Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State University students are putting their business ideas to the test in a range of competitions throughout Entrepreneurship Week, culminating with the annual "Investing in Innovation" conference, also known as I-3 Day, Friday [April 10].
The activities are designed to be a premier showcase of innovation at the university, spanning the College of Business, Bagley College of Engineering, and the entire campus. The week is coordinated by the MSU Entrepreneurship Center, a university-wide resource with a vision to create a culture of entrepreneurial activity, provide means to support business start-ups with awards, provide business planning and mentoring with MSU partners, create an alumni network of entrepreneurs and partner with private businesses to expand opportunities.
The Innovation Luncheon to be held in the Parker Ballroom at MSU's Hunter Henry Center is hosted by MSU's Office of Technology Management and will feature a keynote address by Gary Butler, chairman and CEO of Camgian Microsystems. Butler founded his company in 2006 with the vision of becoming a leader in combining innovative technologies in the areas of low-power microelectronics, sensors, wireless communications and data analysis to provide valuable decision analytics for customers in the government and commercial markets.
Eric Hill, program manager for the university's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said Friday's conference is free and open to anyone interested in business ventures. Advanced registration is available online at http://ecenter.msstate.edu/i3day or by emailing Nate Baker at nbaker@ecenter.msstate.edu.
In addition to the luncheon, the Tellus Operating Final Startup Competition will begin at 1:15 p.m., and Student Elevator Pitch Competition is set for 2:45 p.m., both in the Parker Ballroom of the Hunter Henry Center.
Awards and closing remarks will be given at 4 p.m. in the same location.
MSU Entrepreneurship Week 2015 is made possible by Tellus Operating Group, LLC., Talos Energy, LLC., MSU alumnus Mark Dumas, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz, PC., and MSU's College of Business and Bagley College of Engineering.
For a complete schedule of startup business competitions and other activities, visit www.ecenter.msstate.edu.
MSU, Mississippi's flagship research university, is online at www.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate.