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Entrepreneurial Experience : McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship Caps Off Banner Year

Entrepreneurship competition

In the 25 years since the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship was established, more than 1,500 graduates have gone on to launch hundreds of ventures — often based on the plan they conceived in the program — with many more applying their entrepreneurial skills as a significant competitive advantage in the workplace.

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June 2009

By Liz Warren-Pederson

McGuire Center celebrates 25th annual year-end competition and upward movement in U.S. News graduate rankings

On April 24, the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship celebrated its 25th annual year-end competition.

The landmark came just one day after U.S. News and World Report released graduate rankings that placed the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship at #10 overall and #4 among public institutions — the last major top-ten ranking for the Center to crack.

"The rankings news is a great way to close the academic year," says Sherry Hoskinson, director of the McGuire Center. "Movement among the top 10 is very difficult in the type of reputational assessment that the ranking uses. It's particularly gratifying in that it shows that our peers are indeed aware of the caliber of our program."

As for the competition, this year included a format change that saw the 21 student venture teams presenting their concepts to the judging panel in a three minute "rocket pitch" format. The judges awarded the $1,000 first-place prize to Josh Hottenstein (MS MIS '09) and Myles Lewis (master's in applied biosciences) of Verdant Earth Technologies, an environmentally friendly manufacturer of turnkey crop growth systems.

Runners up included BigFootHD, BonVita Workshops, Owl Towels, and Superior Medical Instruments. Read about the event from a judge’s perspective on the Eller Blog.

The event also recognized entrepreneurial leaders including Eller College dean Paul Portney, UA Rogers College of Law dean Toni Massaro, Greg Coxon, Marie Wesselhoft, Charles and Candace Nelson, Stephen O'Neil, and Mark and Jacques Cook.

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