CIE Announces First Landshark Tank and Innovation Bootcamp of 2015

Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is excited to kick-off the 2015-2016 academic year with Innovation Bootcamp and Landshark Tank on September 23, 2015.

University students and other entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to develop innovative business plans during the Innovation Bootcamp form 4-6 p.m. in 120 Connor Hall on the University of Mississippi campus.

The boot camp will assist students and members of the public in focusing on a specific business idea and concept. There will be extensive hands-on experience and mentoring from entrepreneurship faculty.

There will be an hour of creativity and business concept exercises followed by an hour of workshops for the business ideas.

“We develop these programs to create enthusiasm about the entrepreneurship program and the students’ business ideas,” said Dr. Richard Gentry, Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “The CIE has a lot for students to get involved in, and we wanted to kick off the 2015-2016 year with something fun.”

Following the boot camp, students have the opportunity to win cash prizes and practice pitching their business ideas in a Land Shark Tank competition to a panel of faculty judges from 6-7 p.m. in 138 Holman Hall, also on the Ole Miss campus.

Based on the popular ABC television show “Shark Tank”, the Land Shark Tank format has a panel of judges known as “Sharks” who will give the participants constructive criticism on their ideas. The judges will listen as the start-ups pitch their ideas, and give guidance to these budding entrepreneurs.

All Ole Miss students interested in participation are free to show up to both events with no charge or need to RSVP. Members of the public are welcome at the boot camp but the pitch competition is only for students.