News
News Archive
Six USF Students Awarded Prize Money in Frank and Ellen Daveler Pitch Competition
December 10, 2021 The event allows students to pitch their product or company ideas for a chance to
               win brand recognition and seed money and mentorship as entrepreneurs.
 - 83 Degrees
December 7, 2021 A Sarasota-based business is partnering with NASA to grow flowering vegetables and
               greens on the International Space Station. By using a silica clay medium like that
               on Mars, the project could facilitate future plant life on the red planet.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
December 1, 2021 Entrepreneur programs have been increasing in popularity in the last decade, along
               with businesses' buy-in to bolstering the offerings.
 - Entrepreneur
November 16, 2021 The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur have again partnered to rank the top programs
               for studying entrepreneurship at the graduate level.
 - NASA.gov
October 29, 2021 In early 2021, the Tech Transfer Office at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) sought
               new ways to engage students in the virtual environment necessitated by COVID19. Ultimately,
               the NASA Technology Transfer (T2U) Program was adjusted to be facilitated entirely
               virtually.
 - WalletHub
October 18, 2021 As programs have moved toward virtual and low residency models (well before the pandemic),
               the Ivy League “experience”, if there was such a thing, may have lost some of its
               value.
Alumnus Spotlight: Loren Isakson, Allergist, Immunologist, Pediatrician, Beats the
                  Drums on the Side
August 13, 2021 Calling Loren Isakson a Renaissance man is almost an insult. He is an allergist,
               immunologist, pediatrician who helped establish a clinic on MacDill Air Force Base,
               treated patients for free in St. Petersburg, coached lacrosse to 9-year-old kids,
               takes acoustic guitar lessons, does the occasional pencil sketch and plays drums for
               a classic rock ‘n’ roll band.
Chessler Holdings Donates $500,000 to Fund HUSTLE, an Entrepreneurship Program
July 1, 2021 USF students interested in owning their own business have a chance to participate
               in a real-world start-up venture using autonomous and robotic food production kiosks
               and earning $20 per hour -- and potentially some of the company's profits -- thanks
               to a new $500,000 initiative between Chessler Holdings and the University of South
               Florida Center for Entrepreneurship.
Frank G. Daveler, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Dead at 102
December 9, 2020 Frank G. Daveler, a Southwest Florida entrepreneur and philanthropist whose generosity
               over the past four years has touched the lives of a number of USF students on paths
               to entrepreneurial careers, died last month in Naples.
Tampa Bay Inno Under 25 Lists USF Students with Some Bright Ideas
October 9, 2020 Innovation knows no age or background. That much is true based on the list of entrepreneurs
               named in Tampa Bay Inno’s Under 25 list, ranging in age to seasoned graduate students
               to a 7-year-old whose idea focused on saving the oceans.
Students Win Big During the 2020 Florida Blue Health Innovation Challenge
September 29, 2020 Today, more than ever, health care quality is on an international and national spotlight.
               Hospital readmissions are becoming a prominent issue surrounding health care quality
               in the United States.
Daveler Entrepreneurship Program: Provides First Funding Opportunity for Startup and
                  Serves as a Gateway to Exclusive Opportunities
September 10, 2020 In 2019, Derek Strauss applied to the Frank and Ellen Daveler Entrepreneurship Program
               hosted by the USF Center for Entrepreneurship.
Florida Blue Health Innovation Challenge Finalists Are Ready to Tackle Hospital Readmissions
                  Issues Amid a Global Health Crisis
July 29, 2020 Today, more than ever, health care quality is on an international and national spotlight.
               Hospital readmissions are becoming a prominent issue surrounding health care quality
               in the United States. Around $25 billion are spent on preventable hospital readmissions.
Local Businesses Hit by COVID-19, Smacked by Riots Have Some Recourses
June 5, 2020 On the verge of emerging from the COVID-19-caused lockdown in which businesses large
               and small were forced to shut their doors and take a massive revenue hit, some near
               USF were brutally victimized by looters and vandals during the civil unrest that swept
               through Tampa over the last weekend of May.
