Entrepreneurship Articles

Sheila Austin, Brittany Cole, Jill Davis and Bismarie Plasencia

Entrepreneurship students consult with local business owner to revamp marketing efforts and prepare for Guinness World Record attempt

February 20, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes Jill Davis (BSA ’09) has long been passionate about animals. You can see it across her business, non-profit organization and ideas for products that benefit our furry companions. But in the time since the University of Florida alumna and Gainesville Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program participant first started her pet daycare Dogs Rule and her non-profit Animals Helping Humans and Humans Helping Animals (AHHHHA), a lot has changed. Shifting technology has outdated her website and social media platforms have altered the

Erick Rodriguez

Driven by passion: How a UF Warrington alumnus conquered his shyness and built a million-dollar business

January 29, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes When Erick Rodriguez (BSBA ’16) first started at the University of Florida, he was a shy kid – in spite of having already sold hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise on eBay, Amazon and Craigslist (including a car). The budding entrepreneur looked down at the ensuing four years and knew that he’d be guided by two crucial values: first, to follow his passion for entrepreneurship, and second, the drive to better himself. These two values, coupled with a

Abhi Lokesh

Lokesh, Fracture give back to Warrington

January 23, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Abhi Lokesh learned about the importance of giving back from his time at the University of Florida. Today, it drives his decision making as the co-founder of Fracture, which specializes in printing photos on glass. Fracture continued its reputation for giving back by donating $50,000 to support UF Warrington’s Social Impact & Sustainability Initiative. “Fracture wouldn’t be here today without Warrington’s focus on social entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center,” Lokesh said. “Those were the things that started this

WHOA GNV Podcast | A degree in entrepreneurship & innovation

December 16, 2019

Reading Time: < 1 minute Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center Director Jamie Kraft spoke with UF alumni Collin Austin and Michael Dees on the WHOA GNV Podcast about what it means to get a degree in entrepreneurship. Hear what Jamie had to say about the opportunities that UF offers in an entrepreneurial education on the podcast.  

Samyr Qureshi and Dennis Hanson pose for a photo

Gator Hatchery graduates named to Forbes 2020 Class of 30 Under 30

December 9, 2019

Reading Time: < 1 minute Samyr Qureshi (BA ’14) and Dennis Hansen (BS ’16), leaders of Knack, which got its start in the Gator Hatchery and was the winner of the 2016 Big Idea Competition, were recently named to Forbes’ 2020 Class of 30 Under 30. The Knack founders, whose website connects college students with others on campus for tutoring and mentoring at a 20% cut, were named to the Education Forbes 30 Under 30 list. See Qureshi and Hansen on the Forbes list and read

Large group of students do the Gator Chomp in front of Google

Leveraging resources: campus and community

October 11, 2019

Reading Time: 3 minutes By Jamie Kraft, Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center We have all heard this one before from entrepreneurs: I plan to come up with a cool idea, attract a bunch of money and make a bunch of money! The reality is that this is faulty logic. It is hard enough to come up with product-market fit and even harder to find capital. There is always mom, dad, and Pappy Jasper, but the reality is that it is a long, hard slog…one

Group of employees from RotoGrinders

Three lessons from entrepreneurs who rode the fantasy sports wave to a $35M valuation

September 12, 2019

Reading Time: < 1 minute Thomas S. Johnson Master of Science in Entrepreneurship alumnus and Sales Manager at Google Cloud Mark Hall (MSE ’09) recently spoke with fellow MSE alumnus and RotoGrinders Co-Founder Cameron MacMillan (BSAc ’07, MSE ’09) about how he and his co-founders created the daily fantasy sports forum where players can compete and discuss best performing lineups and player performances across multiple sports.  Read how MacMillan and team built their company to one with a $35 million valuation and the lessons they

The Greek House team of five poses for a photo

From $500 to $5 million – How two UF students turned a side hustle into a multimillion-dollar business

September 11, 2019

Reading Time: 5 minutes How it started When Karthik Shanadi (BS ’14), 27, and Luke McGurrin (BSBA ’14), 28, were looking to make apparel for an upcoming fundraiser for their fraternity, they couldn’t find a company that could meet their needs – a short turnaround time, unique design capabilities, all at an affordable price. “All of the local distributors had a hard time meeting the quick turnaround we needed, and all of the online vendors that we could afford didn’t provide help with the

Jorge Avalos (right) and Jason McNamara benefitted from Warrington's Veterans Entrepreneurship Program.

Entrepreneurship program provides veterans with venture assistance

May 17, 2019

Reading Time: 4 minutes The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program is in its fifth year as a free resource to help veterans with service-connected disabilities and those who have uniquely distinguished themselves in the military who are looking to start a new venture or grow an existing business. Learn how the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center’s program helped veterans like Jorge Avalos and Jason McNamara strengthen their business ideas. JORGE AVALOS Jorge Avalos always enjoyed adrenaline sports, but he grew up with a special love for cycling.

View of the Live Green app. You are carbon neutral! You've saved 2,167 pounds CO2e

Gator Hatchery students create app to track, offset carbon footprint

April 4, 2019

Reading Time: < 1 minute In an effort to help people understand their carbon footprint, UF students Pablo Garces and Brian De Souza created the LiveGreen app, which allows users to track their carbon emissions and even offset their carbon footprint by funding reforestation. Garces and De Souza have been able to build and grow their app thanks to the UF Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center’s Gator Hatchery, a student incubator that offers student entrepreneurs workspace, office support, mentors and other resources necessary for a startup