Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative
The Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative, also known as Entrepreneurship@Rice and REI, is "a collaborative effort of students, professors, mentors and the Houston entrepreneur community to foster innovative entrepreneurial spirit and help launch successful ventures through education, guidance and connections"[1]. The initiative, launched in 2015, is led by Yael Hochberg, Head of Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Ralph S. O'Connor Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship, who is supported by Dr. Abby Larson, Director of Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative[2] [3].
Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie)
In March 2016, Rice alumnus Frank Liu and his family gave $16.5 million to establish the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie) [4]. Headed by Dr. Yael Hochberg and Dr. Abby Larson, Lilie gives students access to the expertise and experiences that will help them launch their own enterprises. Beginning next spring, courses offered through Lilie will encourage students to solve real-world problems while working with faculty and entrepreneurs. The Lilie New Entrepreneurs Grant will help incoming freshmen, starting with the Class of 2020, to fund their business ventures. Before matriculating, freshmen can apply for the $10,000 grant that funds the most creative and compelling business ideas.
Calendar of Events
The Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative maintains and updates a calendar of campus and city wide events relating to entrepreneurship.
Team
Leadership
- Yael Hochberg, Head of Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Ralph S. O'Connor Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship
- Abby Larson, Director of Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and Lecturer in Entrepreneurship
Rice Alliance
- Brad Burke, Managing Director
- Mary Lynn Fernau, Director of Marketing
- Lea Aden Lueck, Director of the Rice Business Plan Competition
- Quynhmai Nguyen, Director of Operations and Event Planning
- Noy Shemer, Program Specialist
- Kerri Smith, Associate Managing Director
Advisors
- Kazimir Karwowski, Executive Director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership
- Amy Kavalewitz, Associate Director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership
- Maria Oden, Director, Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen
- Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Director, Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies, Director, Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering
Events
The Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative organized its first event on October 22-25, 2015, where students from Rice University and the University of Houston participated in the 3 Day Startup held at TMCx. Rice Entrepreneurship Club collaborated with the REI.[5]
