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Dear UNLV Community,
December 6, 2023 marked the most challenging day in the history of our university. As we grapple with the profound grief, loss, anger, and fear stemming from Wednesday's tragic campus shooting, our hearts ache for the three cherished faculty members who lost their lives, and we hold hope for the recovery of another faculty member still hospitalized.
While this event brought to life our deepest fears, we express profound gratitude to the courageous men and women of University Police Services, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County Fire Department, and other first responders. Their swift, decisive response, marked by intense training and coordination, is a testament to their dedication.
For continued updates on resources, campus operations, and more in the coming days, we encourage everyone to visit unlvstrong.unlv.edu. Together, we can and will navigate through this challenging time by supporting one another.
In solidarity,
UNLV Office of Economic Development
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Employee Spotlight
Get ready to be inspired! We're thrilled to introduce Dr. Robert Rippee, the visionary at the forefront of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)'s innovative endeavors. As the Executive Director of both the Black Fire Innovation Hub and the UNLV Incubator, powered by the prestigious Hughes Center, Dr. Rippee is a name that's rapidly becoming synonymous with groundbreaking progress. At the heart of the bustling Harry Reid Research & Technology Park, Dr. Rippee leads a vibrant convergence of students, faculty, and technology giants. Their collective mission? To drive economic growth through innovation, acceleration, and commercialization. This isn't just about education; it's about shaping the future, where academic insights meet real-world industry demands in a symphony of problem-solving prowess. In addition, Dr. Rippee leads UNLV’s highly successful Presdident’s Innovation Challenge Competition. But Dr. Rippee's story extends far beyond the walls of academia. A seasoned entrepreneur, he co-founded two startups and currently serves on the board of three more, bringing a wealth of experience to his role. His academic credentials are equally impressive, holding a Ph.D. from UNLV. Not to mention, Dr. Rippee is a decorated Navy veteran, bringing a unique perspective to his leadership. His expertise stretches across multiple domains, including hospitality, business development, and applied data science. This diverse skill set enables him to navigate the complexities of today's fast-evolving business landscape with ease and insight.
Stay tuned for more on Dr. Rippee's journey and the transformative work under his guidance at UNLV. It's a story of innovation, inspiration, and impact that you won't want to miss!
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Breaking Bankruptcy:
UNLV'S Newest Case Competition
The UNLV Lee Business School and the Office of Economic Development collaborated to launch the groundbreaking Breaking Bankruptcy case competition. This innovative event, conceived by UNLV alumni Nicole and Stephanie Bayreder, aimed to address contemporary business challenges. Fourteen diverse teams, comprising both undergraduates and graduates from various disciplines, competed to analyze and devise solutions for a bankrupt business. The top 5 teams, selected by esteemed judges, presented their ideas at UNLV's Black Fire Innovation for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship prize. Sponsored by JP Morgan, Chase Co, Caesars Entertainment, Kreiling Family, and Schwartz Law, the competition crowned Team Let's Go as the graduate winners and Blue Rose Consulting as the undergraduate champions, showcasing dedication and excellence.
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UNLV Black Fire Innovation Embarks on a Tech - Forward Renovation
Exciting news! UNLV Black Fire is set for a transformation in January 2024, as we embark on a renovation journey in collaboration with Boyd Gaming and LG Electronics. This innovative upgrade will introduce cutting-edge technology from companies like Evolution and Aristocrat, further enhancing our commitment to excellence. The project also aims to strengthen existing partnerships with other technology sponsors. Beyond elevating our technological capabilities, the renovation promises to improve event venue options, providing an even more dynamic and engaging experience for our community. We're thrilled about this forward-thinking initiative and look forward to the enhanced opportunities it will bring to UNLV Black Fire.
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Catalyst Grant Program
The UNLV Office of Economic Development (OED) is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals under the Sports Innovation Institute - Catalyst Grant Program. This Program is supported by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (“GOED”) through its Knowledge Fund initiative.
Eligibility: Catalyst Grants are open to all fields of research in which the proposed project fulfills the goals and funding priorities of the program outlined above, and which are identifiable to the OED as commercially relevant sports innovations. Applicants are encouraged to consult with the UNLV OED about the project’s appropriateness and eligibility for this opportunity.
