Jennifer Leinbach, coordinator of the Greater Reading Keystone Innovation Zone, is tired of college students applying for jobs after graduation.
She’d rather see them create their own jobs.
As one step toward encouraging that, her organization is running a business idea contest for students from five colleges in Berks County. The only stipulations are that the businesses have to be for profit and must somehow focus on technology.
“You don’t have to come up with a brand new product or service,” Leinbach says. “They can take an existing product or service and make it better with technology.”
While she hasn’t heard much about students’ business ideas, she says the idea of the competition seems to be generating excitement on Reading-area campuses.
The contest is being run through the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which focuses on entrepreneurship and education. Student teams have until March 25 to enter the Greater Reading competition, and up to three teams from each college will be chosen to give final presentations in April. The top prize is $1,000, although Leinbach says the real value is the experience of developing a business plan.
Plus, the Kauffman Foundation plans to promote several of the ideas on a website it will make available to interested investors. This is the first year for the Greater Reading business challenge, but Leinbach says she hopes to hold it in future years and offer the winners office space and access to business-assistance services.
Source: Jennifer Leinbach, Greater Reading Keystone Innovation Zone
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
