Pitt’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Pitt’s Big Idea Center for Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship has several events and courses coming up including the Big Idea Blitz! Students who wish to participate can register for events below.
Virtual NSF I-Corps Regional Course (Apply by Jan. 15)
In this month-long I-Corps regional course (Feb. 10 – Mar. 12), researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs “get out of the building” and learn from potential customers. The goal is to determine if they are solving a real-world problem with a sizeable market opportunity. In addition to entrepreneurial training, this program helps researchers identify new ways to apply their research to solve real-life challenges.
Explore the commercial potential for your innovation in 3.5 weeks under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
- Explore product-market fit for your tech innovation
- Get coaching from experienced entrepreneurs
- Potential to earn lineage for national I-Corps (up to $50k)
This virtual course is open to innovators in all STEM fields. Students are welcome to apply.
Learn more about & register for this NSF I-Corps Regional Course
---------------------------------------------------------
Big Idea Blitz (Apply by Jan. 20, 11:59 P.M.)
Have an innovative idea and want to explore its potential? Thinking of competing in the Big Idea Competition, or other competitions? Want to gain valuable experience and boost your innovation skillset? Join the Big Idea Center for Big Idea Blitz, a 24-hour+ experiential workshop opportunity created specifically for students to learn how to apply key innovation and entrepreneurship concepts to current, new, or future ideas!
This all-virtual program will consist of opening night elevator pitches, a Saturday workshop with Big Idea Center staff and entrepreneurs in residence, and a final, live practice pitch round with guest judges on the following Friday.
Teams will receive valuable insight and feedback from industry professionals that they can take with them into future competitive environments. This is your opportunity to not only advance your idea, but also to pitch to third-party individuals in a mock competition setting to help strengthen your idea and pitching skills BEFORE entering a high-stakes pitch environment where actual money is on the line!
Questions? Email Rhonda Schuldt & Jess Malandro at rschuldt@innovation.pitt.edu and jmalandro@innovation.pitt.edu, respectively.
Learn more about & apply to Big Idea Blitz
---------------------------------------------------------
ChangeMaker Series (Register for the Entire Series by Jan. 26, 11:59 P.M.)
This opportunity is for any Pitt student at any level to step in and learn about the concepts, disciplines, and frameworks underpinning innovative and entrepreneurial action. During the series, you will meet and hear from individuals who have created their own opportunities to be the change they want to see in the world. You will also find yourself surrounded by like-minded, highly-motivated individuals as part of your semester cohort.
Students who enroll and complete the series (including all participation and assignment-based requirements) will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and are eligible to join the next cohort of the Big Idea Center’s formal recognition opportunity – The ChangeMaker Scholar Program.
The series will consist of 5 sessions between Jan. 30 – Apr. 10. Any currently enrolled Pitt student (undergraduate through postdoc) of any discipline who wants to learn how to create and impact change can register for the series.
Questions? Email Rhonda Schuldt & Jess Malandro at rschuldt@innovation.pitt.edu and jmalandro@innovation.pitt.edu, respectively.
Learn more about & register for the ChangeMaker Series
---------------------------------------------------------
OIE Innovation Webinar – Unlocking Innovation: How to Discover Customer & Stakeholder Insights (Jan. 29, 1:00 – 2:00 P.M.)
This webinar is designed for university faculty and students eager to explore the critical role of customer and stakeholder discovery. Participants will uncover how understanding the needs, motivations, and pain points of potential customers and key stakeholders can fuel innovative solutions and enhance commercialization potential.
What You'll Learn:
- Audience Insight: Master the art of understanding your audience.
- Interviewing Techniques: Hone your skills for effective interviews.
- Mapping Techniques: Solve key problems with advanced mapping techniques.
By the end of this session, you'll be equipped with the tools and mindset needed to foster innovation through empathetic engagement. Don't miss this opportunity to drive solution development and make a real impact!
Questions? Email Tiffany Rice at trice@innovation.pitt.edu.
Learn more about and register for this OIE Innovation Webinar
---------------------------------------------------------
Big Idea Competition (Apply by Feb. 2, 11:59 P.M.)
This competition is an experience-based learning opportunity for Pitt students and postdocs with big ideas who enjoy working in diverse teams to bring those ideas to life. It is open to all Pitt undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs across all schools and departments. This competition spans February through April of each year and awards monetary prizes to students with the most startup potential, including a grand prize of $25,000!
Questions? Email Rhonda Schuldt & Jess Malandro at rschuldt@innovation.pitt.edu and jmalandro@innovation.pitt.edu, respectively.
Learn more about & apply to the Big Idea Competition
---------------------------------------------------------
Start Smart Legal Series Session: “Starting a Business with an F-1 Student Visa” (Feb. 6, 5:00 – 6:15 P.M.)
Students with a Visa can legally start businesses as well as work on a startup team. Come learn the details of how to do this without violating your student status and immigration options after graduating.
Questions? Email Rhonda Schuldt & Jess Malandro at rschuldt@innovation.pitt.edu and jmalandro@innovation.pitt.edu, respectively.
Register for this Start Smart Legal Series session
