Wayne State University:
A Hub for Entrepreneurship
Wayne State University, Michigan's
only urban research university, is a
proven effective force for regional
economic development. The Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching places Wayne State in its
highest research category, a distinction
held by only 3.6 percent of all U.S.
institutions of higher education.
Research is important not only
because it creates jobs and stimulates
economic growth, but also because
it can lead to the commercialization
of new technologies and services.
Wayne State's research fuels a business
cycle that often starts in classrooms
and laboratories and reaches
the marketplace through startup
companies in its TechTown research
park and business incubator. Through
both technology transfer and the scope
of its research, Wayne State can be
businesses, industries and
communities. Last year, TechTown
was chosen to participate in
FastTrac to the Future, a grant-
funded project of the New Economy
Initiative for Southeast Michigan
(NEI) in partnership with the
Kauffman Foundation to train 1,200
new entrepreneurs and create
400 businesses. More recently, the
Blackstone Charitable Foundation,
in partnership with NEI, announced
Wayne State as the home of a new
Blackstone Launch Pad, which will
provide entrepreneurial counseling
and support services to students from
all disciplines who aspire to start their
own businesses.
These collaborations between the
university and foundations promise
to have a major impact not only
on individual lives and careers, but
ultimately
also on the
economy of
Detroit and
Southeast
Michigan.
One graphic
lesson of
the present
recession is that
purely technical
training alone
is no longer
a guarantee
TechTown, Wayne State University
of success.
Given the past
extremely useful to new entrepreneurs
decade's scientific advances as well as
an increasingly small world in which
as they advance their businesses from
any work can be done just about
the imagination stage into reality.
anywhere, we need engineers and
scientists
trained to get ideas out of the
TechTown provides a current roster
lab and to consumers in a hurry. In
of more than 270 domestic and
the past, entrepreneurship programs
international startup companies a
were available only to business school
wide range of services and support
students, but now we know that
— everything from business plan
students in science, engineering and
assistance and market research to
most other disciplines requiring higher
executive coaching and networking
education need solid entrepreneurship
events. And expansion continues
and leadership skills to succeed.
at a brisk pace. TechTown will soon
Wayne State's schools and colleges
have a second building in which to
are adapting to the evolving global
house startups, and construction has
economy by offering an increasing
begun on Michigan's first stem cell
number of degree programs that give
commercialization lab.
prospective entrepreneurs the skills
and knowledge they need to meet
Entrepreneurial activity is often
marketplace demands.
the crucial catalyst for successful
Alumni
Spotlight
Uri Katz
I came to the United States with little
knowledge of English, rolled up my
sleeves, hit the books and received my
M.B.A. in 1968.
Ford recruited me to their
management training program, but
I wanted to venture on my own.
I founded Ability Search Group
(www.abilitysearch.com ) in 1975 to
consult, search and assist companies in
hiring highly qualified professionals.
Wayne State taught me strong
foundational skills. I learned to be
inquisitive, fearless in asking questions
and, most important, to listen. As
a headhunter it is necessary for me
to understand both the potential
candidate and the mission, culture
and direction of the hiring company.
Studying organizational management
helped me understand the workings of
corporate structure, and I bring these
skills to the table.
My time at Wayne State helped me
develop a flexible, broad-minded
approach to working with the talent
I represent. Since everyone is unique,
it is critical to recognize and tap
individual potential. I've learned that in
order to succeed you must %%fork smart
and hard. For myself, I keep abreast
of the latest trends, technologies and
tools in the marketplace. These tools
ensure that I understand the needs
of the business community and the
candidates/companies I serve.
AIM HIGHER