School:University of Massachusetts Lowell

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (also known as UMass Lowell or UML) is a public doctoral/research university in Lowell, Massachusetts, United States,and part of the University of Massachusetts system. With more than 1,100 faculty members and more than 16,000 students, it is the largest university in the Merrimack Valley and the second-largest public institution in the state behind UMass Amherst. The university offers more than 120 degree choices, internships, bachelor’s to master’s programs and doctoral studies in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Health Sciences; College of Sciences; the Francis College of Engineering; the Graduate School of Education; and the Manning School of Business.

Overview - A Campus on the Move

UMass Lowell has been evolving in every aspect; upgraded classrooms, libraries and labs; new and renovated student living and activity spaces; and enhanced parking facilities are a few on the list of what has been updated and changed over the past decade of campus improvement.

·       University Crossing: Expected to be fully functional in 2014, this new building will host student services and activities, bookstore, dining, University police, transportation services, and senior administration offices.

·       Pulichino Tong Building: The University’s current construction project, the Tong Building will replace the now-relocated Honor’s Eames Dorm building on UMass Lowell’s North Campus and will house the entirety of the Robert J. Manning School of Business.

·       University Suites: This brand new dorm on UMass Lowell’s East campus provides housing for 472 students in four- and six-bed suites. There is a ground-floor common area with a café - Hawk's Nest - featuring fresh bakery, grab & go items and a late night Asian menu, in addition to delicious Red Mango frozen yogurt & smoothies and "We proudly serve" Starbucks Coffee. A multi-purpose room is open to the UMass Lowell community. Each residential floor has two common kitchen/lounge areas, two quiet study rooms and a group study room.

·       Riverview Suites: The other half of the two-dorm addition to UMass Lowell in 2013, Riverview Suites has either two or three bedroom  suites complete with a live-in kitchen, classroom and meeting rooms inside the building, and a gym inside the facility. The University leases the property from Soho Development, who also built the $42 million facility.

·       New Garages: In the past two years, UMass Lowell has added two large parking garages to each of its largest parking lots, greatly increasing the parking capacity for the strong commuter presence attending the school.

·       Health and Social Sciences Building: In 2013, this new criminal justice and criminology, nursing and psychology building had its grand opening. The construction of this building marked the first new construction in 30 years on the University’s South Campus, including all campuses in the University’s recent wave of evolution.

Since 2009, the University has also been heavily updating the existing buildings while acquiring and renovating new ones. UMass Lowell renovated the newly acquired Inn and Conference Center, added Taco Bell and Subway to the University’s dining partners, renovated the newly acquired Tsongas Center, and heavily updated their Dining Hall in the tallest UMass Lowell building, Fox Hall.

Student Entrepreneurship

Grab-A-Bite

Grab A Bite is a Social Food Network that engages users and helps increase restaurants customer traffic through marketing, ease of use and convenience that came to UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker™ program to steer the idea in the right direction. Providing online ordering, online reservations, food deals, online menus and DSC_5122easily retrievable information such as handicap accessibility and hours, Grab-a-Bite is pushing to be the biggest online food service in the market. The team is made up of Aldo Beqiraj, Denis Lemos, Andrew MacRobert and Andrew Webb.

In addition to the funds won through DifferenceMaker™s’ “First to Market” Idea Challenge, this team has also had a very successful crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo that can be seen here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/grab-a-bite

Grab-a-Bite has also been recognized by the Boston Globe and was the people choice at the Mass Innovation Foodie Night.  Most recently Founder and CEO Aldo Beqiraj presented a Grab-a-Bite pitch at UMass Lowell’s new student convocation to over 1,500 new students who texted voted and awarded Grab-a-Bite $1,500 to continue to move their project forward. The team is currently in the process of redesigning their website and mobile applications to launch themselves forward.

  

NonSpec (formerly Developing Nations Prosthetic)

Nonspec participated in the 2013 first annual DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge where they showed dedication and enthusiasm by attending each educational workshop and event throughout the process which aided in their success.  At the Idea Challenge they received the prestigious title of “The Campus Wide DifferenceMaker™” and the top award of $5,000. This top prize represents the project most likely to make a significant difference in the community, region and the world.

The $5,000 award has allowed Nonspec to move their initiative forward by creating their first batch of prosthetic limbs. With a projected 15% market share in the next five years, Nonspec plans to use this market presence to launch a foundation called “Give a Hand”. The purpose of this foundation would be to spread their mission, goals, charitable cause, and products around the world in order to make a difference in developing nations.

Since Nonspec’s success at the Idea Challenge they have gained great publicity in other arenas.  They were recently named one of the top 10 semi-finalists in Entrepreneur® Magazine’s “College Entrepreneur of 2013 Contest”.  In addition, they were invited to attend The International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD) “Plastics Application Design Competition”, which will be held on October 2, 2013 in Miami Florida.  They will have 20 minutes to present their project to a live audience and answer any field questions that may arise. Lastly, the team was utilized as a role model by being featured in a video that was shown at all DifferenceMaker™ freshman orientation sessions throughout the summer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLwLg4XHrck due to their motivation and high entrepreneurial spirits.

