Ain Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Rochester

It has to do with solving problems and owning a solution. Having the freedom to use my creativity to make a real impact that’s what drives me the most." Francis Pellegrino, an optical engineering major who is CEO and co-founder of Advanced Growing Resources (AGR), talks about his passion for entrepreneurship in this profile from the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences: University of Rochester: http://www.hajim.rochester.edu//2021/2021-01-07-pellegrino AGR took first place in our 2020 Swarm Starter Competition last November, and we're so proud of their continued progress and hard work!

Check out this great opportunity from the Blackstone LaunchPad at University at Buffalo to use your entrepreneurial skills during winter break: the FinTech Design Challenge is a virtual week-long event January 11-15 to create the next big idea in the FinTech industry. Graduate and undergrad student teams from colleges and universities in Western NY are invited to respond to a FinTech design challenge in an action-learning experience. All students will receive a certificate f...or participating. The top three design concepts will receive cash prizes to be split among team members in two categories: 1st ($1250), 2nd ($750) and 3rd ($500). Design Challenge:January 11 15, 2021 Application deadline:January 7, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Application link: https://bit.ly/UBFinTech21

Looking for a winter internship? A chance to add experience to your resume? The Ain Center for Entrepreneurship has new opportunities in the Rochester startup community open to undergraduate and grad students. Work with NextCorps, TeraTribe, Tekkiner, Double Helix Optics, and more! Students who apply are eligible for financial support via a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. For information on financial support, contact Kathy Driscoll at [email protected]. Check out all available opportunities at https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/startupjobs/.

Did you miss some of our Startup Bytes virtual lunch talks this fall? You're in luck: we recorded them all! Fantastic speakers from organizations such as Launch NY, Chloe Capital, Arts In The Loop and UR Health Lab shared their stories and insights into the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems in and around Rochester. Find links to the videos of each event on our website: https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/fs-lunches/

Congratulations to the winners of the UR Next Gen Challenge! This one-day think-tank style competition gives students a chance to solve current industry problems with professionals working in local companies. This year, the MS Team at the University of Rochester partnered with local startup MicroEra Power. First Place: Molly Over, MS TEAM Vatsal Agarwal, Data Science and Financial Economics ... Vanshika Singhania, Business (Finance and Accounting) Seungju Yeo, MS Mechanical Engineering Second Place: Vasisht Guru Prasad, MS TEAM Blaine Dillingham, Optics Tracey Moyston, BME Claude Mulindi, Engineering Science Congratulations, all!

Interested in a career at Facebook? University of Rochester alumni who currently work at Facebook will discuss their careers and current projects in addition to providing hiring information during a Facebook Info Session on Wednesday, October 28, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EDT via Zoom. Open to all students! Panelists include: T.S. Khurana ’88 (VP of Infrastructure Foundation, Sourcing Operations Engineering) Ashutosh Shroff ’04, ’07S, ’08S MBA (Director, Capacity Engineerin...g & Analysis [CEA]) Sree Madakkavil ’19S MBA (NPI Materials Manager, SOE’s Plan & Make/Deliver Team) Simon Gong ’07 (Manager of Capacity Planning and Optimization, Capacity Engineering & Analysis [CEA]) Students are welcome to submit questions ahead of the session: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G93FNBZ. Register online to attend: https://piazza.com/rsvp/facebook/ev2_kg2s8q45h0i1wg#/

Our virtual webinar series continues next week with a session on e-Commerce & Digital Marketing, presented by Matt Weaver of Mason Digital. The workshop will take place from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 27. The Buzz Lab Boot Camp Special Edition: Managing through Uncertainty webinar series is designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs who are facing challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This program is open to the general public and offered at no cost thanks to a generous grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Register online to attend: http://bit.ly/buzz-lab-webinars

Don't miss the next Startup Bytes lunch talk! This Friday at noon, join us to hear from speakers who helped organize ROC the Business of Art, a series of professional development workshops for visual and performing artists. Part of the Arts In The Loop initiative, these workshops aim to provide entrepreneurial training to artists in the region. Register online at https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/register/ and contact [email protected] with any questions or suggestions for future topics!

Join the Ain Center for an online workshop, The Voice of a Customer: Shut Up and Listen. This workshop will help you discover the benefits of listening really listening to potential clients, as well as teach strategies to learn what your potential customers want. This is a valuable framework for both for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises. This workshop is recommended to complete the Entrepreneurship Track in the Medallion Program. Register online to attend: https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/register/

There's still time to apply to the NSF I-Corps regional course for researchers interested in exploring the market potential of their work and learning entrepreneurial skills. Geared toward doctoral candidates, post-docs and faculty, this course is free to participants and consists of remote meetings over a 3.5-week period. If you work with a team, the whole team can participate. At the end of the program, teams will have conducted customer interviews, learned about the busine...ss model canvas, and will have clear plans for taking the next steps. More information: https://www.unyicorps.org/regional-courses/ Apply online: https://airtable.com/shrqaLPFwxYoSDGSB Contact senior program manager Matthew Spielmann at [email protected] with questions.

Calling all undergrads with big ideas! Drop into a virtual e5 info session next week to learn how you can spend a fifth, tuition-free year at UR working on bringing your ideas to life. Accepted students can launch a project and engage in an experiential pursuit, whether economic or social in nature. The fall deadline to apply is November 1 - seniors are only eligible to apply in the fall. Visit our website for examples of current and past projects: https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/e5/ Zoom link to attend: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/5853122024

Registration is open for our new free virtual workshop series, Buzz Lab Boot Camp Special Edition: Managing through Uncertainty. Covering topics such as pivoting your business model, financial resources, and digital marketing, this five-part series is designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners adjust to uncertain times. Starts October 6. Register: bit.ly/buzz-lab-webinars

The University of Rochester is hosting a campus competition this for the Hult Prize this fall. The Hult Prize Foundation transforms how young people envision their own possibilities as leaders of change in the world around them, and the annual global competition is the largest student social entrepreneurship competition in the world. This year's theme is "Food for Good." Monday, October 5, join Hult Prize at University of Rochester and Barbara J. Burger iZone for a design thinking and ideation workshop to brainstorm ideas for the competition and meet potential teammates. Sign up for the workshop here: https://airtable.com/shrA9RGK5sVYzMwtz

Expert-in-Residence Felipe Vasconcelos is holding office hours this Friday, October 2 from 2 - 5 p.m. and there are still timeslots available! Felipe is the CEO of StartBeauty and has expertise in: * eCommerce * International Supply Chain * Product Management... * Social Media Strategy & Digital Marketing Book your free 30-minute appointment with Felipe for advice on your own project or venture: https://www.rochester.edu/aincenter/eir/book. You'll receive a Zoom link for the appointment after signing up.