 - ABC Action News
May 12, 2020 As Florida’s economy begins to rebound, local education leaders are tracking new
               opportunities for people looking to launch a new product or service.
USF Center for Entrepreneurship Taking Initiatives to Help Startups Succeed during
                  COVID-19 Crisis
April 9, 2020 What could be worse for young entrepreneurs who have just started out than to have
               the government ordering them to close up shop indefinitely?
Keeping an essential business running in times of Covid-19 
April 2, 2020 Mission Critical Solutions founder/CEO Gil Gonzalez shares his experience as n entrepreneur
               during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 - Innovators Magazine
January 3, 2020 H-FARM is a great example of what effective education should look like in the 21st
               century.
December 18, 2019 When Michael Fountain retires next May, the founding director of the University of
               South Florida Center for Entrepreneurship will be leaving behind both a school and
               field, that have changed greatly in the almost 25 years he’s been there.
 - H-FARM
December 5, 2019 We have signed an agreement with the ƹƵ (USF), which for
               the first time will bring its highly successful Master of Science in Entrepreneurship
               and Applied Technologies (MSEAT) to Europe.
November 21, 2019 When James Hanney was 4 years old, his family moved from England to Florida. Having
               family fly in to visit while he was growing up piqued his interest in airports and
               how the aviation system works.
 - Fox 13 Tampa Bay
November 21, 2019 Connor Totten's bedroom isn't just his sanctuary at home. It's where he's creating
               his future in clothing design.
USF Center for Entrepreneurship Ranked No. 8 in the Nation by The Princeton Review
November 13, 2019 For the third time, the ƹƵ’s Center for Entrepreneurship
               cracked the Top 10 ranking for graduate entrepreneurship programs by The Princeton
               Review.
November 13, 2019 The University of Tampa also placed for the first time in the top 50 entrepreneur
               undergraduate programs.
Too Much Smiling in a Sales Pitch Could Kill the Deal - USF News
April 30, 2019 Spending too much time exuding joy is one of the fastest ways to lose
               a potential investor. A new study published in the Academy of Management Journal concludes
               one of the keys to financial persuasion is to strategically incorporate emotion and
               limit its duration.
 - WUSF
January 30, 2019 When Adriana Florez’s family came to the U.S. from Colombia a little over a decade
               ago, each family member was only allowed to bring two bags. The night before they
               set off, she caught her mother packing an empanada maker.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
January 10, 2019 While there are changes ahead for the ƹƵ in 2019, the Tampa
               campus' Muma College of Business has started the year on a high note.
- Tampa Bay Business Journal
November 11, 2018 USF's Muma College of Business was placed among the top Best Business Schools and
               Best Business Schools in the southeast. It has been on the list for 11 straight years.
 - Lynn University
May 7, 2018 "Shoedometer wants you to own your health one step at a time," said Parks. A clear
               contender in the entrepreneurial community, Parks was named a University of South
               Florida Frank and Ellen Daveler Entrepreneurship Program 2018 Scholar at another pitch
               for the product.
Five USF Students Place Among the Top 20 at Daveler Pitch Competition
April 26, 2018 Five young entrepreneurs from the ƹƵ finished among the
               top 20 students from universities all over the state last month in a statewide business
               pitch competition held in the Muma College of Business.
Student Spotlight: Aleksandar Popovic, International Student/Entrepreneur
April 5, 2018 Aleksandar Popovic came to the United States with only one goal in mind: to pursue
               and reach what the Serbian student calls his "American Dream." And as an aspiring
               entrepreneur, the 21-year-old knows that being innovative is key to being successful.
USF Center for Entrepreneurship Celebrates the 10th Annual Fintech Business Plan Competition
                     Coming Up In April
February 23, 2018 The annual competition will celebrate its 10th anniversary on April 28 and to mark
               the occasion, the center, which is located in the part of the Muma College of Business,
               is recognizing winners and finalists of the Fintech Business Plan Competition over
               the past nine years by publishing a "where-are-they-now" list.