 

Robotic Feeding Arm 

            The Robotic Feeding Arm is an assistive technology for patients who are not able to feed themselves. Currently, these people depend on being fed by a health care professional. This technology was invented by Philip Colangelo, a graduate student in computer engineering.  Previously, Philip earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering with a minor in robotics from UMass Lowell. 

The Robotic Feeding Arm is designed to feed people in need with the proper proportion of food in each spoonful. This technology will make the health care facilities staff more effective with their time and increase productivity while giving some independence back to the patients in need.  “Eating can be a stressful, rushed experience when relying on others especially in assistive care facilities that are understaffed,” said Philip Colangelo when asked about his project.         

            Philip entered his technology in the first annual 2013 DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge. After progressing through a series of workshops to help prepare and refine his idea, he was selected to pitch in the Preliminary Round of the Idea Challenge. After impressing the judges in the semi-finals, Philip progressed to the final round of the Idea Challenge. After a three minute rocket pitch to a panel of alumni judges, the Robotic Feeding Arm was awarded first place in the “Innovative Technology” category which was a $3,500 award. The Innovative Technology award represents a new technology that has the potential to change an industry, as well as change the lives of the people who use it.

             Since the Idea Challenge, Philip has entered the Robotic Feeding Arm into the Merrimack Valley Sandbox Accelerator Program which gave him insight towards getting his product into the marketplace. Philip also plans on incorporating the Robotic Feeding Arm into his master’s thesis by implementing new technology into the device, therefore making it more adaptable to nursing homes and other assistive care facilities.

             Philips Robotic Feeding Arm has received recognition outside of the Idea Challenge. The project earned second place in a High-Tech Pitch Contest over the summer, was voted the fan favorite at the Merrimack Valley Sandbox Summit Event and became a finalist in the Merrimack Valley Sandbox Accelerator Program.

 

Lowell Sprouts

Lowell Sprouts is an organization focusing on providing gardening spaces on school grounds, senior centers, and the many rooftops of Lowell. Along with pushing the planting of gardens in Lowell, a focus is also put on educating the community about alternative ways gardens can be grown in urban places like Lowell, and to teach the community as a whole that crops can be grown and harvested in an urban environment.

The team is made up of Mary Beth Burwood (Alumni), Sean Hicks (Junior in Marketing), and Christopher Horne (Junior in Economics), who came together in the DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge to win the $3,500 first place award in the Sustainable Environment category.

Following the Idea Challenge, Lowell Sprouts shifted their focus from elementary and middle school education and rooftop planting to building sustainable green roofs around Lowell. The team gathered more funding throughout the summer, including a spot on a Merrimac Valley Sandbox video. They plan to create a green Lowell presence that will educate the community on urban garden growing and help grow rooftop gardens on various buildings around Greater Lowell.

 

PointStick 

PointStick is a product that gives tactile and kinesthetic feedback to patients for both correct spinal alignment and breathing mechanics, which are the essentials for movement quality. Through experience, the team noticed that physical therapists often experience difficulty when having patients use the correct motions during their PT sessions. The PointStick device provides therapists with a product that patients can wear that will assist them in having the correct movements which leads to a faster recovery process. 

Ramez Antoun, a double River Hawk, founded PointStick after receiving a bachelor’s (10’) and master’s degree (13’) in Physical Therapy from UMass Lowell. He then recruited a Graphic Design major (10’), Nicholas Bleil to help work on and market the product. Ramez and Nicholas then recruited two additional students; Mike Tadros and Robert Roufail, alumnus from Northeastern University with majors in business and engineering, respectively.

After hearing and learning about the DifferenceMaker™ Program, PointStick was ready to apply for the DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge. Here they pitched their idea to a panel of alumni judges in the preliminary round. The judges then decided to move them onto the final round. In the finals of the Idea Challenge the judges awarded PointStick 2^nd place in the “First to Market” award category. This came with a prize of $1,500 that the team could utilize to move their idea forward.  In addition, they gained access to other DifferenceMaker™ resources including space, networking, mentors and additional funding opportunities. A video of their pitch to the judges can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpqdUeF8DKk

Since the Idea Challenge the team has focused primarily on beginning their careers. In fall 2013, Ramez accepted a residency position in Vallejo California where he is currently residing. Robert also accepted an engineering position in Michigan. After speaking to Ramez, the team leader, he insisted that his team is still willing to collaborate on the project from across the country to further its success. They are currently in the process of researching the intellectual property of the PointStick to ensure they do not infringe on any current issued patents.

