A student entrepreneur talks to attendees at the Entrepreneurship Week celebration
Entrepreneurship@DU kicked off the 2021–22 school year in style.
The popular Speaker Series returned in late September with Fredric Steck, a retired partner at Goldman Sachs and financial investor, discussing how entrepreneurs can master the art of the follow-up.
The inaugural Entrepreneurship Week took place October 4–8. In partnership with Denver Startup Week, the week was full of free events that celebrated entrepreneurship in several forms. Monday featured an all-day celebration on the Driscoll Green. Tuesday included a panel on outdoor recreation and sustainability in the Community Commons. A panel, “Profit: The Byproduct of Purpose,” took place Wednesday in downtown Denver at Denver Startup Week’s headquarters. Thursday celebrated artistic entrepreneurship with live music, a gallery-style showcase of DU students’ art, and a panel discussion with arts professionals in the Community Commons. Friday marked DU’s first-ever Pitch Competition, where students pitched their startup ideas for cash prizes. Clare Whetzel won the competition with her startup Illegal Oats, a line of granola infused with mealworm powder.
Entrepreneurship Week panel discussion on outdoor recreation and sustainability
The Entrepreneurship@DU Speaker Series continued Oct. 20 with Andy Levine, Founder of DuVine. He discussed his experience starting a business right out of school.
On Nov. 10, the Madden Challenge returned with its first in-person competition since Winter 2020. Thirty teams from the Fourth Industrial Revolution class competed in the Community Commons. Five finalists pitched their ideas to the audience. Sweet Feet, a startup that creates custom insoles from sugar cane materials, won first place at the competition.
Before heading into the holiday season, the department also hosted a Women’s Networking and DIY Wreath making event at The Garage on Nov. 17.