changed my life.
- Nhiem Cao, 2011
CEO, cycleWood Solutions
New & Noteworthy
EPIC Spotlight: Mark Zweig
If you ask Mark Zweig to name former students who have successful businesses, be prepared to sit for a while.
Walton Hosts Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Proposal Writing Workshop
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center in the Sam M. Walton College of Business will host a Small Business Innovation Research/Business Technology Transfer Phase I Proposal Writing Workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development on the University of Arkansas campus.
Award-Winning Ghanaian Entrepreneur to Speak on Social Innovation
Adjoa Boateng, a widely recognized Ghanaian micro-insurance entrepreneur, will present “Social Entrepreneurship as a Vehicle for Social Change” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, in Willard J. Walker Hall room 403.
