Entrepreneurship Content

Big Bang! Business Competition Celebrates 25 Years of Empowering Entrepreneurs

Jocelyn C Anderson — June 24, 2025 - 9:03am

Benjamin Wang ’06, a medical doctor, brought his life-saving innovation to the ɫ��ɫ Big Bang! Business Competition in 2014. His team won first place — and Wang credited the experience with helping him launch the venture.

After witnessing a patient die from an antibiotic-resistant infection, he developed NEVAP — a breathing tube designed to prevent bacterial infections in ventilated patients.

"Winning the competition helped to validate the idea that creating a better breathing tube was possible and viable as a business," Wang said.

2022 Chancellor’s Innovation Awards Honor Contributions to Society

Andy Fell — June 17, 2022 - 11:00am

The ɫ��ɫ, announced the recipients of the 2022 Chancellor’s Innovation Awards at an in-person event on June 16. The awards recognize faculty, community partners and industry leaders developing innovative solutions to improve the lives of others and address important needs in our global society.

Innovative Startups Commercializing ɫ��ɫ Technologies

Andy Fell — August 21, 2020 - 9:00am

During the past fiscal year, 15 emerging startups executed agreements to access patented technology developed at the ɫ��ɫ.

“Startups play an essential role in advancing and commercializing new technologies that are developed by researchers and innovators at ɫ��ɫ,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor of research at ɫ��ɫ. “These partnerships lead to substantial contributions to society in the form of new products, services and economic growth.”

14 New Startups Emerge From ɫ��ɫ Innovations

Andy Fell — July 19, 2019 - 4:22pm

Technologies developed at the ɫ��ɫ, enabled the foundation of 14 startup companies during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

“Research universities like ɫ��ɫ are a key source of vital innovation for numerous industries,” said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for research at ɫ��ɫ. “These startups are undertaking the important first steps in developing and refining the commercial potential of their inventions. It’s exciting to see such a wide range of entrepreneurial undertakings based on our campus innovations.”

Professor Emeritus Dick Dorf Awarded ɫ��ɫ Medal

Andy Fell — June 17, 2019 - 11:27am

Richard C. “Dick” Dorf, professor emeritus in the Graduate School of Management and in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the ɫ��ɫ, has been awarded the ɫ��ɫ Medal in recognition of his contributions to ɫ��ɫ and to the fields of engineering, entrepreneurship and technology management.

Record Number of ɫ��ɫ Startups for 2017-18

Andy Fell — July 31, 2018 - 4:43pm

The ɫ��ɫ, enabled the foundation of 16 commercial companies during the fiscal year ending June 30, an all-time high for the university. This brings the total number of startups made possible by ɫ��ɫ technologies during the past 10 years to 137.

ɫ��ɫ Wine, Food and Entrepreneurship Institutes Announce New Directors

Amy M Quinton — June 18, 2018 - 10:00am

Professor Andrew Waterhouse, a faculty expert in wine chemistry has been named director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the ɫ��ɫ. Joe DiNunzio, a senior executive with three decades of creative, technical and business leadership, will join the Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship as interim executive director.

Innovations in Parking, ‘Digital Medicines’ Top ɫ��ɫ Business Competition

Julia Ann Easley — May 24, 2018 - 1:16pm

Two undergraduates — with a mobile app to take the pain out of parking for drivers and lot managers — claimed the $10,000 first prize in the 18th annual Big Bang! Business Competition at the ɫ��ɫ, tonight (May 24). Their venture, Japa, uses smart data and advanced analytics to provide drivers and lot managers with real-time parking information.

Female-Majority Student Clubs Offer Support and Career Development

Kristin P Burns — April 11, 2018 - 1:18pm

Female-majority student clubs offer a supportive, empowering atmosphere for career exploration, skill development and networking.

New ɫ��ɫ Startups Tackle Complex Problems

Andy Fell — September 26, 2017 - 4:55pm

The ɫ��ɫ, enabled the foundation of 14 commercial startups during the past fiscal year through licensing agreements, or exclusive options to obtain such licenses, for technologies developed at the university. This brings the total number of new startups in the past five years to 63.