 - WUSF
January 30, 2018 Dez Williams isn't aiming low when it comes to an ultimate goal for his watermelon
               juice company, AquaMelon.
 - Fox 13
October 23, 2017 A USF researcher believes he will be able to build a robot that can care for elderly
               people in their homes within five to 10 years.
USF Bulls Make Up Seven of 16 Finalists in Statewide Pitch Competition
October 9, 2017 A virtual personal assistant for the homebound elderly, a ride-share app for disabled
               people and even a home-care robot are among the ideas being pitched to a panel of
               health-care professionals this month in the Florida Blue Statewide Health Care Innovation
               Pitch Competition.
 - College of Public Health
September 20, 2017 USF College of Public Health undergraduate student Neha Sathe was selected as a finalist
               at the annual Florida Healthcare Innovation Pitch Competition.
InDepth: Aquamelon - Bay News 9
September 3, 2017 Dez Williams talks to Bay News 9 about his story in creating his
               company, Aquamelon.
Center for Entrepreneurship's Educational Programs Are Among the Best in the World,
                     Says AACSB
April 26, 2017 The ƹƵ's Center for Entrepreneurship, recently ranked No.
               10 in the nation for the quality of its curriculum, today was named among top 35 programs
               on the planet.
Nineteen Entrepreneurs Pitch Ideas at the Frank and Ellen Daveler Pitch Competition
                     Over the Weekend
April 11, 2017 The Muma College of Business this weekend was flush with young entrepreneurs who
               pitched their unique ideas for recognition and awards at the Frank and Ellen Daveler
               Pitch Competition.
 - Business Observer
March 3, 2017 Dez Williams came up with the idea for his watermelon juice company, Aquamelon, after
               he trained with friends for a 12.5-mile Tough Mudder obstacle course. They would go
               home and devour a watermelon after training, finding the juice refreshing after a
               long workout.
Center for Entrepreneurship: Here are Some Success Stories - USF Center for Entrepreneurship
January 10, 2017 To recognize the center and its remarkable work, here are profiles of 10 graduates
               who have used what they learned and lit out on their own to create their own thriving
               entrepreneurship opportunities.
 - The Bradenton Times
November 21, 2016 The ƹƵ's Center for Entrepreneurship has the best graduate
               program in the southeast and is ranked No. 10 in the nation, according to new rankings
               released this week by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review.
 - whoistampabay.com
November 20, 2016 The ƹƵ's Center for Entrepreneurship has the best graduate
               program in the Southeast and is ranked No. 10 in the nation by Entrepreneur magazine
               and The Princeton Review.
USF Graduate Business Program Named Number One in Southeast - Fox WTVT
November 19, 2016 Some good news for the ƹƵ. Their business program has been
               named the number one graduate program in the southeast by Entrepreneur magazine.?
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
November 18, 2016 Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review also ranked USF's Center for Entrepreneurship
               No. 10 in the U.S.
USF Center for Entrepreneurship Ranked Best in the Southeast, 10th in the Nation
November 16, 2016 The ƹƵ's Center for Entrepreneurship has the best graduate
               program in the Southeast and is ranked No. 10 in the nation by Entrepreneur magazine
               and The Princeton Review.
 - The Princeton Review
November 16, 2016 The ƹƵ's Center for Entrepreneurship has the best graduate
               program in the Southeast and is ranked No. 10 in the nation by Entrepreneur magazine
               and The Princeton Review.
 - Tampa Bay Times
November 16, 2016 Professor Diana Hechavarria teaches entrepreneurship at the ƹƵ
                     and is part of the academic team behind this study. She cited study findings that
                     show Tampa Bay's warm weather and low cost of living are big appeals to entrepreneurs.
 - Business Observer
October 17, 2016 Congratulations to entrepreneurship alumni  and  on their inclusion in the Business Observer's 40 Under 40 roster! Sineway is the
               CEO of JLS MedQuip and Ross-Munro is the CEO of Sourcetoad.