Idea Challenge Pitch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpqdUeF8DKk

 

Healthy Habits 

            After researching and realizing the increasing demographic of overweight and obese children in public school systems, Healthy Habits was formed.  The team consisted of senior nursing majors Michelle Racioppi, Haley Mayne, Katerina Kafkas, Nicole Leblanc, Meghan Hathaway and Jacqueline Bradley. The team developed a method for children to learn about the various “healthy habits” they can engage in.  The goal of this project was to teach fitness and well-being to young children so they do not grow up to be unhealthy, overweight or obese. 

Healthy Habits has a structured curriculum that educates and engages children in healthy eating and exercise habits. The curriculum includes:

·         Examining the students nutritional knowledge

·         Introducing healthy foods and exercise to the students

·         Having the students perform the exercises

·         Asking the students to evaluate the program after they participated

In the first series of curriculum, over 40 children joined.  This outlines the importance of Healthy Habits within the community.

The team entered the 2013 DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge where they pitched their project to a panel of judges.  The team won first place in the category called “Significant Social Impact”, and was awarded $3,500 to further implement their idea.  This team is proof that business expertise is not necessary to implement and pursue a project or idea. 

The Healthy Habits team graduated in May 2013 and continued on to becoming certified nurses.  Since then, The Community Health Club (CHEC) at UMass Lowell has become the new leader of Healthy Habits and will continue to implement the project within the community and region. 

Coursework

The entrepreneurship concentration prepares students to be an "outside of the box" thinker and innovator in today's complex global economy. Using an interdisciplinary focus, students who complete the concentration will:

• Develop the management skills required to identify and launch new business ventures around innovative products, services and technologies. 
• Develop an understanding of the concepts and activities associated with entrepreneurship and innovation. 
• Understand the financial aspects of an entrepreneurial venture from start-up to "harvest". 
• Discover their individual "entrepreneurial spirit" through experiential learning in interdisciplinary classes and the College's Venture Lab.

The required courses within the Entrepreneurship concentration consist of:

1. Starting a New Venture 
2. Corporate Entrepreneurship 
3. Managing Innovation 
4. Finance for Emerging Business Enterprises

Departments and Programs

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

“ The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship offers students and faculty of all disciplines the opportunity to work together to develop innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the major problems facing our community, the region and the world. The Center hosts several programs that encourage social innovation and entrepreneurship among UMass Lowell students as well as the broader community in which we live. The DifferenceMaker program provides training, mentoring and other resources to UMass Lowell students and faculty who wish to address social, environmental and economic problems in our community. “

DifferenceMaker™

About DifferenceMaker™: 

The DifferenceMaker™ Program sponsors specific events and activities that support students in solving big problems through innovation and entrepreneurship. The Program is highly experiential by offering students a series of workshops that they can engage in to better understand innovation, entrepreneurship and launching a start-up of their interest.

Students of all majors and disciplines are welcome to join this Program and make a difference at UMass Lowell, in the community or in the world through innovative and entrepreneurial action. These DifferenceMaker™ projects include interdisciplinary student teams from all majors and skill sets. 

 

Goals of DifferenceMaker™s: 

·      Introduce all UMass students to creative problem solving, innovation and entrepreneurship

·      Accelerate purpose in each students education

·      Connect current students to alumni experience

·      Encourage a social responsibility ethos

DifferenceMaker™ Available Activities Include:

·       DifferenceMaker™ Central-DifferenceMaker™ Central was opened in May 2013.  This space is a dedicated entrepreneurial area with a vibrant start-up community atmosphere.  The space was made for all entrepreneurial teams to come together to work, brainstorm, and network. Student teams have access to flexible workstations, televisions, computers, mentors, and a dynamic meeting space to develop their ideas and collaborate amongst their teammates and fellow students.

·       DifferenceMaker™ Enterprise Co-op'in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship'-Throughout each year, DifferenceMaker™s will hire several students from various majors to participate in paid co-op experiences. Student co-ops assist in conducting and summarizing entrepreneurial research, developing and distributing marketing materials for various center initiatives, and provide center support for faculty and innovation fellows affiliate with the center.  

·       Freshman Make A Difference Orientation – During the summer sessions, DifferenceMaker™ has a large presence in the Freshman Orientation days. Through the Office of Orientation, Student Activities and Leadership, and ResLife, DifferenceMaker™ was able to present to every attending freshman and gain exposure to all of the new students at UMass Lowell. 

·       Freshman DifferenceMaker™ Convocation- At the beginning of each academic year, we present DifferenceMaker™ to every incoming freshman at Convocation. Each year we perform a fun activity to engage students in our program.

·       Introduction to DifferenceMaker™-Freshman Seminars-A series of in-class discussions in collaboration with the Manning School of Business, The Francis College of Engineering, The College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and The College of Health Sciences in order to introduce the DifferenceMaker™ Program to students of all disciplines and to inspire them to explore their passions through creative problem solving.

·       Introduction to the DifferenceMaker™ Program-A series of events were held on both the north and south campuses to introduce students to DifferenceMaker™ Program concepts, allow them to share their ideas and interests, explore possible projects and solution, and to connected with each other to form teams. These events included the DifferenceMaker™ Convocation Pitch, the Climate Change Teach-in, a DifferenceMaker™ Team Building Dinner, and others.