Any Principal Investigator who meets University eligibility may apply:
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Why We Chose to Collaborate with UNLV's Office of Economic Development: Envisioning the Future at Black Fire and Beyond
We are excited to expand Boyd’s long-term partnership with UNLV through our residency at Black Fire. Memorable and distinctive guest service is the foundation of the Boyd brand, and our commitment to technological innovation allows us to continue delivering on that promise, giving us unique new tools and methods for engaging our customers both on and off-property.
The partnership will provide Boyd Gaming with premium office and research spaces at Black Fire while also giving UNLV students unique internships as well as opportunities to participate in pioneering research and development prospects. Both Boyd and UNLV will strive to elevate and enrich the facility's hospitality lab, with a shared vision of creating a beacon of innovation for the Gaming & Hospitality industry.
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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the SBA of Nevada will host a financing event completely in Spanish on January 25th, 2024 at the Nevada Business and Industry office. The event consists of providing entrepreneurs with bankers, low-cost finances, and business advisors that will provide capital and orientation to individuals. One of the required documents to start the application is the tax return. Borrowers will be able to meet with lenders during "speed networking" sessions to discuss credit needs and start loan applications. | |
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REBELFORGE
RebelForge is an innovative program that offers UNLV students no-cost, confidential business advising to turn their ideas into impactful ventures. We provide comprehensive resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities to support the development and launch of startups. RebelForge fosters a culture of entrepreneurship, encouraging students to pursue their passions, solve real world problems, and contribute to economic growth.
RebelForge - Let us turn your ideas into impactful ventures!
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 |  | In collaboration with the UNLV Tourism Business Igniter, on December 2nd, Promise Startups organized the last Promise Startups Conference of the year. During the event, participants could engage in a roundtable discussion on entrepreneurship and community development and discover how artificial intelligence can enhance their business operations. Additionally, Chris and Dalisa Corcino, founders of Intellisys (https://intellisysdcorp.com/) joined the TBI stakeholder meeting from the Dominican Republic to talk about their company and the social impact it generates. Their talk followed an introduction by Gary Carrier, who spoke about Plataforma Impact and its mission of developing IT professionals from underserved communities. Moreover, the research team continued working on the sports tourism interviews, which involved conversations with local coaches, sports experts, and employees of small businesses. Finally, graduate assistants Mah, Rudy, and Julius commenced the process of analyzing the data collected from the Medical Tourism interviews. Their primary focus was on three key aspects: economic development, community impacts, and the relationship between sports and medical tourism.
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In its 3rd Annual iteration, the 2024 UNLV President's Innovation Challenge ignited the campus with inventive sparks as students across disciplines converged to tackle the challenge topic: revolutionizing education through innovative applications of artificial intelligence (AI). The competition urged teams to leverage generative AI and cutting-edge technologies to craft tools and platforms that promise to enhance outcomes for both students and teachers. This year's challenge not only highlighted UNLV's commitment to fostering entrepreneurial thinking but also underscored the university's dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. As participants showcased their creative prowess, the challenge served as a dynamic platform for shaping the future of education through the lens of AI innovation.
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Unlock your creative potential at The Makerspace: where ideas ignite and innovation comes to life. From graphic design to prototyping, we equip entrepreneurs with the tools and support to grow their vision. Unleash your imagination at The Makerspace at Black Fire, where dreams become reality. | |
The Office of Economic Development is the entry point for industry to engage UNLV in mutually beneficial collaborations that leverage university research and facilities to support industry-sponsored opportunities, service arrangements, and joint grant and contracting submissions. We can also work with you to license intellectual property developed at UNLV and get connected with researchers investigating solutions to a variety of the world’s most-pressing challenges. To streamline the contracting period, we’ve created express agreements that enable partners to focus less on the transaction and more on the relationship and product. | |
Research Facility Spotlight!
The Science and Engineering Building (SEB) boasts an innovative design fostering collaboration among faculty in sciences, engineering, health sciences, and other research units. Facilitating advanced research, the SEB offers flexible laboratory spaces alongside specialized core labs and cutting-edge equipment. This interdisciplinary hub maximizes the university's investment by centralizing state-of-the-art technology, enabling multiple researchers to access sophisticated resources. By providing expanded opportunities, SEB supports faculty and students in engaging with highly sophisticated research endeavors. The building's core laboratories and facilities play a pivotal role in enhancing collaborative research across diverse disciplines. For further details on the SEB's facilities and resources, visit https://www.unlv.edu/seb/facilities.
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