The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has received and accepted a record number of applications into the Hatchery program this academic year.
For the 2014-2015 school year, the CIE accepted 34 teams of students, or companies. This academic year they have already accept 37 companies, and expect to reach 45 to 50 companies by the end of January.
The Hatchery is an on-campus program that offers students resources to begin and launch their own businesses.
CIE manager of student innovations Lori Jordan said applications have risen because students have heard of the Hatchery program from peers, faculty, and the organization’s partnership with programs such as Startup Weekend, Innovation Quest and the Hackathon.
This year, 11 women were accepted into the CIE Hatchery program so far, an all-time high. Jordan stressed the importance of having a diverse group of students in the hatchery.
“We want companies in the hatchery to represent the world we live in,” she said.
CIE students are given access to mentors and workshops, as well as the space to start companies and work on them.
“We had a guest speaker come in and speak about storytelling,” Jordan said. “It’s one of the No. 1 things an entrepreneur has to do.”
Other workshop topics have included legal issues, finance, improving pitching and communicating, different parts of building a business, and costumer development, Jordan said.
Some of the diverse ideas coming out of the CIE are an app to track water usage and a biomedical device to help women having post-pregnancy issues.