·       DifferenceMaker™ LLC – Having a presence in the student residence halls as well as the classroom is important to motivate students and discover new ideas waiting to happen. The DifferenceMaker™ Living/Learning Community brings new students together in the ResLife environment for innovation and brainstorming outside of the classroom. 

·       Honors DifferenceMaker™ Program – In collaboration with UMass Lowell Honors Program, this concerted effort to embed elements of social entrepreneurship in our Honors Program includes coursework and community-based student efforts that have specific focus on innovation and entrepreneurial practices.

·       Introduction to Engineering-Extra Credit Project-This activity was a collaboration effort between the DifferenceMaker™ Program and The Francis College of Engineering to introduce freshman engineering majors to the DifferenceMaker™ Program, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In this introductory activity, the students’ innovative ideas were explored and presented in a format which would enable their projects to be candidates for both the DifferenceMaker™ Program Idea Challenge and Campus Catalyst program.

·       Creative Venture Competition - This contest held in October of 2013 hosted by DifferenceMaker™ focused on innovation from Arts, Humanities, and Social Science students. $2500 was awarded to the best entrepreneurial business a proposal, and $250 to each finalist team was also awarded. 

·       Digital Federal Credit Union Innovation Contest – In November of 2013, DifferenceMaker™ along with DCU hosted an Innovation Contest focusing on banking and financial innovation in the industry. With a grand prize of $500 per team member and peripheral prizes of $100 per team member, the contest gave thousands to innovative teams and cutting edge ideas. 

·       DifferenceMaker™ Reverse Pitch – This pitch event was debuted on November 19, 2013. This event was a spin off of “normal” idea challenges and hackathons. Instead of students pitching their ideas to funding sources or judges, businesses and community partners actually pitched their existing problems to a student audience in the hopes that they can develop a solution. The pitches included Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership, Lowell Telecommunications Corporation, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell, Catie’s Closet and the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center. Students will be able to solve these problems and present them at the Annual IdeaChallenge for funding opportunities. 

·       Freshman Business Class-Lego Problem Solving-This Lego activity was a collaboration effort between the DifferenceMaker™ Program and the Manning School of Business to introduce students to the ideation development process and problem solving method, as well as helping them strengthen their ability to work in a team. Sessions were conducted in 9 classes with over 400 students participating. Prof. Deborah Finch of the Manning School of Business led this effort. 

·       DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge– DifferenceMaker™ is hosting its second annual Idea Challenge; this challenge is for student entrepreneurial teams to come up with sustainable ideas that will make some sort of impact on the world or their community. Help in the form of various workshops in the months leading up to the Idea Challenge is available, teaching students how to properly pitch their ideas and how to flesh out their business plans. There are various subcategories for each team to have a chance at winning spread out across over many different disciplines, encouraging all students to participate and welcoming all ideas. 

·       DifferenceMaker™ Workshops-In preparation for the annual DifferenceMaker™ IdeaChallenge, we offer our students a series of educational entrepreneurial workshops throughout the spring semester.

o   Team Building Mixer

o   Identifying Problems and Opportunities

o   Developing Solutions

o   Identifying Resources

o   Rocket Pitch Coaching 

·       Promoting the Campus Catalyst Program-The DifferenceMaker™ Program works closely with the Merrimack Valley Sandbox, a community business accelerator funded by the Deshpande Foundation, in order to encourage students to generate and develop their entrepreneurial ideas. The Sandbox Campus Catalyst program provided seed funding for student social and business solutions with potential. Catalyst information was provided to students at all DifferenceMaker™ events. Students also received consultation when applying to the Campus Catalyst Program.  The DifferenceMaker™ application and Campus Catalyst application were similar in content so that unity between these programs would be maximized.  

·       DifferenceMaker™ Program Promotion-In order to promote awareness of, and participation in, DifferenceMaker™ activities among faculty, staff, and students, a variety of outreach materials were developed and distributed across the University. These activities included program launch events, a DifferenceMaker™ website, a Facebook site, a Twitter feed (UML_Difference), various posters, postcards, presentations to classrooms, workshops, office hours, email blasts, and information tables. 

·       TeamMaker Platform - Allows students to build their project teams by posting their project ideas and information online where they can then search for “seekers” (students interested in becoming part of a team). On the other hand, “seekers” can utilize the TeamMaker Platform by posting their project interests and skills, and seeking projects/teams to work with. This platform facilitates team formation. 

DifferenceMaker™ Program Available Resources Include:

•       DifferenceMaker™ Central

•       Large open office collaboration space equipped with Wi-Fi, 3 Mac computers, printer/copier, 2 46” LCD TV monitors with projection capabilities, 6 white boards, 10 tables with chairs all equipped with wheels that can be easily rearranged for optimal use and collaboration, refrigerator, sink, cabinet space, coffee maker and other necessary office supplies.

