February 29, 2016

Wayne State building ecosystem of resources on campus to help entrepreneurs succeed

Entrepreneurs are finding Wayne State University can offer them more than a traditional education in business. New businesses are popping up every day in Detroit,

Entrepreneurs are finding Wayne State University can offer them more than a traditional education in business. New businesses are popping up every day in Detroit, and Wayne State has built an ecosystem to nurture those budding entrepreneurs with programs such as Warrior Lab Incubator. Offered through Blackstone LaunchPad, the university's resource center for student entrepreneurs and innovators, Warrior Lab Incubator is a weekly series featuring presentations and workshops from successful Wayne State entrepreneurs.

"With more than 150 new businesses created in the last five years, Blackstone LaunchPad and Warrior Lab Incubator further the Office of Economic Development's mission to catalyze business development in Detroit and the region," said Wayne State's Vice President of Economic Development Ned Staebler. "We are always working to create a thriving entrepreneurial culture among Wayne State students, faculty and staff."

The Warrior Lab Incubator series focuses on five key areas that Blackstone has identified for entrepreneurial success: legal, accounting and finance, marketing, technology, and sales.

"Our last Warrior Lab Incubator session focused on the legal side of starting a business," said Aubrey Agee, Blackstone Launchpad's senior program administrator. "We had Wayne State students in attendance who were starting mobile apps, dance companies and quality control services for wind turbines - a diverse group of businesses, but all need understand the steps necessary to legally start a business."

Blackstone alumnus Brandon Weiner spoke to the group about his experience as an attorney helping small businesses get started at a Warrior Lab Incubator session on Feb. 24. Other alumni of the program including Andika Powell, an accountant and owner of a property management company, and Chioke McRae, owner of the marketing firm Root 4, will be presenting at upcoming sessions this spring.

Warrior Lab Incubator is open to current students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community at large. To sign up for the next session, contact blackstonelaunchpad@wayne.edu.

Entrepreneurship is this week's "Distinctively Wayne State University" focus area. "Distinctively Wayne State University" is WSU's five-year strategic plan, laying the foundation for strategic focus areas and core values for 2016-21. Learn more at strategicplan.wayne.edu.