Trigaux: Tampa Bay's rising tech scene helps secure nonstop San Francisco flight -
                  Tampa Bay Times
July 26, 2016 "As a former resident and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley prior to coming to USF,
               the ability to have a direct flight is a strong step in the right direction to building
               opportunities not only for investment in our community but also for stronger collaborations
               and partnerships with San Francisco-based companies, both early-phase as well as established
               companies," says Michael Fountain, director of the ƹƵ Center
               for Entrepreneurship. "Let's hope that these flights will be heavily used in both
               directions."
The New Entrepreneurs - Resident Magazine
May 2016 Oftentimes we miss opportunities that are right 'in our backyard' simply because
               we don't know to look for them, nor do we have the awareness to recognize the specific
               opportunities.
Ybor's LiveArt Laboratories wins first place in 8th Fintech Business Plan Competition
April 22, 2016 A space for artists and tech geeks alike to create something new is the latest winner
               of the Fintech Business Plan Competition.
Eye disease diagnosis, hand sanitation, and self-powered battery take top prizes in
                     Florida Healthcare Innovation Pitch Competition
April 12, 2016 ƹƵ PhD student Gabriel Saffold's idea for the next big thing
               in healthcare came from his young son's beloved toy.
 - Business Observer
April 1, 2016 Likewise, the USF Center for Entrepreneurship has always been multi-disciplinary,
               open to all students. "They approach problem-solving in ways our business students
               may not," says Fountain.
Florida Healthcare Innovation Competition seeks next generation of health ideas
March 29, 2016 On Wednesday, April 6, college student innovators from across the state will share
               their ideas for revolutionizing the quality and delivery of healthcare at the fifth
               annual State of Florida Healthcare Innovation Pitch Competition
 - Naples Daily News
February 27, 2016 A $2.9 million gift from Naples entrepreneurs will help the ƹƵ
               launch a statewide effort to educate the next generation of startup leaders.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
February 26, 2016 The estate and cash gift will seed the new Frank and Ellen Daveler Entrepreneurship
               Program at USF's Muma College of Business.
Charitable Gift Totaling $2.9 Million to Help Young Entrepreneurs in Florida
February 18, 2016 USF's Muma College of Business will launch the Frank and Ellen Daveler Entrepreneurship
               Program
Eighth annual Fintech Business Plan Competition opens for applications
February 10, 2016 Applications are open for the 2016 Fintech Business Plan Competition, whose winners
               have gone on to launch a watermelon water manufacturer, a competitive paintball field,
               and a medical modeling company, among other businesses.
 - Tampa Bay Reporter
January 5, 2016 In the latest of several national rankings, the ƹƵ ranks
               well as a good place to seek affordable education.
 - Plant City Observer
January 1, 2016 Desmond Williams has teamed up with Plant City's Wish Farms to bring a healthy watermelon
               juice drink that rivals sugary sports drinks.
 - Ocala Magazine
August 2015 Covering an extensive range of legal services and having surpassed his colleagues
               in reputation, Ken Hamner is a leader in law, now serving all of Central Florida.
Editorial: A USF achievement deserving of prime-time attention - The Tampa Tribune
July 17, 2015 This year, USF ranked 10th among U.S. universities for the number of patents granted
               in 2014, joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford and Johns Hopkins,
               among other universities. No other Florida university cracked the top 10.
 - Phys.org
May 20, 2015 The ƹƵ has been named an I-Corps Site by the National Science
               Foundation (NSF), becoming the second site in Florida and one of only three dozen
               institutions around the country to earn the designation.
 - The Oracle
May 17, 2015 Entrepreneurship has always been a strong value in the U.S., one that lends itself
               to innovation and pushes for new businesses.
A Surge in Entrepreneurial Thinking - Florida Trend
February 2015 All manner of college disciplines - from engineering to the arts - have incorporated
               entrepreneurship into their teaching.
Health & Fitness Issue: Rollin' on the river - Creative Loafing
January 8, 2015 Last October, Dan Fleischbein looked out his Harbour Island office window and came
               up with an idea. An executive recruiter with Lucas Group, he was enrolled in USF's
               Master's in Entrepreneurship program (class of 2015) and was pondering how he could
               start his own company.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
December 26, 2014 ƹƵ is the 12th highest academic patent producer in the country
               and among the top 300 U.S. patent owners worldwide.
