The ECenter is the co-curricular heart of ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship at UNH. Our goal is to create the next generation of leaders with an entrepreneurial mind-set who can see opportunities and identify creative solutions others have missed, one idea at a time. Although part of UNH, we are independent of any one college. |
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The Latest Happenings from the ECenter |
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2023 brings with it a fresh new semester, and here at the ECenter a new director as well.
My name is Joshua Cyr, Interim Director of the Peter T. Paul Entrepreneurship Center, and I can’t wait to meet each of you.
The energy throughout the halls is palpable. Students returning, new business ideas brewing, founders talking to potential customers and innovating - it is an amazing atmosphere to join and be a part of.
In just a few short weeks I have already met with several students engaged in our programming, and a few new faces to the ECenter just now learning about the resources available. Ideas don’t stop! In fact, students have likely identified new problems to solve during their travels and holiday break. These are ideas we will be digging into in the weeks ahead.
This last month of meetings haven’t just been with students. We have had numerous businesses reach out to learn more and tour, startups apply for interns, entrepreneurs offer mentorship, sponsors offer continued support, and of course our advisory board members who are engaged in multiple capacities.
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The next few months will be a blur for staff and students. For the students, however, it will also be truly impactful. The events lined up from our team, and from our partners all over campus, offer a myriad of ways for students to explore, learn, build, and innovate. We will be leaving campus as well, with several students traveling to conferences and hands on experiential learning opportunities. All thanks to our generous and tremendously supportive donors and sponsors.
I am lucky to be a part of a fantastic team who have done great work to ensure that our students have the kind of experience everyone expects from the ECenter. They have been gracious to me as I learn the systems and processes that have worked so well. I am thankful for the warm welcome and now it is my turn to extend that welcome to our students.
I want to acknowledge outgoing director, Ian Grant, for his hard work and vision in building the ECenter into what it is today. I know I will be hearing stories throughout the semester on how he has touched so many students lives.
I invite you to reach out to say hello. I would love to hear from you.
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Joshua Cyr
Interim Director, ECenter
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ECenter Annual Impact Report - Get Your Copy! |
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Our 2021 - 2022 annual Impact Report is hot off the press!
The ECenter's Impact Report is a comprehensive retrospective which includes updates on all our donor-funded programs, highlights from our unique and hands-on events, results from our high-impact experiential learning programs, and stories highlighting what innovative UNH students have been up to. If you read this newsletter regularly, you know we had the best impact year EVER!
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Fall 2022 i2 Passport Winners |
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Our flagship i2 Passport Program kicked off with it's first semester event in early September 2022. Students were invited to take part in earning Visa Stamp Credits for participating in ECenter events surrounding ideas and innovation. Students competed for the most Visa Stamp Credits to earn a slice of $25,000 and were awarded giant checks at the December ceremony.
Congratulations to the Fall 2022 winners!
1st Prize of $3,500:
Anthony Lotane ’25 (COLA)
2nd Prize, 3rd Prize of $2,250 each:
John Henkelman ’24 (CHHS)
Sam Croteau ’25 (PAUL)
First Gen Prize of $1500
Kieran Fitch ’26 (CEPS)
Runner-up raffle prizes of $1,000 each:
Ian Lidster ’24 (PAUL)
Reagan Calcari ’24 (PAUL)
Rachel Poston ’24 (PAUL)
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i2 Passport program registration is open for Spring 2023, so sign up today! The semester kick off event is scheduled for Sunday Feb. 5th at the ECenter. |
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The Paid Student Internship at Start-ups Program provides a unique opportunity for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to get hands-on, in-the-trenches experience at an innovative start-up, working directly with the founder or co-founder!
The students get the benefit of impacting a growing business while gaining real-world experience. The start-ups get the benefit of working with a passionate UNH student for free.
Thanks to our generous donors, the ECenter provides the start-ups with the money to pay the students. There are up to 12 internship slots for the summer of 2023. Students from all majors and colleges are encouraged to apply. Start-ups from all around New England are welcome!
If you're a UNH student or start-up interested in applying to the Paid Student Internship at Start-ups Program for summer 2023, please visit our website. Applications are due by February 13th. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Thank you to our generous donors, many of whom are UNH alumni, for making this program possible!
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“Apply as soon as possible! It's an amazing experience! You can learn a ton about start-ups, whether you want to be a founder, an investor, or an employee.”
-Derek Bobbitt
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The ECenter, with the support of Pierce Atwood and RiverStone, offers students a grant funding opportunity to take their entrepreneurial ideas to the next level through the development of prototypes, business models and/or companies during the summer months. Summer is one of the best times for students to work on ideas and early-stage start-ups. This grant allows students to focus full time attention on the venture and receive a grant payment of $4500 to do so in lieu of having to find a summer job.
Student success stories keep this program going. “I will always be so grateful for my experience with the Summer Seed Grant Program. The resources that the ECenter and its partners provided were incredible. The NH Toy Library Network got so much of its beginning with the Summer Seed Grant, and in terms of professional growth, so did I.”- Marisa Rafal
“I have grown so much as an entrepreneur while being in the Summer Seed Grant program and have made so many great connections. Words could never express my gratitude for the opportunity to make my dream a reality.” -Madison Ridky
Applications are open February 6th-20th 2023.
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Entrepreneur in Residence |
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Meet our new Entrepreneur in Residence, Tanja Owen! Tanja will be working with students in conjunction with the Corporate Innovation Co-op this Spring 2023, as well as mentoring and coaching students at the ECenter in preparation for various competitions.
Tanja brings over 20 years of marketing and business experience. The majority of her career was spent in the consumer packaged goods business, where she managed the P&L, marketing, innovation and strategy for billion dollar global brands at Mondelez International. These brands included Oreo cookies, Trident gum, and Planters peanuts. A native of New Hampshire, she wanted to return to her home state and now works at Fidelity Investments in content marketing. Her role primarily helps consumers understand how their hidden preference and biases impact their investing decisions. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Business and Northwestern University with a M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication. In her free time, she loves biking, traveling to new places and reading a great mystery novel.
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ECenter Coached SVIC Winners |
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The NH Social Venture Innovation Challenge (SVIC) invites students/teams from across the state to identify a pressing sustainability problem at the state, national or global level, and develop innovative, sustainable, business-oriented ideas to solve them.
The 10th annual SVIC announced the winning teams who advanced to the Final Round and presented live. Of the ten finalists, 4 ECenter teams were coached by Executive Director Ian Grant. But, 2 teams rose to the top!
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Best Articulated Problem -Coweed
Coweed is an aquaculture venture which will produce a bovine-edible supplement made from THM-rich seaweed, which will reduce methane production in cows.
Anthony Lotane, UNH 2025 | Philosophy
Sam Croteau, UNH 2025 | Analytical Economics
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Best First-Year Student Submission - Closed Loop
Closed Loop creates a more sustainable future for the aerospace industry by collecting carbon dioxide emissions to produce renewable jet fuel.
Brett Schultz, UNH 2026 | Business Administration and Sustainability Dual Major
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Venture Plus Level Sponsors |
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Daijon "DJ" Beasley
Marketing Assistant
(603) 862-4959
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Nichole Jones
Program Support Assistant
(603) 862-3011
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