Throughout the spring semester, the Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, along with our partners, will put on events and bring in entrepreneurs of all kinds
to tell their story, host a workshop on a specific topic,
and overall, inspire you to think big.
We will constantly update this website. So stay tuned for upcoming events.
RSVP is generally required for all events (refreshments almost always served!)
Join us and the Social Innovation Initiative at Brown on March 16 for a conversation on how entrepreneurship can be used as a vehicle for solving problems in the public sector.
Richard Culatta, the State of Rhode Island’s first Chief Innovation Officer, will lead discussion and give examples of the work underway at the RI Office of Innovation (including bringing computer science to every k-12 school and making college textbooks free).
Thursday, March 16
12:00 - 1:30 PM
Petteruti Lounge
RSVP here! (Lunch served)
A presentation of innovative translational research programs (with time for networking):
-Professor Joseph Butch Rovan: nDial: Novel Electronic Musical Instrument Interface
-Associate Professor Derek Stein: Smart Multifunctional Membranes for Buildings
-Assistant Professor George Konidaris: Realtime Robitics
-Professor Barry Lester: Cry Analysis as an Audio Biomarker to Diagnose Withdrawal in Opioid Exposed Infants
-Clemens Grave, MSc and Richard McDonald, MS
(Founders of The Finnest Group): Improving Financial Literacy Through Early Real Money Experience
Wedneday, March 22
2:00 -4:00 PM
Social Enterprise Greenhouse Hub, 10 Davol Square- Tri- Lab space
Register here!
Are you working on an entrepreneurial venture or project? Are you currently facing challenges or roadblocks? In need of inspiration?
Sign up for a 1 hour workshop to meet with the following leaders in strategy innovation! They will share stories and strategies of how entrepreneurs can use creativity as a foundation in your entrepreneurial journey or activities.
Thursday, March 23
1:00 - 2:00 PM
2:00 - 3:00 PM
Meeting Room, Hillel
REGISTRATION IS OPEN.
We are limited to 20 people per session.
Join us for a discussion with Jim Breyer, P'17, Founder and CEO of Breyer Capital, a global venture capital firm. He will share stories and advice on idea generation, college entrepreneurship, and what venture capitalists look for in companies.
Jim has been an investor in over 40 consumer internet/technology companies including Facebook (one of the first investors), Etsy, Legendary, Datalogix, Marvel Entertainment, Headspace, and Oscar Health. He has assisted teams at over a dozen companies complete IPOs. For three consecutive years, from 2011–13, Forbes ranked Jim number one on the Forbes Midas List of Tech's Top Investors. Lunch served. For more info, visit his website.
Tuesday, April 4
12:00 - 1:00 PM
2nd Floor Chapel, Hillel (80 Brown Street)
Thursday, April 6 with Larry Rand ‘64
Hecker Training Room, The Rock (main floor) Room 134
12:00 -1:00 PM
RSVP (and more info)
Need help with your startup? Or discovering how to find customers? Join Deb Mills-Scofield '82, for a workshop that will show you how to find out if your idea has any value to your targeted customers (or just to you). Learn how to recognize a problem and how to create a solution that matters. The workshop will focus mainly on defining value propositions, because if there’s no value proposition there is no need for a business model!
Thursday, May 4th
12:00 -1:00 pm
Salomon 003
For some, finding your passion is an aspirational phrase. For others, like serial CEO Chuck Davis '82, P'13, P'16, it's a way of life. Join us for a discussion with Chuck as he shares how passion led him from Brown to some of the technology world's biggest brands to his current position as CEO of Prodege, LLC, the parent company of consumer rewards sites Swagbucks and MyPoints.
Tuesday, April 11
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Petteruti Lounge, Student Center
RSVP (more info on Chuck!)
Come join the Brown Entrepreneurship Program and Bradley Miles (#BreakIntoVC, Stripes Group) to discuss Bradley's new book and advice on breaking into the notoriously opaque world of venture capital.
If you’re exploring the industry or if you’re curious about venture investing, this is a great lecture to get you started.
Bradley graduated from Columbia University in February 2016 with a degree in Economics. While there he founded Columbia Venture Partners, Columbia’s first and leading venture capital initiative. After running the pilot analyst training and education program, all four of the analysts received offers for summer internships with venture partners. His work can be seen in Fortune, Bloomberg, Quartz, and Bank Innovation.
Tuesday, April 11
6:00 - 7:00pm
69 Brown St, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 (room tbd)
The rate of new entrepreneurs within the immigrant population has consistently surpassed the number of native-born individuals, according to the Kauffman Foundation. Immigration has also been the center of a nationwide conversation ever since the 2016 presidential election. What are the challenges faced by immigrant entrepreneurs and what changes in law and policy might impact them?
Join us for a chat with Peter Roberts '83, Founder and Principal of the immigration law firm Roberts Immigration Law Group. The firm’s clients include multinationals, entrepreneurs, founders, investors, start-ups, and start-up accelerators in all fields, including Y Combinator and YC founders.
Thursday, April 13
12:00 - 1:00 PM
List Art Building 110
RSVP here (lunch served!)
Followed by office hours 1:30 - 5 PM (sign up) here!
TJoin Xochitl Gonzalez '99, an entrepreneur and strategist specializing in brand experiences (as well as an event marketing guru), for a workshop on how to craft the perfect pitch. Starting a venture means you that you need to know how to tell your story/venture to diverse audiences (not just venture capitalists). Xochitl will lead a workshop on tips and tools so you are ready to tell your story anytime, anywhere. Come ready to pitch!
Thursday, April 20
12:00 - 1:00 PM (1:00 - 3:00 PM Office hours - sign up)
80 Brown Street, Meeting Room, Hillel (2nd floor)
RSVP here (limited spots!)
Join us & Vibha Pinglé '96, Founder and President of Ubuntu at Work which evolved out of her research on women micro entrepreneurs in all over the world. She will share her pathway from researcher to social entrepreneur, and how her studies shaped her entrepreneurial goals.
Thursday, April 27
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: 2nd floor Chapel, Hillel
RSVP (lunch served)