Three USF innovators receive national honor - Tampa Tribune
December 25, 2014 Three ƹƵ professors are among 170 across the country designated
               as 2014 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors.
 - USF Research & Innovation
December 16, 2014 ƹƵ professors Michael W. Fountain, Robert
               H. Byrne, and Victor L. Poirier have been named 2014 Fellows of the National Academy
               of Inventors.
 - WalletHub
November 14, 2014 I believe that government agencies should focus on developing programs to help all
               immigrants, and not just Hispanics. Immigrants are one of the largest sources for
               business creation in the U.S., often due to their difficulty in finding jobs in the
               labor force.
 - USF Research & Innovation
October 14, 2014 Award recognizes exceptional achievement in technological innovation and entrepreneurial
               success
Four USF professors receive Excellence in Innovation Award - Business Observer
October 14, 2014 Four faculty members from the ƹƵ have received the USF Excellence
               in Innovation Award for exceptional achievement in innovation and research.
 - Bay News 9
September 27, 2014 A ƹƵ graduate student is behind a new product called Aquamelon
               that is slated to hit shelves in a few days.
 - WUSF
September 18, 2014 The ƹƵ's efforts to give students the skills they need to
               start their own businesses continue to gain attention, with both the College of Business
               and a nonprofit started by a graduate in his dorm room receiving separate national
               honors this week.
ƹƵ Entrepreneurship Program Ranked 13th Nationally - Tampa
                  Bay Partnership
September 18, 2014 Small businesses are the engine of the U.S. economy, and according to rankings released
               today by Entrepreneur magazine and the Princeton Review, the ƹƵ
               (USF) is one of the best at teaching its students to start new businesses.
 - Tampa Bay Times
September 17, 2014 New rankings by Entrepreneur magazine and the Princeton Review rank the ƹƵ among the nation's best at teaching students
               to start new businesses.
 - The Oracle
September 17, 2014 If entrepreneurs are the heart of the U.S. economy, then USF's entrepreneurship program
               is getting the blood pumping, according to rankings released Tuesday.
 - Business Observer
September 17, 2014 The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine ranked the ƹƵ's
               Center for Entrepreneurship as the 13th best graduate business school.
 - The Oracle
September 16, 2014 Desmond Williams, a business administration graduate student and paraprofessional
               at the USF Center for Entrepreneurship, founded the company that produces Aquamelon
               Water.
USF Entrepreneurship Program ranked 13th nationally
September 16, 2014 Small businesses are the engine of the U.S. economy, and according to rankings released
               today by Entrepreneur magazine and the Princeton Review, the ƹƵ
               is one of the best at teaching its students to start new businesses.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
September 16, 2014 The center came in at No. 13 among 2,000 colleges and universities surveyed and published
               in the 2015 Top 50 Schools for Entrepreneurship Programs.
 - USF Magazine
June 25, 2014 Advised by USF research leaders, USF students run a business incubator of their own
Student places second at Florida Venture Forum - USF College of Business Insider
May 29, 2014 Entrepreneurship master's student Desmond Williams entered the Florida Venture Forum
               with Aqua Melon, his company that produces watermelon water.
 - WUSF News
May 7, 2014 Twelve teams of students from eight Florida universities recently faced off at the
               Second Annual State of Florida Healthcare Innovation Competition to determine whose
               medical technology reigned supreme -- and the winners walked away with $10,000.
Healthcare Innovation Competition - WUSF
May 2014 It's "Shark Tank" – USF style – as students from eight Florida colleges recently
               faced off at the ƹƵ to see who created the most innovative
               healthcare technology.
Shark Tank for Students - WFTS
April 21, 2014 USF's Center for Entrepreneurship hosts an innovative technology competition for
               students, giving eight groups the opportunity to pitch their products.