•       Funding Opportunities

•       Idea Challenge

•       Other competitions:

•       DCU Innovation Contest

•       FAHSS Creative Venture Competition

•       Hawk  Hatch

•       Philanthropic Crowd Funding Source

•       Grants

•       Networking

•       Connection to faculty, staff, and alumni

•       Mentors

•       Faculty Fellows and DifferenceMaker™ Staff

•       Events

•       Series of Educational Entrepreneurial Workshops including materials

•       Problem, Opportunity, Solution, Resources, Pitch Coaching

•       Team Building Assistance

•       TeamMaker Platform, Team Building Mixer

•       Enterprise co-op positions

Through the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, along with affiliated faculty and other campus programs, the University has introduced a range of activities that help students make a difference in the world.

 

DifferenceMaker™ Inaugural Year Statistics

·       72 DifferenceMaker™ events held in inaugural year

·       3,500  students who participates in a DifferenceMaker™ event this past year

·       $25,000  of funds awarded to 10 IdeaChallenge finalist teams

·       1,265  freshman participating in summer rapid ideation workshops

·       112  students who participated in the First Annual IdeaChallenge

·       22  cross discipline relationships notes between students among IdeaChallenge teams

·       24  academic disciplines represented by students in the IdeaChallenge teams

  

First Annual DifferenceMaker™ IdeaChallenge Finalists

Campus-Wide DifferenceMaker™

$5,000

Developing Nation Prosthetic
Low cost high functionality replacement limb with an acceptable amount of customization for children in other nations.

·      Katherine Cain                        Mechanical Engineering                               2013        

·      Jonathan De Alderete            Mechanical Engineering                               2013        

·      Brendan Donoghue               Mechanical Engineering, History                2013

·      Sean Gibson                           Mechanical Engineering, Business           2013

·      Olivia Keane                            Mechanical Engineering                               2013

·      Erin Keaney                             Plastics Engineering                                     2013

 

Significant Social Impact

1st Place - $3,500

Healthy Habits 
Inspire children to achieve healthier lifestyles by eating nutritious foods, exercising and being active to prevent sedentary lifestyles.

·      Jacqueline Bradley                Nursing                                                            2013

·      Meghan Hathaway                 Nursing                                                            2013

·      Katerina Kafkas                      Nursing                                                            2013

·      Nicole Leblance                     Nursing                                                            2013

·      Haley Mayne                            Nursing                                                            2013

·      Michelle Racioppi                   Nursing                                                            2013

 

2nd Place - $1,500

Bright Future Generation 
Non-Profit Organization: Mental health services addressing the needs of Rwandan youth.

·      Vanessa Colomba                 Peace and Conflict Studies                          2013

·      Steve DiPerna                         Psychology

·      Isaie Mihigo                             University of Rwanda

·      Yousef Theeb                          Business                                                         2016

 

Sustainable Environment

1st Place - $3,500

Lowell Sprouts/Lets Grow Lowell 
Uses school gardens as a way to educate middle school children about the importance of sustainable, organic agriculture.

·      Mary Beth Burwood                Psychology                                                      2012        

·      Sean Hicks                              Marketing                                                         2014

·      Christopher Horne                 Economics                                                      2014

 

2nd Place - $1,500

Hybrid Power Tricycle 
Assistive tricycle for handicap kids that utilizes pedaling power and a motor together. It also has a full support system and wireless shutoff. 

·      Anthony Capone                     Electrical Engineering                                   Masters

·      Derek Dempsey                     Electrical Engineering                                   Masters

 

Innovative Technology

1st Place - $3,500

Robotic Feeding Arm 
Produces robotic arms to assist people where debilitating circumstances inhibit them from performing daily living activities. 

·      Philip Colangelo                     Computer Engineering                                 Masters

 

2nd Place - $1,500

Notoja 
School enrichment collaboration application. It provides modules for student note-taking, book trading, as well as discussion groups.

·      Avery DeCesare                      Mathematics                                                    2016

·      Rohit Krishnan                        Electrical Engineering                                   2016

·      Eric Marcoux                            Computer Science                                         2016

·      Tanjil Mustafa                          Mechanical Engineering                               2016

·      Brian Tran                                Electrical Engineering                                   2016

 

First to Market

1st Place - $3,500 

Grab a Bite 
Social food network that engages users and helps increase restaurants customer traffic through marketing, ease of use and convenience.

·      Aldo Beqiraj                             Electrical Engineering                                   2014

·      Denis Lemos                          Computer Engineering                                 2013

·      Andrew MacRobert                 Computer Science                                         2013        

·      Andrew Webb                          Computer Science                                         2013

 

2nd Place - $1,500

III-Point Stik 
A product that gives tactile/kinesthetic feedback for both correct spinal alignment and correct breathing mechanics to demand quality movement. 

