DCU/ASU Strategic Alliance – New Entrepreneurial Initiative held at Invent DCU - 16 April 2009

16 April 2009

As part of the strategic alliance between DCU and Arizona State University, a new pilot programme to promote entrepreneurship amongst students from both institutions has been initiated. 

In ASU, under the Edson programme, students at both undergraduate and graduate level are provided with the opportunity to apply for substantial funding and office facilities in order to set up their own business.  As part of this pilot programme, three teams from ASU have worked with three DCU teams to develop a particular idea in an Irish/European environment.

The programme has been supported by the International Student Exchange Support (ISES), which facilitates the internationalisation of business education in an entrepreneurial context, and both the US and Irish students involved have gained both academically and professionally from their involvement. They interact with their counterparts via email and Skype calls on a regular basis over the academic year in order to complete the required deadlines and assignments.

During their stay in Ireland, the ASU and DCU students will engage in a number of activities. On 15^th April, the Invent DCU team of commercialisation specialists provided mentoring support to the students on the technologies they are developing and the commercialistaion opportunities that exist for them.

During their stay in Ireland, the ASU students will engage in a number of activities during their stay which will include discussions of their ideas as well as mentoring support from the Invent team at DCU and from Enterprise Ireland’s commercialisation specialists. 

On Thursday 16 April, all the students involved in the programme will attend the DCU Ryan Academy Networking Seminar presented by Brody Sweeney, CEO of O’Brien’s Sandwich Bars.

The ASU students were accompanied by Mr Scott Perkofski, Manager of the Edson Programme in ASU, and Ms Terree Wasley, Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ASU

The programme is being led by Julia Rosen of ASU and Dr Sarah Ingle from the DCU Business School. 

Dr Sarah Ingle from DCU Business School is the co-ordinator of a module entitled New Enterprise Development, a core year-long module for final year Business Studies and European Business students that aims to introduce participants to the theory and practice of entrepreneurship. The main academic assignment for this module is the development of a business plan from an original idea in teams of three or four students. 

 In 2008/2009 the business ideas and DCU teams involved are:

For further information on this event please contact: sarah.ingle@dcu.ie