School:University of Maryland College Park
Contents
Introduction
The University of Maryland was founded in 1856 as a land grant institution and the state’s flagship public research university. The University of Maryland, College Park is the largest institution in the University System of Maryland. As of Fall 2013, the University’s undergraduate enrollment was 26,487 and its graduate enrollment totaled 10,500 students. The university offers over 100 undergraduate majors and 120 graduate degrees. The University has strong ties to its region in the greater Washington Metropolitan area, including strong research partnerships with the federal government.
In Princeton Review’s 2014 rankings for the Top 50 Entrepreneurship colleges and business schools, University of Maryland ranked #15 for undergraduate and #16 for graduate schools.
President Wallace D. Loh has committed to support the growth of S.T.E.M. majors, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. There is clearly momentum to increase the number of start-up companies that emerge from the support of the University’s educational and research-oriented atmosphere. As this process unfolds, the University of Maryland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem provides a myriad of programs to expose students to the skill sets needed to create and pursue innovative and entrepreneurial ventures.
Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Centers
Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship (R.H. Smith School of Business)
Center for Social Value Creation (R.H. Smith School of Business)
MTECH - Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (A.J. Clark School of Engineering)
National Center for Smart Growth (School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation)
Formal programs
Certificate in Innovation Management
Graduate Certificate in Engineering-Technology Ventures and Innovation
Minor in Technology Entrepreneurship
"Fearless Founders" program (The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship)
Courses
Courses in Entrepreneurship and Innovation are mainly offered in the college of Engineering and the school of business, though some introductory courses are also available for undergraduates in their freshman or sophomore year. In early 2013, President Loh announced the start of the new Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship which has worked to create mores courses in Innovation and Entrepreneurship for students of all majors.
As of Fall 2014, The University of Maryland, College Park offers the following courses in entrepreneurship to undergraduate students:
ANSC236: Equine Business Management
AREC306: Farm Management and Sustainable Food Production
Living Learning Programs
These programs provide undergraduates with a linked residential and academic experience. It allows students to make connections with faculty and students with similar academic interests outside of the classroom while engaging them in applied learning opportunities.
The nation’s first living learning entrepreneurship program is the Hinman CEOs. Other living learning programs pertaining to innovation and/or entrepreneurship include: Digital Cultures and Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EIP), Integrated Life Sciences, ACES Cybersecurity, Flexus: Women in Engineering, Virtus: Men in Engineering, Gemstone, and CIVICUS.
Extra Curricular Programs
- Innovation Fridays are open to all students regardless of their field of study and are an opportunity to share their ideas with and receive valuable feedback from experienced entrepreneurs.
- University of Maryland Technology Startup Bootcamp Annual intensive, one-day workshop and networking event on how to launch tech ventures
- Entrepreneur Office Hours Free, open office hours for UM students, faculty, staff, and regional entrepreneurs with tech-based startups or ideas
- 30 Days of EnTERPreneurship – Within the past few years, the month of April at the University of Maryland has become a month to highlight the innovation that has occurred throughout the campus. The campus becomes filled with examples of ideation and implementation through a series of workshops, competitions and showcases.
- Mpact Week
Competitions
- University of Maryland $75K Business Plan Competition: Annual competition for Faculty, Students, and Recent Alumni to vet new tech venture ideas.
- Cupid’s Cup
- Pitch Dingman
- Do Good Challenge
- AdVENTURE Challenge: China
- ACC Clean Energy Challenge
- Be the Solution Business Plan Challenge
- China Business Plan Competition
- Faculty Venture Fair
- Heal the Turtle
- Innovate 4 Healthcare
- Mobility Contest
- No Limits Social Impact Pitch Competition
- Code for Community Challenge
Student-led Groups
- mDIL – Maryland Design Impact Lab is a trans-disciplinary student collaborative which leverages the power of diverse expertise colliding in innovative settings to use design-thinking to take ideas to implementation in order to create impact at multiple scales.
- Startup Shell - student-run nonprofit, startup incubator and coworking space for students of any level (undergraduate through PhD).
- Bitcamp - 750+ student hackathon (part of Major League Hacking)
- Entrepreneurship Connector- student group that promotes "hands on" entrepreneurship through networking events, an internship program, and by providing free consulting services to undergraduate student start-ups
Innovation Spaces
- Tech Entrepreneur Research and Prototyping (TERP) Startup Laboratory
- Startup Shell fabrication lab and hackerspace
- Terrapin Hackers (Collider is their makerspace)
- "The Garage" (Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship)
- "The Ideation Room" (Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship)
Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program
- Research Funding for Technology Product Development
- Venture Accelerator Program: Intense, hands-on venture creation assistance for faculty and students
- Biotechnology Research and Education Program
- Technology Advancement Program
- A Scholars Program for Industry-oriented Research in Engineering (ASPIRE)
- Funding: Numerous sources of funding exist to bolster both faculty and student ventures at various stages of their development
Research Centers
University of Maryland is home to over 250 research centers.
University Technology Transfer Function
The University of Maryland has recently integrated their technology commercialization operations with the University of Maryland, Baltimore in order to combine resources and expertise to yield more startups.
- Office of Tecnology Commercialization
- Maryland Intellectual Property Legal Resource Center: The University of Maryland School of Law assists students and faculty with legal advice and services pertaining to patenting and intellectual property rights.
- See this link for the University of Maryland Intellectual Property Policy
University-Industry Collaboration
- SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) Entrepreneurial Consulting Practicum
- BioMaryland Center
Incubators, with Wet Lab Space
- Association For Entrepreneurial Science (AES)
- Bio Innovation Center - UM Biopark
- Frederick Innovative Technology Center @ Hood
- Frederick Innovative Technology Center @ Monocracy
- Germantown Innovation Center
- Shady Grove Innovation Center
- Technical Innovation Center
- Technology Advancement Program (University of Maryland)
Incubators, No Wet Lab Space
- Business and Technology Growth Center at University Town Center
- Chesapeake Innovation Center
- Embassy Business Complex
- Emerging Technology Center - Canton
- Emerging Technology Center - Johns Hopkins Eastern Baltimore
- Garrett Information Enterprise Center
- Higher Education and Applied Technology (HEAT) Center
- Neotech Incubator • Prince George's County Technical Assistance Center
- Rockville Innovation Center
- Salisbury Airport Incubator
- Silver Spring Innovation Center
- Tawes Science/Technology Business Incubator
- Towson University Business Globalization Center
- Wheaton Business Innovation Center
- White Oak Innovation Center
Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts
The University of Maryland leverage’s its unique location and proximity to the nation’s capital by forming strategic partnerships with the government as well as regional business networks in order to support the research and ventures of students and faculty.
- DC I-Corps
- Maryland Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC Network)
- Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
- Greater Baltimore Technology Council
- Technology Council of Maryland
- TEDCO
- Maryland Entrepreneurs Resource List (MERL)
- Maryland Business Incubation Association (MBIA)
- National Business Incubation Association (NBIA)
Landscape Canvas
Entrepreneurship Atmosphere
We currently rate the University of Maryland as a 9 out of 10 in reference the culture of I&E. The momentum is quickly spreading throughout the campus, however few student-run initiatives currently exist. Otherwise the University is on the fast track to creating widespread regional impact through its venture creation efforts.
Related Links
University of Maryland College Park Student Priorities
Related links