·      Ramez Antoun                        Physical Therapy                                            2013

·      Nick Bleil                                  Graphic Design                                              2012

·      Ryan Connor                           Physical Therapy                                            2013        

·      Michael Tadros                       Northeastern University Finance and Accounting

·      Robert Roufail                         Northeastern University Mechanical Engineering

Honorable Mention DifferenceMaker™

$500

 U.R. Corp
Recognizes the importance of small businesses and what they do for the economies of local and national marketplaces and helps them compete with larger companies by expanding their market reach.

·      Robert Fisher                          Mechanical Engineering                               2015

 

DifferenceMaker™ Future Efforts:

The DifferenceMaker™ Program plans to continue many of the activities and events initiated in the first year of the program.  Some of these programs will be revised and they intend to launch several new initiatives, including a DifferenceMaker™ Passport Program, a DifferenceMaker™ Mentor Program and a seed grant program to encourage faculty participation in the DifferenceMaker™ program. They also plan to expand our collaboration with several University colleges. 

This year they plan to increase the role of DifferenceMaker™ Living Learning Community students in the DifferenceMaker™ program by training the members to become DifferenceMaker™ ambassadors once they transition into their sophomore year  through weekly meetings and monthly events. The training will allow LLC members to learn more about entrepreneurship and the DifferenceMaker™ Program so they can promote it to student clubs and campus classes.  Once the LLC students become sophomores they will transition into a DifferenceMaker™ Ambassador role, and hopefully will form the nucleus of a yet-to-be-formed DifferenceMaker™ student club.  

In order to assist students to both record and encourage their participation in DifferenceMaker™ events, they are planning the development and implementation of a DifferenceMaker™ Passport Program. Consistent with the goals of the UMass Lowell DifferenceMaker™ Program, the Passport Program will assist students to identify, record and collect experiences meant to: 

·      Develop individual entrepreneurial identity

·      Develop entrepreneurial skills and self-confidence

·      Develop creative and sustainable solutions to complex problems

·      Connect with the University, MV Sandbox and community entrepreneurial ecosystems

They anticipate that the number of students engaged in the DifferenceMaker™ Program and related activities will increase each year. As they encourage and reward the formation of various types of student ventures and projects, the need for mentors who can consult with student teams will increase. They plan to guide these students and track their progress through a professional Mentor Program. The UMass Lowell Mentor Program will provide a committed network of mentors with a broad set of skills and professional experiences, who can assist UMass Lowell entrepreneurs in developing the knowledge and skills, needed to grow an idea into a successful, new venture.

The DM UMass Lowell Mentor Program will seek to connect DifferenceMaker™ students with successful experienced entrepreneurs and alumnus, as well as faculty and staff.  The Mentor Program will focus on assisting students to further develop solutions as part of the DifferenceMaker™ Program. Mentors will provide guidance in further refining student team objectives and help them in building their entrepreneurial skillsets.

They are planning to offer DifferenceMaker™ Faculty Workshops to help faculty consider how they might engage their own students in DifferenceMaker™ activities through course related activities and through co-curricular activities. Our hope is that by engaging more faculty, they in turn will serve as both mentors and catalysts for students, encouraging and guiding student project selection and development. They have also observed that student teams often need support and guidance from faculty from different disciplines, these workshops and an accompanying seed grant program are meant as catalysts to encourage interdisciplinary engagement among faculty,

While the overarching goal of the DifferenceMaker™ program is to encourage UMass Lowell students to develop sustainable and entrepreneurial solutions to the challenges and opportunities they will confront in this world, they anticipate another, potentially significant impact on the University community itself. Our students will only be successful if they have the support of faculty, alumni, business and community members. During our first year of program activities, they have found these constituents to be most supportive and willing to mentor and work with our students.  Alumni are mentoring and investing in student ventures.  Faculty are working across disciplines to ensure their student teams make progress. Local profit and non-profit businesses are eager to work with student teams, providing real-world problems and opportunities for student projects. In one short year, the DifferenceMaker™ program has been embraced by the greater University community. Our hope and plan is to anchor this program in the curriculum and culture of the University, so all UMass Lowell students have an opportunity to make a difference in this world.

 

DifferenceMaker™ Contact:

differencemaker@uml.edu

facebook.com/differenceUML

twitter: @difference_UML

 

Commercial Venture and Intellectual Property Office (CVIP):

Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property (CVIP) is responsible for the protection and commercialization of intellectual property at UMass Lowell. 

 

CVIP Mission:  

The mission of UMass Lowell’s Office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property (CVIP) is to facilitate the transfer of technology arising from government, foundation and industrial sponsored university research to the private sector. They facilitate development of inventions toward commercial relevance and utility, nurture mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between the University and industry, promote an innovative and entrepreneurial culture at the University and contribute to the economic vibrancy and well-being of the Commonwealth. CVIP’s activities enable the successful transfer of commercially viable technology from the laboratory to the marketplace for public use and benefit. 

