KNOXVILLE — Do you have a business idea but don’t know how to begin turning it into a reality? The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the College of Business Administration is providing students, faculty and friends the opportunity to learn from entrepreneurs and business experts about the “nuts and bolts” of how to start a business.
The Vol Court Spring 2011 session is a seven-part series of in-depth, hands-on, one-hour workshops focused on the mechanics of starting a business. Workshop presenters are from various industries throughout Tennessee.
Vol Court sessions begin Feb. 1; the March 8 session includes a pitch competition in which the top presenting individual or team will win $500. Students attending Vol Court will be better prepared for the upcoming campus-wide Undergraduate Business Plan Competition (details to be announced soon).
Vol Court will be held for seven consecutive Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. in Room 701 of Stokely Management Center. Session topics are:
- Feb. 1: Evaluating the Business Opportunity
- Feb. 8: Developing the Business Model
- Feb. 15: How to Pitch the Concept to Investors
- Feb. 22: How to Choose and Set up the Business Structure
- March 1: Understanding and Setting up a Financial System
- March 8: Networking to Build Your Business (and pitch competition)
- March 22: Funding Your Business Through SBIR Grants
Technology 2020’s Center for Entrepreneurial Growth (CEG) is partnering with the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation ( Anderson CEI) in offering Vol Court.
The Anderson CEI facilitates entrepreneurial knowledge creation and dissemination through research, teaching and practice. The center develops entrepreneurial talent for starting businesses or contributing to the success of existing technology-driven businesses. Experiential learning activities enhance classroom instruction, link the regional entrepreneurial community with the university, and act as a hub for cross-campus initiatives that foster the growth of entrepreneurial research and commercially viable enterprises. Through its various activities, the center contributes to regional economic growth. For more information, visit http://www.AndersonCEI.utk.edu/.
The CEG is an entrepreneurial support organization within Technology 2020, one of the primary drivers of innovation and economic development in the East Tennessee region. The CEG helps entrepreneurs develop an execution strategy that leads to a sustainable company. In addition to its strategic planning process, the CEG develops and delivers entrepreneurial training seminars. For more information, visit http://www.tech2020.org/ceg_about.html.
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CONTACT:
Cindy Raines (865-974-4359, craines1@utk.edu)