The Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship has won the 2006 Award for Excellence in Specialty Entrepreneurship Education from the National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers.
The Deming Center, part of the University of Colorado at Boulder's Leeds School of Business, was cited for its Sustainable Venturing Initiative, which advances programs that educate students, support innovators, acknowledge cutting-edge research and showcase emerging opportunities in the clean technology and renewable energy sectors. Clean technologies are those that use energy, water and raw materials more efficiently, create less waste and deliver equal or better performance.
"We are very honored to have the Deming Center's Sustainable Venturing Initiative recognized by the leading organization of university entrepreneurship centers," said Paul Jerde, executive director of the Deming Center. "Sustainable venturing provides outstanding entrepreneurial opportunities in the 'cleantech' and renewable energy sectors. The Deming Center hopes to capitalize on these opportunities and lead change in this critical field."
The Deming Center's Sustainable Venturing Initiative began in 2005 and offers entrepreneurial leaders an entry into the fast-changing world of sustainable business opportunities. The initiative includes the Deming Center's Transforming Energy and Markets, or TEAM, program, the Cleantech Challenge international business plan competition and the Sustainable Opportunities Summit.
The TEAM program facilitates technology commercialization as part of CU-Boulder's Renewable and Sustainable Energy Initiative and serves as the entrepreneurial arm of that effort by fostering entrepreneurial solutions and innovation opportunities. TEAM students have the opportunity to engage in business development and technology transfer based on the cutting-edge energy research being done at CU and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The Cleantech Challenge is an international competition designed to be the premier student competition showcasing emerging opportunities in the "cleantech" sector. It offers prizes of at least $25,000 and provides the team judged to have the best clean energy technology business plan the opportunity to present at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Industry Growth Forum.
The 2007 Sustainable Opportunities Summit will highlight innovative business practices that provide long-term investment opportunities. The second annual summit will bring together investors, entrepreneurs and corporate leaders from an array of sectors -- all equally committed to creating sustainable technologies, products and services. The summit is hosted by CORE, Colorado's leading sustainable business association, and the Deming Center.
The National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers was founded in 1996 through the efforts of the University of Maryland and the Kauffman Foundation and has a membership of 150 university-based entrepreneurship centers.