UK Entrepreneurs Bootcamp Kickoff — Fall 2017
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 29, 2017) — The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE), part of University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics, is pleased to announce that 28 projects have made the final cut into the Fall 2017 Entrepreneurs Bootcamp program.
Bootcamp is now entering its third year and has grown significantly since its launch in the fall of 2015. The program is open to all colleges, faculty, students, staff and community leaders that wish to launch their own startup company.
Since Bootcamp’s inception, the program has created nine startup companies, and continues to show an upward trend in growing Lexington’s startup base.
The Bootcamp program will run for 14 weeks, occurring every Thursday beginning Sept. 7. Due to the high volume of interest for the kickoff meeting, the first Bootcamp session will be held in the UK Bio-Pharm building (College of Pharmacy Room 152, large classroom/auditorium) at 5:15 p.m., Sept. 7. Observation is welcome on a one-time basis, but it is required that interested participants join a team after observing a session. All are welcome to attend the kickoff meeting to cheer on any of the 28 projects. Team leaders will deliver their 60-second pitch in an effort to recruit team members during the first session.
Currently, the Fall 2017 Entrepreneurs Bootcamp program is seeking team members to join projects for this semester. Click here to sign up and join a team: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Emft1iCj6bgQ6ikh2NqU0qbCC1otSkPcIcODMSC-ZaE/edit.
“It’s been wonderful to see teams enter the program with an idea and develop their business models in just one semester,” said Bootcamp Director and Program Manager Mariam Gorjian. “These individuals are learning a variety of skill sets to help them become better presenters and team leaders for either their future or current careers. Everyone in the program is participating in Bootcamp in addition to their full-time academic schedules and daytime jobs, which mimics the realities of an entrepreneur’s journey.”
Gorjian added that this year Bootcamp has attracted projects from the colleges of Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and the Gatton College, as well as from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, UK staff members, and community-led ideas.
For all questions or to learn more about Bootcamp, contact Gorjian directly at 859-218-6557 or email mariamgorjian@uky.edu.