Community outreach
Supporting community entrepreneurs
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center’s focus on teaching, coaching and inspiring students to be entrepreneurial in their lives would not be possible without engaging the community.
The support and involvement from the campus and Gainesville communities and entrepreneurs across the Gator Nation is critical to the success of our students. To share the wealth of our resources, the center opens programs to the public.
The center also supports disabled veterans and works with Gainesville entrepreneurs from adverse backgrounds.
National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program
The program provides entrepreneurial learning and development for veterans with service-connected disabilities or who’ve distinguished themselves in the military. It’s designed for veterans interested in starting a new venture or those with an existing business for which they would like to increase profits.
Concept development and self study
Over the initial five-week period, delegates will participate in a self-study curriculum, facilitated by an online discussion and assessment module, which will be moderated by entrepreneurship faculty. This phase enables delegates to work on development of business concepts and prepare for ootcamp in May. Those with existing businesses will work on understanding and shaping relevant business issues.
Cost
The program is free to veterans who are selected for the program. Costs are underwritten by sponsors and private donors, with operations and program development provided by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center.
VEP Bootcamp
Like a military boot camp, this five-day in-person program is intense, rigorous and demanding. It is an opportunity for learning and interaction with faculty, guest entrepreneurs, business experts and peer delegates. The bootcamp exposes participants to the nuts and bolts of business ownership through experiential workshops and lessons from faculty.
Eligibility
The program serves veterans who meet the following three requirements:
- Have separated from active duty service (or are in the process of separating) with an honorable discharge
- Are identified as disabled by the Veteran’s Administration or DOD based on a “service-connected” disability (or) Are “service distinguished” based on exemplary military conduct
- Demonstrate an intense motivation to start or grow a business
The program is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Program dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 1 | Application deadline (Apply as early as possible) |
| Rolling admissions | Acceptance decisions |
| April 7-May 9 | Online Self Study and Business Concept / Issues Development |
| May 18-24 | In-Person Bootcamp |
Join the Veterans Entrepreneurship Program
If you’re ready to start a vigorous program that helps you launch your idea or advance your company, the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is ready to assist you.
Gainesville Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program
The Gainesville Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program is an integrated, multi-faceted program to empower those living in adverse circumstances to create and grow their own businesses.
Program goals
The program empowers those who are economically disadvantaged to alleviate poverty.
- Celebrate the achievements of those striving to create and grow local small businesses.
- Foster the creation of new, profitable ventures by those facing economic or other disadvantages.
- Assist existing small businesses owned by those with disadvantages in becoming sustainable and growing.
- Measure and track the development and performance of entrepreneurs and their ventures based on program participation.
- Identify and share best practices.
Gator Bootcamp
The Gator Bootcamp occurs on five consecutive Saturday mornings and introduces participants to basic tools, concepts and principles relevant to launching and growing a successful venture when one has limited resources or background. It is an intense experience that is taught our top faculty, subject matter experts and successful entrepreneurs. The price of the Bootcamp is $600, but scholarships are available to cover a substantial part of the fee for those who are economically disadvantaged.
Eligibility
Anyone suffering from adverse economic, physical or related circumstances is eligible to participate in the program. Our primary focus is individuals who are economically disadvantaged and have a dream of starting and growing a venture, including those who have already started a venture.
One-on-one consulting
The consulting initiative connects faculty, graduate students and other partners with entrepreneurs, helping them launch and grow ventures.
Resource connections
Connect entrepreneurs to other resources in the community through community forums, networking events, and other communication vehicles.
Research and tracking
Research and tracking will be conducted to identify ways to better assist the ventures.
Join the entrepreneurship & adversity program
Applications are accepted at any time during the year. This application will give us an opportunity to learn more about your interest in the program, the kind of business you are trying to start or have already started, and provide contact details.
Students spend an immense amount of time focusing on business theory but often lack the opportunity to apply this theory in a real-world environment. Students enrolled in the GatorNest course are given the chance to engage their analytical and creative skills and apply them in unscripted situations, ultimately enhancing the learning process while creating value-add solutions to problems facing early-stage ventures.
If your organization is interested in receiving student consulting services, contact the Entrepreneurship Center to discuss a potential partnership.
Build a community connection
How can the Entrepreneurship Center help you with your business need? Reach out and we’ll discuss the options tailored to you.