The University of Tulsa’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) was named Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center among schools with fewer than 7,500 students during the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers’ (GCEC) 2024 conference held Nov. 14-16 at Babson College in Boston, Massachusetts. GCEC conferences bring leading university programs together to celebrate creativity and innovation in university-based entrepreneurship education.
“This recognition is deeply meaningful, both personally and professionally,” said CIE Director Chris Wright, Ph.D. “It highlights how committed we are to preparing students for the ever-evolving business landscape. For students, this recognition signals that if you come to TU with a bold idea, you’ll have the resources, mentorship, and funding to turn it into a reality. We are not just teaching entrepreneurship in the classroom; we are creating real-world opportunities for students to take risks, learn, and grow as innovators. This is about fostering the next generation of leaders who will shape industries, solve global challenges, and give back to our community.”
Other universities awarded top honors at the GCEC conference included Babson College, Yale University, London Business School, Georgetown University, University of Chicago, University of Toronto, University College London, Loyola University Maryland, Tulane University, Arizona State, Iowa State, Texas Christian University, Sasin School of Management, and Stetson University.
The GCEC is headquartered at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship at Rice University. The conference is the flagship event for GCEC. This year, more than 700 leaders from universities around the world participated.
The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which is housed in UTulsa’s Collins College of Business, is designed to drive student, faculty, and alumni commercialization and venture creation. Through education, community partnerships, venture funding, and other resources, the CIE supports innovation and advances entrepreneurship across campus and beyond.
“The CIE has been instrumental in helping me balance the demanding path of a pre-med curriculum while pursuing my passion for entrepreneurship,” said Sarvesh Ramakrishnan, a biochemistry junior. “With their guidance, my co-founder and I are working to create a biomedical startup that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a noninvasive method for detecting and predicting seizures. The CIE has provided invaluable resources and opportunities, allowing me to pitch my idea at events like the Hurricane Pitch Competition to secure funding.”
Ramakrishnan’s team, Aura Patch, finished third in the pitch competition’s undergraduate division earlier this month and received a check for $1,500. Ten teams competed for $25,000 in start-up funds.
“This award is a testament to the incredible work our team has put into building the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the ground up. To be honored on a national stage by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers is humbling and affirming. It validates the vision we had for fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem at The University of Tulsa and underscores the impact we’ve been able to achieve in such a short time. It is also a call to continue pushing boundaries, taking bold steps, and empowering others to embrace entrepreneurship.” said Taleya Mayberry-Smith, director of entrepreneurial programs.