EB-5: National Recognition
Entrepreneurs Wanted
Its All About the Youth
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July 2015
Tim O’Keefe Named Executive Director and Chair of UND School of Entrepreneurship
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im O’Keefe was recently named as the executive director and chair of the UND School of Entrepreneurship. With this appointment, he has also been named as the Eugene Dahl endowed chair of innovation and character. Formerly a professor of information systems and business education at the University of North Dakota, O’Keefe has been serving as the interim director of the school since August of 2014. The School of Entrepreneurship within UND’s College of Business and Public Administration was approved in May of 2014 by the State Board of Higher Education. The school will provide new opportunities for col-
Gjovig’s Jargon
laborative faculty research and partnerships within the business community. The School of Entrepreneurship will provide greater visibility to the programs of study associated with entrepreneurship, in turn, attracting more high-quality students and faculty as well as opportunities for increased fundraising. The mission of the new school is to nurture faculty and students’ entrepreneurial actions, innovation, visionary leadership, networks and interdisciplinary learning.•
“If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old.” -- Lord Chesterfield, statesman
EB-5 Regional Center Featured in National Industry Publication
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he North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center was recently featured in EB-5 Investors Magazine, a leading industry magazine. The article, “Non-Traditional” EB-5 Projects Make a Big Splash, was released in April 2015. Across the nation, the EB-5 program is largely dominated by real estate projects, primarily because they are easiest to market to foreign investors who understand the business model. Although other types of projects can present challenges, the North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center has excelled. The North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center has secured financing for projects that span manufacturing, an ethanol plant, and the oil and gas industry.
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In the article, Director Mickayla Zinsli spoke of the potential downfalls of this approach, “There is more time needed to educate agents and investors on ‘non-traditional’ projects, which can be a challenge. It also takes certain agencies who are interested in diversifying their portfolio, which can also take time to find. For our Regional Center, the biggest advantage is helping projects receive EB-5 financing who might not otherwise. That equals jobs creation in our region.” • Read the full article at http://www.joomag.com/magazine/eb5investors-magazine/092617600143047016 5?short
New Endowments Provide Entrepreneurial Student Experiences
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wo North Dakota women recently established endowment funds with the UND Center for Innovation Foundation to support experiential learning for UND entrepreneurship students. Both the Rachel and Vern Gornowicz Entrepreneur Intern Endowment and the Cindy Schreiber-Beck Entrepreneur Endowment will fund internships at the Center for Innovation, enabling students to work with startups, early-stage and growing ventures. Center for Innovation Director and Entrepreneur Coach Bruce Gjovig said, “The interns will gain experience and expertise in entrepreneurship while helping emerging entrepreneurs. Strategically this fits well with UND’s new School of Entrepreneurship because it allows students to be immersed in the professional practice of entrepreneurship.” Rachel Gornowicz joined her father’s business right out of high school in 1989, eventually designing, marketing, and implementing a division offering curbside recycling in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and eight smaller communities.
When her father chose to retire, she acquired Vern’s Parking Lot Maintenance, his parking lot sweeping division. She started on her own with one sweeper and a couple of contracts with area shopping malls but after a major flood in 1997 her sweeping business took off. She later expanded into a variety of areas with the purchase of Border City Sweeping in Fargo in 2000. In 2008, she launched Countrywide Sanitation Co., which she has led for 7 years. Gornowicz has worked with Emily O’Brien and Kevin Lunke, entrepreneur coaches with the Center for Innovation, who have helped her expand her company through strategic growth. Cindy Schreiber Beck (pictured to the right) owns Wahpeton North Dakota’s TriState Aviation, an aircraft maintenance, repair and restoration company. Tri-State offers a diverse range of machine shop services to the agriculture, aerospace, architecture and engineering industries and specializes in the restoration of P-51 Mustang aircraft. She also owns CinderWhit & Company which makes stock and custom wood components for the
restoration of porches and homes. SchreiberBeck serves as executive director of the North Dakota Agricultural Association, is a commissioner on the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, and serves as a North Dakota state representative for District 25 of Wahpeton. •
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Mueller Entrepreneur Alerus Professional Practice Interns Entrepreneur Interns
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he Mueller Entrepreneur Internship program at the Center for Innovation was launched in 1998. As part of this unique internship, students are expected to complete a business plan or develop a viable business model for a for-profit venture. As of the spring semester of 2015, 130 students have received Mueller internships, creating, developing, operating, and perfecting their venture ideas with assistance and coaching from the Center for Innovation staff. The program is made possible through the generosity of Kurt Mueller, UND class of ’62. •