CVIP Functions:

 
The main objectives of CVIP are:

·       to license patents and other protections to industry in order to promote the development of inventions toward practical application;

·       to foster a culture of innovation, facilitate commercially promising endeavors, and positively contribute to the University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem;

·       to seek new business opportunities and form productive collaborations with industry in an effort to increase research and licensing revenue to the University;

·       to generate income for inventors and the University as a whole for use in supporting further research, technology development and transfer;

·       to advocate for the research community and seek to create incentives, provide rewards and obtain resources to advance commercialization of the technologies they generate.

 

CVIP--Contact:

·       Jill S. Murthi, Director of CVIP by email: Jill_Murthi@uml.edu or phone: 978-934-4722

·       Rajnish Kaushik, Licensing & Business Development Manager of CVIP by email: Rajnish_Kaushik@uml.edu or phone: 978-934-4708

New Venture Initiative:

New Venture Initiative (NVI) is a mix of university resources and equity investment designed to provide a path to and facilitate more start-up activity at UMass Lowell.  As part of the larger Commercial Venture and Intellectual Property Office (CVIP), the NVI fund focuses on inventions, discoveries, products and services that have been developed in whole or in part at UMass Lowell, have achieved proof of concept (or an early prototype) and are ready for commercial product development, rather than those requiring further basic research.  For more information please contact Nancy Saucier, Director of New Venture Development at Nancy_Saucier@uml.edu or 978-934-3212.

 

Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2):

The Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) is a lifeline for the state’s smaller medical device companies, offering inventors and executives easy, affordable, and coordinated access to world-class researchers and resources at the Lowell and Worcester campuses of the University of Massachusetts.

 

M2D2 Available Resources:

•9000 square feet of space on second floor including:

•       6 wet laboratory suites

•       Two office suites

•       Large open office collaboration area

•       Board room

•       Reception area

•       Break Room equipped with a table and chairs, full size refrigerator, microwave, sink, dishwasher, and coffee maker

•5000 square feet of space on first floor including:

•       Six individual offices 

•       Bright shared kitchen space equipped with a table and chairs, full size refrigerator and sink

•       One large state of the art conference room with full pull down screen, computer with web access and a projector  

•       All conference rooms contain a 46" Aquos LCD screen, as well as computer with web access and a projector

•Business and medical feasibility assessments

•Product development

•Medical and clinical pathway assistance

•Connection to additional services such as laboratory use, incubator space for start-ups and clinical trial support through the product life cycle

•SBIR and STTR research

•Access to capital

•Networking events

•New Venture Competitions

 

M2D2--Contact

Stephen McCarthy, Co-Director of M2D2 by email: Stephen_McCarthy@uml.edu or by phone: 978-934-3417

 

Merrimack Valley Sandbox (MV Sandbox)

The Merrimack Valley Sandbox is a project of the Deshpande Foundation, which has encouraged the use of entrepreneurship and innovation as catalysts for sustainable change in the United States, India and Canada since 1996. Deshpande supported centers including the MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, the Deshpande Center for Social Innovation in Hubli, India, the Pond-Deshpande Centre at the University of New Brunswick, and our own Merrimack Valley Sandbox at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The MV Sandbox includes higher education partners (Middlesex Community College, Merrimack College and Northern Essex Community College) and a host of regional community and business partners.

MV Sandbox Mission

The mission of the MV Sandbox is to connect and strengthen the ecosystem in Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts, around entrepreneurship and leadership. This mission is supported by the following three principle MV Sandbox programs:

·       Catalysts-The Catalyst program provides seed funding and mentoring support to foster initiative around new ideas and programs among local high school and college students.

·       Entrepreneurship-The Entrepreneur Program is a community-wide initiative supporting entrepreneurship. More than 30 partner organizations and institutions are participating in this initiative, which gives entrepreneurs a greater chance at success through pitch contests, workshops and intensive programs. 

·       Leadership-The Sandbox Leadership Institute (SLI) offers leadership development for individuals that live, work or are interested in the communities of Lawrence and Lowell. 

Learn more: http://www.uml.edu/Innovation-Entrepreneurship/MV-Sandbox.aspx

Other Organizations

Entrepreneurial Ventures Association: EVA is an interdisciplinary organization that is open to all majors; they share resources, advice, and interests with other COM and UML clubs to help students turn their entrepreneurial ideas into reality.  https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/organization/entrepreneurial-ventures-association/about

Honors Ambassador Program: Students participate in the Honors Ambassador Program to gain valuable experience through courses tailored for higher development and to foster relationships with communities and organizations that the program is involved with. http://www.umlhonors.com/

UMass Lowell hosts over 140 different clubs and communities, most of which are geared towards equipping students to become leaders and innovators in society. A full list full of information can be found here: https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/Organizations

Faculty Entrepreneurship

Coming soon

University Entrepreneurship

Creative New Academic Programs

The Manning School of Business 
The Manning School of Business offers two academic programs focused on entrepreneurship:

·       Undergraduate - Entrepreneurship Concentration: Prepares students to be "outside-of-the-box" thinkers and innovators in today's complex global economy.

