Business counseling

Free consulting services will be provided to aspiring student entrepreneurs and faculty innovators and inventors. This technical assistance will be offered to individuals who need guidance and expertise to start and develop their business concepts. Information will be provided on a host of topics including feasibility analysis and start-up assistance; business plan development, understanding financial statements, and loan package preparation. Professional business advisors with real-world experience and expertise will help aspiring entrepreneurs evaluate and vet their business concepts.

Entrepreneur in Residence

Each semester a successful entrepreneur will commit to spending time in the Garage working with student and faculty innovators. The entrepreneur-in-residence will bring real-world expertise and entrepreneurial practice to students and faculty to enhance their business curriculum. Roles of the entrepreneur-in-residence will include:

• Class lecturer
• Workshop facilitator
• Mentor for student startups on campus
• One-on-one student coach
• Judge for Garage competitions

Coffee with Entrepreneurs

Coffee with entrepreneurs will be based on the Kauffman Foundation 1 Million Cups program. I Million Cups was started on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and engage with their communities over a million cups of coffee.

Local entrepreneurs will be invited to visit the Garage for informal, intimate sessions to discuss their entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, and keys to success. These sessions will be held once monthly from 9 am-10 am.

Competitions

Business plan competition

The awards will be given to an individual who has developed a comprehensive, well-written, and feasible business plan and is ready to launch their business venture. DCED will recruit expert judges to determine the competition winners.

New Venture Pitch competition

Student and faculty inventors and community small business innovators will have an opportunity to pitch their product designs to a panel of judges for cash prizes. Contestants will pitch a real business concept that they are planning to turn into a new business start-up.