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rofessional practice is intended to create an educative experience that catapults a student into the professional world providing a network and new expertise. Traditional internships have typically benefitted the student, but not necessarily the community, companies, or entrepreneurs. A gift one year ago from Randy Newman and Alerus Financial turned what was a one sided experience into a method of scaffolding for both students and entrepreneurs. Historically, the entrepreneurship program enrolls six or seven students in the professional practice experience course each semester. This last semester, 23 enrolled, eight of which were Alerus Professional Practice Entrepreneurs. Current Mueller Entrepreneur Two such students were placed in an early Interns Include: revenue entity, receiving half of their wages from the Alerus Professional Practice Fund. Matt Kelly, who plans to convert shipping The partnership with the placement, Curious containers into housing. Fashions had to be navigated for the first time, establishing processes, procedures, paperwork, Aaron Blacklance, whose Lancer Fabrication policies, all the while ensuring success not only company specializes in race car and general for the student, but also Curious Fashions and metal fabrication. future partnerships. Michael Kangas, of Sportsmen Innovation, an outdoor product design firm, who is currently focusing on a tackle box design. Yimeng Sun, who is interested in bringing a Chinese-style karaoke house to Grand Forks. Ella Dorner, a motivational speaker correlating human reaction to real life situations with her company, Ellavated. For more information contact: Elisabeth Knapp elisabeth@innovators.net
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Maggie O’Keefe and Annaka Sondreal were placed with Brianne Osowski, Founder and CEO of Curious Fashions. The students were quite excited to experience fashion from the other side. O’Keefe and Sondreal attended the buyers’ tradeshow in Las Vegas to kick off their placement with Curious Fashions purchasing the items for the store for its first season. As boxes arrived the students steamed and placed each item in the store after designing, the fixtures, and placements of clothing displays throughout the store. Osowski offered the students the rare opportunity to fully execute the launch and opening of the store. O’Keefe and Sondreal put in much more than the 225 hours required for the course but earned themselves management positions as Osowski took maternity leave from her shops. O’Keefe and Sondreal, through the Alerus Professional Practice Program, secured the opportunity to make owner decisions including ordering, prices, merchandising, marketing, and employee training. O’Keefe and Sondreal take calls from distributors on a daily basis dealing with the bills, employees, and
customers in the customer service driven industry of fashion retail. Sondreal stated that it was the most fun she has had for credit in her experience at UND. O’Keefe reported that she turned from student to professional almost overnight. It is commonly thought that retail clothing is not entrepreneurial, however, this situation offered the students every element of entrepreneurship from ideation through implementation, all on their own, taking the risks as if
the store were their very own. In an increasingly competitive retail environment, owners must be entrepreneurial in order to survive and thrive.• For more information contact: LaRoyce Batchelor laroyce@innovators.net 701.777.6623
Dakota Venture Group to Host Student Venture Capital Summit
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akota Venture Group will host the Student Venture Capital Summit in Grand Forks, November 8-10, 2015. The summit is open to individuals involved with student venture funds and industry leaders from across the United States. The agenda includes a fast-paced, hands-on experiential learning exercise designed to improve understanding of venture capital. Participants will also screen companies, complete a due diligence and network with professional venture capitalists and like-minded students. The goal for this Student Venture Capital Summit is to educate students on Venture Capital opportunities and foster personal growth. Dakota Venture Group plans to establish the summit as an annual event. • For registration or questions: Emily O’Brien eobrien@dakotaventuregroup.com
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2015 North Dakota Youth Entrepreneurship Education Program
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uring the week of June 8-12, young entrepreneurs ages 9-15 gathered each day at the UND Center for Innovation. They built a new community, formed a government with its own currency and launched small businesses that created a prosperous economy. The camp in Grand Forks was the first of nine that will take place during the summer of 2015 across the state of North Dakota. Hosted by the North Dakota Youth Entrepreneurship Education Program since 2007, the camps have become a popular way for students to learn about free enterprise and for teachers to earn continuing education credits. • For more information Contact: Barry Striegel barry@ndyeep.net 701.741.6985 ND Youth Entrepreneurship Education Program
2015 Youth Entrepreneurship Camp Schedule
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Grand Forks - UND Center for Innovation
June 8 - 12
Rolette County - Turtle Mountain Community HS
June 15 - 19
Williston - New Armory
June 22 - 26
Jamestown - University of Jamestown
July 6 - 10
Walsh Co. - North Valley Career & Tech Center
July 13 - 17
Pembina County - Cavalier Evangelical Free Church
July 20 - 24
Wahpeton - ND State College of Science
July 27 - 31
Bismarck - BPS Career Academy
August 3 - 7
Minot - MSU Severson Entrepreneurship Academy
August 10 - 14
