Student Groups and Activities
Partners for Entrepreneurial Leadership
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Entrepreneurs
Association
At least one third of each incoming MBA class usually joins the Entrepreneurs Association (EA) at the Haas School of Business. EA organizes and presents an array of programs and opportunities for Haas students and members of the UC Berkeley community. In 2009, EA increased its outreach efforts to bring together students from across the University to support one another in their entrepreneurial pursuits. EA also serves as the umbrella organization for a multitude of entrepreneurial events across the campus, such as Ideas@Cal, The Venture Capital Roundtable, the Entrepreneurs Roundtable, the UC Berkeley Business Plan Competition and Venture Capital Investment Competition, to name a few. Several of these programs are highlighted below. More information on EA’s ongoing activities and menu of opportunities can be found by visiting its website at http://groups.berkeley.edu/ea/.
A 1
unit course, "Life as an Entrepreneur", has been developed
by the Entrepreneurs Association to provide first-year MBAs
with a high-level survey of the field of Entrepreneurship.
Ideas@Cal
Ideas@Cal provides an opportunity for entrepreneurially minded students across the UC Berkeley campus to connect and share business ideas. This year, nearly 100 business, engineering, journalism, law and life science students converged at Haas to brainstorm, problem-solve, and help one another develop their business ideas.
Career Treks
The Entrepreneurs Association partners with other Haas clubs such as the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative, Haas Technology Club, and Net Impact to visit start-ups in the Bay Area. Participants get to experience the start-up environment first-hand and hear from employees about their experiences with entrepreneurship.
The Venture Capital Roundtable, held each fall in Silicon Valley, and the Entrepreneurs Roundtable, held in the spring in San Francisco, give Haas students a chance to meet with venture capitalists and successful entrepreneurial alumni in an intimate setting where they can explore potential career options.
The Venture Capital Roundtable is designed to build bridges between Haas and the venture capital community. Students considering a position in the venture capital industry or currently planning to create a venture that will require venture funding have a chance to speak in depth with coveted venture capitalists, while VCs benefit from the exposure to the next generation of return-generating investors and entrepreneurs. Past attendees have included representatives from some of the most well recognized firms in the venture capital industry.
The Entrepreneurs Roundtable provides an opportunity for students and successful, practicing entrepreneurs to come together in an informal setting. The event provides an excellent opportunity for students to meet fellow entrepreneurs who have had to tackle the common strategic, operational, and financial challenges that start-ups face. It helps students learn as much as possible from founders and CEOs of the most exciting Silicon Valley start-ups by having both a large group networking session and breakout discussions that allow for more up-close interaction.
The Roundtables are open to Haas students who have started a business or have a strong interest in starting a new business. The events provide unique opportunities to meet and learn from experienced entrepreneurs who can share “the tricks of the trade.”
Partners
for Entrepreneurial Leadership (PEL)
An innovative training program that provides MBA skills to
young companies. Run by Haas MBA students, PEL places its
members with high-growth companies for summer internships,
many of which continue into ongoing projects during the students'
second year in the MBA program. PEL interns' projects range
from research on prospective investors to sophisticated business
and financial planning, operations as diverse as developing
new computer systems and analyzing and implementing new marketing
and distribution channels.
The Lester Center has received support for a variety of sponsored
internships that enhance and expand the range of entrepreneurial
opportunities available to Haas MBA students. The Center wants
to thank the Price Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and
the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation for their generosity.
Berkeley
Solutions Group
A Haas-student-run program that provides MBA student consultants
to local new enterprises, small businesses, and nonprofit
organizations at below-market rates. Student consultants typically
focus on market research, feasibility studies, financial analysis,
and human resource planning. Administrative oversight and
limited project support are funded by a grant from the Price
Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.
Young
Entrepreneurs at Haas
The Lester Center recognizes YEAH
(Young Entrepreneurs at Haas), a program encouraging entrepreneurship
for young students in Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond high
schools. To help more youth get to college, they've created
programs for kids in 6th through 12th grade where Haas MBA
and undergraduate mentors use real-life lessons in business,
finance and entrepreneurship to excite, educate and support
kids on the path to college.
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