Dr. Joseph C. Picken
A unique curriculum that teaches budding entrepreneurs how to develop and start new ventures has helped earn UT Dallas a top peer-reviewed award in innovation from a worldwide consortium of university-based entrepreneurship centers.
The Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers recently recognized the University with the 2014 Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation. In the award nomination, the University emphasized venture acceleration and the Startup Launch Track, which is within the Naveen Jindal School of Management’s master’s program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“We are pleased to be recognized for this GCEC award,” said Dr. Joseph C. Picken, who founded the UT Dallas Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and developed the University’s related academic program.
“It is a credit to the entire faculty and a further reflection of the state-of-the art curriculum we have developed at UT Dallas.”
Earlier this year, the MS in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program earned recognition from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship as the 2014 National Model Graduate (MBA) Entrepreneurship Program.
Established last year, Startup Launch Track affords select students $25,000 in seed capital, laboratory and/or office space, and specialized help to launch new enterprises as they earn their degrees.
The track helps student entrepreneurs develop their business concepts from the early startup stage to the point when a venture “represents a prime candidate for funding by the professional investment community — angel investors, venture capitalists or corporate investors,” Picken said.
“In a very short time, the Startup Launch Track has helped three promising businesses get off the ground. That is excellent for our students and UT Dallas. It also is great for our region. We are happy to be having an impact on our community.”
Dr. Hasan Pirkul,
dean of the Jindal School and Caruth Chair of Management
“The quality and high standards of our faculty also played a key role in winning this award,” said Madison Pedigo, director of JSOM’s innovation and entrepreneurship programs. He in particular praised Dan Bochsler, the manager of the Startup Launch Track.
“Being in a startup company is both a wonderful challenge and one of the most difficult challenges for anyone. A defining feature of the UT Dallas academic program in innovation is the breadth and depth of topics and courses delivered from a very experienced academic and industry faculty,” Bochsler said.
Bochsler, Pedigo and Picken praised Dr. Hasan Pirkul, dean of the Jindal School and Caruth Chair of Management, as the creative force behind the latest innovation.
“Startup Launch was the dean’s idea, and he was a prime mover in making it a reality,” Picken said. “We have some budding business owners who owe him a big thank you.”
The award is the second honor that JSOM has received from the consortium, which is made up of more than 200 university centers of entrepreneurship and addresses emerging entrepreneurship topics. In 2009, GCEC recognized the Jindal School for Outstanding Contributions to Advance the Discipline of Entrepreneurship.
“We are pleased to be recognized with a second award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers,” Pirkul said. “In a very short time, the Startup Launch Track has helped three promising businesses get off the ground. That is excellent for our students and UT Dallas. It also is great for our region. We are happy to be having an impact on our community.”