1 Millon Cups Grand Forks Sets Attendance Records and Receives Grant
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Million Cups (1MC) Grand Forks has become a Wednesday morning routine for many since its launch in September, 2014. The gathering moved to the Empire Arts Center in January 2015, when it outgrew the venue at the Third Street Gallery. A grant from the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and Region through the NV&ME Bush Foundation Fund has been received to cover the costs of hosting the event. At 9:00 a.m. each Wednesday, the founders of one or two early-stage startups tell their stories, followed by a question-and-answer session. Developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 1MC is led by more than 300 volunteers in 35 states, one U.S. territory, and six time zones. It attracts an estimated national weekly attendance of more than 2,500 people. Tyler Oklerlund said, “Since its inception, 1 Million Cups Grand Forks has had 55 presenters speak. Various speakers were women owned businesses, non-profits, veteran owned busi-
nesses, and your basic entrepreneur. Overall, the help from the grant was greatly appreciated as it gave space to weekly events and gave the 1MC crowd a place to go.” Okerlund, an entrepreneur coach and SBIR program coordinator at the Center for Innovation, served on the 1MC organizing committee. The culture surrounding 1 Million Cups is that of a supportive, neutral space welcoming entrepreneurs to be open and honest about their businesses and the challenges they face. 1 Million Cups is a free, weekly national program designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Developed by the Kauffman Foundation, 1MC is based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and network over a million cups of coffee. For more information on 1MC, see 1millioncups.com. The NV&ME Bush Foundation Fund supports initiatives that connect, inspire and empower residents
to get connected and make positive impacts in the areas of core-city vibrancy, information sharing, talent retention, and entrepreneurship. More information on this Community Foundation grant can be found at gofoundation.org/grants. • For more information: 1MCGF
EDA Grant Improves Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs
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he UND Center for Innovation was recently awarded a $250,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), matched by contributions from UND alumnus, Norm Skalicky, under the Cluster Grants for Seed Capital Funds program. The total amount of funding for the U.S. Cluster Grant for Seed Capital Funds from EDA totals nearly $2 million. Early access to capital is crucial for startups, but can be difficult to obtain outside traditional startup hubs. In North Dakota, the two-year initiative will support the Center for Innovation’s efforts to help entrepreneurs by strengthening angel fund networks in the state, boosting contact between individuals who are interested in investing and creating a
foundation for launching new angel and seed funds that will expand the angel fund network throughout the state. Federal grants received by the Center for Innovation often require the organization to match the federal grant on a percentage or dollar-for-dollar basis. Norm Skalicky has a five decade history of involvement with his alma mater. A building on the UND campus – the Norm Skalicky Tech Incubator – is named after him as a tribute to his professional success along with his generous support of entrepreneurship and the UND Center for Innovation. Skalicky served on the UND Center for Innovation Advisory Board for several years and was a trustee of the UND Center for Innovation Foundation.
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. •
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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Ina Mae Rude Entrepreneur Center Norm Skalicky Tech Incubator 4200 James Ray Drive Grand Forks, ND 58203
GRAND FORKS ND PERMIT #10
Address Service Requested Phone: 701.777.3132 www.innovators.net E-mail: newsletter@innovators.net The UND Center for Innovation helps entrepreneurs, innovators, students and researchers launch new technologies, products and ventures, develop business and marketing plans, access UND talent and secure venture financing. We are a division of the UND College of Business & Public Administration.
Support Students and Entrepreneurs The success of the UND Center for Innovation is made possible by previous investors in our quality programs resulting in national recognition for excellence and quality. Our programs favorably impact future and existing entrepreneurs who will innovate, grow our economy, solve problems and make this a better world. For more information on how to help pay it forward in our entrepreneur community please contact Bruce Gjovig or Tom Kenville.
Opportunities to Invest in the Future UND Center for Innovation Foundation - Priority Needs • Entrepreneur Coaching • EB-5 Program/ Foreign Direct Investment • Angel Investor Education/ Networks • International Entrepreneurship • Entrepreneurs-in-Residence School of Entrepreneurship - Priority Needs • Student Entrepreneurs - Entrepreneur Internships • Sponsorship of Entrepreneur Speakers and Forums • Dakota Venture Group (Student Venture Fund) • Experiential Learning Experiences • Professors of Entrepreneur Practice • Professional Practice of Entrepreneurship
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Bruce Gjovig Entrepreneur Coach & CEO UND Center for Innovation Foundation 701.777.3134 | bruce@innovators.net
Tommy Kenville VP Development UND Center for Innovation Foundation 218.779.9950 | tom@innovators.net
* Contributions to the UND Center for Innovation Foundation are tax deductible and included in your UND Foundation giving record. *Donors may qualify for up to a 40% income tax credit with an endowment. Contact Kim Woods at kimw@undfoundation.org or 701.777.4106 for more information.