·       Graduate - Master of Science in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship (MSITE): Provides engineers, business majors and scientists with the skills and knowledge required to drive innovation in today's collaborative, global workforce.

·       Graduate - Master of Science in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship (MSITE) Healthcare Innovation & Entrepreneurship (HI+E) Option: This option is targeted towards healthcare professionals, such as hospital managers/administrators, clinicians, physicians and other medical professionals who need to understand and manage the impact of emerging technologies and innovations in the healthcare industry. The Program will also benefit recent graduates who wish to enter the healthcare industries as a career choice.

·       Graduate Certificate - New Venture Creation: This program is focused specifically on the creation of technology-based ventures and is designed to assist professionals with undergraduate and career experience in science, engineering, technology or business fields in better understanding how to develop and launch a technology-based business.

College of Sciences, Computer Science Department

The Computer Science Department offers an entrepreneurship option in their master's degree. It is directed at those with a strong undergraduate background in Computer Science who are interested in both deepening their technical knowledge and in understanding the tools required for developing a company directed towards software services and products.

College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Assistive Technology Program

A component of the undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering program, senior ECE students complete a senior capstone project aimed at designing and producing an assistive technology device for a person with a disability. Engineering students can apply the knowledge they have learned from their courses and help solve problems for disabled people through creating technological advances. 

Entrepreneurial Capital Projects and Acquisitions

The Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center

This new UMass Lowell 2012-13 construction is a building developed for bringing innovation and industry together. Faculty and student researchers use the resources available in this building to meet industry challenges and improve lives using UMass Lowell technologies and patents. Core facilities for use in fundamental and translational research are available to faculty and students; it contains class 100, 1,000, and 10,000 cleanroom spaces, wet lab and engineering lab space, and a plastics processing high bay. The ETIC is has LEED Gold Certification, and is considered green. The construction of this building also is estimated to supporting at least 130 new jobs.

 

Health and Social Sciences Building 

This new building that houses criminal justice and criminology, nursing, and psychology provides classrooms, simulation laboratories, observation facilities, a demonstration hospital wing, and ample meeting space for community projects. The construction of this new building supported more than 800 construction and related jobs, and provided the much needed resources and space for UMass Lowell’s growing social science population.

University-Industry Collaboration

Research Activities

UMass Lowell places a large focus on professional research, as evidenced by the ample lab space professors have to work with in buildings such as the ETIC. A comprehensive list of all research areas and information about them can be found on the UMass Lowell website. http://www.uml.edu/Research/Centers/default.aspx

Center for Industrial Competitiveness

For nearly 20 years, UMass Lowell’s Center for Industrial Competitiveness has conducted research on industrial innovation, regional development, corporate governance, financialization, and sustainable prosperity. Resources available stretch all around the world through collaborative networks and relationships, providing ample information and a global understanding on development. Research also includes local industrial development in Massachusetts. 

UMass Lowell has a page dedicated to the CIC researchers and their work, which can be found here: http://www.uml.edu/centers/cic/Research/Research.html

Regional and Local Economic Development

Economic and Social Development of Regions Department:

This graduate program focuses on giving an interdisciplinary education that is tailored to fit the needs of the individual. By educating both the private and public sectors of economic and social development, this program aims to create work ready individuals that can bring innovation and change to shifting social and economic environment.

Lowell Makes 

“A membership‐driven collaborative space equipped with a wide variety of tools, machines, materials, computers and other resources where individuals can gain and practice modern skills with state‐of‐the‐art technology, access to resources they could not otherwise, and a community of creative minded people who make all kinds of things. “Art is the Handmaid of Human Good” is both the City of Lowell’s motto, and a reminder of Lowell’s rich industrial and artistic history as our inspiration.” - http://www.lowellmakes.com/proposal/

Lowell makes was founded to be a space where those who do not have access to certain equipment to bring their ideas to life will have that access they need and have the support they need to push their innovation to the next level. It is a space that has resources tailored for budding entrepreneurs, and can be rented out by anyone with a plan. 

Mill No.5

Mill No.5 is one of the few non-UML entrepreneurial constructs in the Lowell urban environment. Like many mills in Lowell, it has been renovated and repurposed. Being subdivided and updated to proper code, there are rooms available for offices and start-ups looking to have an office space to centralize their resources. 

Deep-Dive Questions

Coming soon

Future Efforts

Coming soon

Conclusion

Entrepreneurship is a strategic objective at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.  During the last five years, UMass Lowell has re-positioned itself with students, faculty, staff, and the community as a true public enterprise committed to taking an entrepreneurial approach to innovation in all aspects of its structure.   A rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem encourages and guides entrepreneurial action, whether academically or commercially, amongst its faculty and student body -- fostering an entrepreneurial approach to economic development through a variety of programs and activities. UMass Lowell will continue to thrive in all aspects of entrepreneurship and innovation.