Ball State University students who are interested in learning how to create a profitable company out of a small business can attend Techpoint's Indiana Entrepreneur Bootcamp in the Alumni Center today.
"It will be a great opportunity to hear from someone who's been in the market, who's done entrepreneurial-style work, and (learn) how to go about it," said Allison Buckner, manager of marketing and communications at Techpoint -- Indiana's leading technology trade group.
About 40 Ball State students -- 20 percent of the expected attendees -- have already registered for the free boot camp, which begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. Buckner expects between 65 and 100 students to attend the event, she said. Students who are not registered may still participate and leave the free boot camp at any time.
The camp will include a welcome by Ball State President Jo Ann Gora and three workshops taught by business coach Bill Joos, formerly vice president of entrepreneur development for Silicon Valley's Garage Technology Ventures. The workshops will provide approaches to positioning a business in the marketplace, pitching and making presentations and will highlight the top 10 mistakes people make in business plans, Buckner said.
Joos will also moderate a panel discussion with local entrepreneurs and community representatives. A breakout panels after the sessions will feature area angel investors, private investors who provide money for start-up companies, and venture capitalists, as well as a wrap-up networking reception.
In an effort to combat Indiana's economic brain drain, the phenomenon of college students graduating from Indiana schools but taking jobs in other states, and support the state's growing technology sector, the camp will emphasize the benefits of owning a business while still helping to build the local economy, Buckner said.
"The state's economy is growing," Buckner said. "Small business is a way the economy will grow, as well as across the nation, and students interested in creating, innovating, being an entrepreneur, it will help the economy."
The Entrepreneur Bootcamp is sponsored by several schools and companies, including Ball State's Entrepreneurship Program, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and the Muncie Innovation Connector. Techpoint's first boot camp took place in Indianapolis in November 2003 and the second was in Bloomington and Terre Haute in June 2004.
Karen Vaughn, coordinator of public relations and technology for Ball State's Entrepreneurship Program, said the camp will benefit not only entrepreneurial students but also students of other majors who might be interested in learning about business.
"When you want to work in business, these kind of educational formats are always educational," Vaughn said. "I don't think you have to be an entrepreneurship major to attend something like this and find it beneficial."
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