USF Student Innovation - Bay News 9
April 21, 2014 Desmond Williams, co-founder of the USF Student Innovation Incubator speaks about
               the program.
UCF Students Take First Place in USF Innovation Pitch Competition - Florida Blue
April 21, 2014 A device that will help provide a more sanitary restroom experience for females took
               first place April 7 in the second annual Innovation Pitch competition, a partnership
               between Florida Blue and the ƹƵ Center for Entrepreneurship.
State of Florida Healthcare Innovation Competition offers students $10,000 prize
April 4, 2014 What do a grocery store, Google Glass apps, and a motorized surgical device have
               in common? They're all inventions by Florida university students designed to meet
               a need in the healthcare industry.
 - CardHub
January 22, 2014 The Great Recession has reinvigorated America's entrepreneurial spirit. As the job
               market soured during the housing market crisis and ensuing economic swoon, business
               creation rates soared to record heights.
 - Tampa Bay Times
July 26, 2013 They are young, creative and adaptable. Experts say they grew up with parents telling
               them they could do anything only to experience the depth of economic lows with the
               recession.
Perfect Pitch - USF Magazine
June 2013 When Casey Henry walked before the panel of judges in the Fintech Business Plan Competition
               in April, she was unsure about her chances of getting funding for her startup business:
               a paintball field.
 - Tampa Tribune
May 15, 2013 She was up against executive MBAs, lawyers and engineers pitching services from biomedical
               waste disposal to feeding the poor. Undergraduate Casey Henry had to sell a panel
               of entrepreneurs on her passion.
Center for Entrepreneurship Gala
May 13, 2013 The Second Annual Tampa Bay Entrepreneurship Gala was held on Friday, May 10, with
               proceeds benefitting the Michael W. Fountain Scholarship Fund. Cigar City's Joey Redner
               was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
 - WUSF
May 1, 2013 If the success of the last two winners of the USF Center for Entrepreneurship's Fintech
               Business Plan Competition is any indication, the future may be promising for Casey
               Henry and South Tampa Paintball.
Vice Presidential Nominee, Paul Ryan Discusses Entrepreneurship - USF College of Business
October 19, 2012 USF held a roundtable discussion on entrepreneurship Friday afternoon, featuring
               U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee.
 - Tampa Bay Business Journal
September 26, 2012 In a survey of more than 2,000 undergraduate and business school entrepreneurship
               training programs, the Princeton Review named ƹƵ's graduate
               interdisciplinary entrepreneurship program one of the top 25 programs in the United
               States.
Startup culture starts to set down roots in Tampa Bay business community - Tampa Bay
                  Times
December 17, 2011 One of Tampa Bay's most transforming business trends in years is emerging amid this
               difficult economy. It can be described in two words. Entrepreneurial ecosystem.
USF Entrepreneurship Program Named Among the Best in the Nation
September 20, 2011 The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine rank USF's interdisciplinary program
               among the top 25 programs in the United States
 - PR Newswire
September 20, 2011 The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine announced today the results of their
               ninth annual survey that ranks the top 25 undergraduate and top 25 graduate entrepreneurship
               programs in the nation.
Social media, youth help these 20-something entrepreneurs - Tampa Tribune
August 19, 2011 For Daniel Fernandez and Cameron Barbas, their Tampa clothing business was an idea
               that evolved from a pair of airbrushed shoes and a few conversations with friends.
 - 83 Degrees Media
August 16, 2011 A distinguished panel of venture capitalists, CEOs and industry experts weigh in
               on presentations from aspiring entrepreneurs involved in the annual USF Fintech Business
               Plan Competition.
If Corporate America Isn't Hiring, What Should Business Students Do? - Scene Magazine
May/June 2010 The reality is that a lot of big businesses which used to hire recent business majors
               and MBAers in droves will no longer do so — the sputtering US economy has seen to
               that. An April 12, 2010 BusinessWeek article suggests that many of these job candidates who would otherwise have found
               a home in Corporate America or Wall Street are finding their way into family
businesses.
 - Business Observer
February 12, 2010 Local universities are teaching students about entrepreneurship.