UAPB team pitches at Atlanta event

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was one of more than 25 institutions participating in the 2024 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Summit in Atlanta.

The HBCU/MI Summit aimed to help institutions develop relevant, comprehensive entrepreneurship programs to prepare African American and minority students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and become leaders and entrepreneurs.

The UAPB team proposed an investment of $900,000. The team’s business plan, “EduCare 360”, was a healthcare educational software platform designed to manage complications of diseases such as diabetes among diverse groups of people.

Although they did not win the competition prize, the UAPB team received excellent feedback from the judges on how the business plan could be positioned and marketed to make it a viable investment product, according to a press release.

“By participating in this event, our students not only made critical career connections, but also gained valuable knowledge and experiences that will shape their futures in the fields of entrepreneurship and technology.” Most importantly, they contributed by developing a business model to manage disease complications in underrepresented communities. a cause they are deeply passionate about,” according to the press release.

The 2024 Summit took place at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta. It was an event-filled three-day program including seminars for university chancellors/presidents and deans and an entrepreneurship business plan pitch competition for student teams, with monetary rewards for winning teams.

The UAPB team was led by Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander, who provided strategic advice and leadership; Lawrence Awopetu, interim dean of the School of Business and Management; and Vinay Raj, academic advisor to the UAPB student team.

The five-member UAPB student team included Carlas Smith and Breanna Scott from the School of Business and Management, as well as three students, Edward Gitonga, Franklyn Stanislaus and Melissa Walker, from the School’s Department of Computer Science of Arts & Sciences.

Sponsorship from various organizations has contributed to the HBCU/MI Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.

Summit keynote speaker Vincent D. (Chuck) Mattera Jr., CEO of Coherent Corp., a leader in materials, networking and lasers, was recognized for his outstanding support of the HBCU/MI initiative . His commitment to funding, equipment and expertise for the initiative was highlighted in his speech.

Coherent’s goals to expand America’s role in laser design, manufacturing and applications by developing training programs and advanced certifications in laser technology were also highlighted.