You know someone’s a born entrepreneur when they’re 22 years old, graduating from the University of Michigan, and on their fourth venture. Peter Michaelides started his first business renting out parking lots for U of M football games at 11 years old, and the bug bit him for life. Now he’s heading off to Santa…
Chip Off Silicon Valley: The Student Entrepreneurs of Ann Arbor (Part 2)
… Innovation in Action uses the same work space as TechArb for students to come brainstorm ideas for new ventures. Students and mentors first meet to discuss ideas, then browse presentations on the walls featuring different components of the business ideas and the challenges they are attempting to solve. People can place a dot sticker near any idea that sparks their interest, and leave Post-Its with questions the idea raises for them. This was the process going on during the IIA meeting. Entrepreneurs can see how their idea strikes people, where the interest is clustered, and have a chance to address concerns or questions as their business idea progresses. As we go around the room at the Innovation in Action meeting, Gourley introduces people involved in one or both programs with Innovation or TechArb.