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For the second consecutive year, Battelle made a
record-breaking gift to the Ohio Business Week
Foundation. Along with their $40,000 contribution,
Battelle will also provide scientists and
engineers to assist students with the research and
development phase of their Emerging Entrepreneur
Projects. The pilot program will be implemented at the
Ohio Dominican University during OBW.
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Volunteers make up more than 90 percent of the
program's staff each year. For information about how
you can get involved with OBW, contact John Davis at
[email protected]!
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In recognition of Ohio's entrepreneurial heritage, Gov.
Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher have issued a
formal recognition declaring Feb. 23 - March 1 as
National Entrepreneurship Week in Ohio.
This year marks the second annual observance of
National Entrepreneurship Week in Ohio, which will
celebrate the state's entrepreneurial heritage, honor
the 920,500 small business owners and foster
learning opportunities that prepare the new
businesses leaders of the future.
Sponsored nationally by the Consortium for
Entrepreneurship Education, National
Entrepreneurship Week is coordinated throughout
Ohio by the Ohio Entrepreneurship Coalition, a
collaborative network of more than 250 organizations
throughout Ohio, including representatives from
government, education, business and non-profit
sectors.
The Ohio Entrepreneurship Coalition's mission is to
recognize the value of entrepreneurs in Ohio's
economy and to encourage the growth of
entrepreneurial education as a lifelong learning
process, starting with today's youth.
"National Entrepreneurship Week is about
encouraging people to make jobs, not take jobs," said
Nancy Whetstone, chairperson of the Ohio
Entrepreneurship Coalition. "If the US is going to
remain competitive in our global marketplace, we
need to leverage our strongest asset - innovation."
More information about National Entrepreneurship
Week, including a full listing of Ohio events, is
available at www.NationalEWeek.com.
Visit the site at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 to hear
Coalition members Nancy Whetstone (OBWF), Eric
Troy (Ohio Dept. of Education), and Shannon Feucht
(Small Business Administration) discuss the state of
entrepreneurship in Ohio.
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"To be competitive in the global marketplace, future
business and community leaders need to think, plan
and act with an entrepreneurial mindset," Governor
Strickland and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher wrote in the
formal recognition. "Through education, business,
community and government sectors, Ohioans can
develop and sustain a spirit of entrepreneurship."
Fisher will deliver remarks beginning at noon during
the Entrepreneurship Expo, Ohio's National
Entrepreneurship Week kick-off event, on Feb. 25 at
the Riffe Center in Columbus. The Entrepreneurship
Expo will provide Ohio's future entrepreneurs and
current small business owners the opportunity to
meet one-on-one with more than 30 organizations,
associations and government agencies to learn about
a number of programs and services available to help
them succeed in Ohio. Exhibitors will also include
organizations with education programs geared to
entrepreneurial minded young people.
Sponsored by the Ohio Department of Development,
this event is open to the public at no charge and runs
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Riffe Center, 77 S. High
St., 3rd Floor Lobby, in Columbus. For more
information, contact Domini Graham Hunt, 614-728-
4607 or [email protected].
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On IdeaBlob.com,
budding entrepreneurs can submit ideas for a start-up
venture - and have a chance to raise $10,000 in
venture capital funding! Members of the online
IdeaBlob.com community can vote on their favorite
idea, and the winner at the end of the month is
awarded the cash.
The first online social finance company, Zopa.com has
recently opened for business in the U.S. Zopa.com
pairs eligible entrepreneurs with individuals and
institutions that can help finance their business
pursuits.
Ever wonder where your tax dollars are going? To find
out, visit USASpending.gov
, created by the Federal Funding Accountability
and Transparency Act of 2006.
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A recent survey from the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation finds that young people are demonstrating
an increased interest in entrepreneurship. More than
ever, students are showing a desire to create new
opportunities for themselves.
The survey found that 63 percent of all respondents
said that through hard work they have the ability to
start their own business, and 26 percent agreed that
starting a business was more desirable than other
career opportunities they might have.
Students indicated several reasons for their interest in
entrepreneurial opportunities, including the desire to
use their skills and abilities, build something for the
future, be their own boss, see their ideas realized and
earn money. The youth of today are acknowledging
their leadership potential and actively pursuing their
goals.
"It is gratifying to see that American youth aspire to not
just take a job, but to make a job. This bodes well for
the American economy so long as we channel these
aspirations into productive opportunities for young
people to develop the skills, concepts and
dispositions necessary for future success as
entrepreneurs," said Dennis Cheek, vice president of
education at the Kauffman Foundation.
A separate study conducted by William B. Walstad of
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln mimics these
results. In addition, Walstad's study showed that 54
percent of youth interested in starting a business say
they are likely to do so, which suggests that there is a
large untapped pool of potential entrepreneurs in the
United States.
The study also revealed that students have a strong
desire to contribute to communities through starting
non-profit enterprises and making the world a better
place with their entrepreneurial skills. The need for an
entrepreneurial education is crucial in the
development of these ideas.
Unfortunately, it is a lack of entrepreneurial knowledge
and skills that prevents many youth from realizing their
aspirations. Finding creative ways to prepare
interested youth for the challenges of an
entrepreneurial economy will not only prepare them
for whatever future they may choose, but also build
confidence in these students.
"Entrepreneurs positively impact society by creating a
breakthrough idea and figuring out how to bring it
successfully to the market," Cheek said.
Today's youth are the building blocks of tomorrow. The
skills and success they seek will create new
innovations, technologies and ideas. An
entrepreneurial education that teaches these students
to think creatively and take ownership of their work will
be a fundamental element of their future success.
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Ohio Business Week Foundation
Sincerely,
 Nancy Whetstone
Ohio Business Week Foundation
email:
[email protected]
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