Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

#WaltonCollege has jumped to No. 22 in The Princeton Review’s 2025 Top 50 Entrepreneurship Graduate Programs — up 10 spots from last year! 📈👏 This achievement highlights the power of cross-campus collaboration and a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in #NWArk. Congratulations to everyone involved! Some factors the Princeton Review editorial team considered when deciding rankings: 📚 The core courses of the #UARK graduate program, New Venture Development I & II, are integrated into multiple degree programs across campus, lending the program a unique interdisciplinary structure.   🚀 The ability to provide multiple resources for student-founded companies, such as the #HeartlandChallenge Student Startup Competition, Startup Village, the Entrepreneurial Law Project and the Venture Mentoring Services program.   🌱 A track record of alumni ventures — In the last three years, companies formed by students and recent alumni of the program include Hidalga Tech, ProPika, Celludot Llc, Lapovations, LLC, LockStop, PushKin, GammaVet and Horizon Health Solutions. Let's get connected: https://lnkd.in/eNgfcbj #StartSomethingAR #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

#NWArk continues to lead venture capital activity in the state, capturing the majority of deals in 2023 according to the Arkansas Capital Scan. 🚀💼 However, the report also highlights critical gaps in early-stage funding, with a 13.6% drop in average deal size for the region. Key takeaways: 🔑 NWA leads in deal count and value, driving sectors like health care and IT. 🔑 Early-stage funding remains a challenge, with limited support for pre-revenue startups. 🔑 Progress in equitable funding, with diverse founders receiving 24.5% of venture capital statewide. The Northwest Arkansas Council and the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation are tackling these gaps through initiatives like the Venture Capital Immersions Series and StartupNWA Hub, connecting startups with investors and resources. These efforts are building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem and solidifying NWA’s position as an innovation hub. Learn more about the findings and opportunities in the full report: https://lnkd.in/gfFDxgBp #StartSomethingAR #VentureCapital #EconomicDevelopment

Take your student startup to the global stage at the University of Arkansas 2025 Heartland Challenge.🌍✨ The Heartland Challenge Startup Competition is calling all graduate student entrepreneurs to compete for the chance to showcase their ideas and build connections that drive success while competing for a $100,000 prize pool! 🗓️ Key Details: 🔹 Applications are OPEN NOW for the 2025 competition 🔹 In-person semifinal & final rounds: April 3-5, 2025, in #Bentonville, AR 🔹 Info Session: Dec. 18 at 11:00 a.m. CT via Zoom Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Start your application today. 💻 Zoom session RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gyPhG4h9 📝 Heartland Challenge applications: https://lnkd.in/dGq5QeA #StartSomethingAR #HeartlandChallenge #StudentInnovation

"Sober Sidekick by Empathy Health Tech ... was recently named the fastest-growing digital product in #NorthAmerica by well-known analytics platform Amplitude." 📱📈 #HealthTech #ARbiz #Innovation

Congratulations to Joshua Upshaw and Hidalga Tech, a spinout company from the University of Arkansas and a recent graduate of our New Venture Development program, on being named a top 50 finalist for the 2025 Baylor New Venture Competition hosted by Baylor Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation! #weARinnovators #startherearkansas #innovation #entrepreneurship

Applications close Dec. 12 for the spring 2025 Design Teams in the McMillon Innovation Studio! 🛠️🌍 Open to students of all majors, the studio is a hub for future leaders and changemakers looking to develop their creative mindsets and make a meaningful impact. ➡️ Apply now: https://lnkd.in/g446-zCX Design Teams focus on three dynamic impact tracks: organizational, social impact, and entrepreneurial. Whether you're solving pressing industry problems, driving social change, or advancing your own startup ideas, you'll use human-centered design principles to create innovative solutions. 💡📈 Previous teams have improved systems for local food banks, supported psychiatric care, and reimagined autonomous vehicle hubs. #StartSomethingAR #Innovation #SocialImpact

We've capped another incredible semester of student innovation with Demo Day and a special visit from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon! 🎓💡 From developing new products for #GenZ to creating a companies postpartum program at Community Clinic, the McMillon Innovation Studio is making a difference in #NWArk. Product Design Teams Winner: Community Clinic NWA 🏥 Project Manager: Valeria Mazariegos Team members: Marielis Cubero-Perez, Sierra Greiner, Ellis Freel Social Impact Design Team Winner: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 🖼️ Project Manager: Ellis Freel Team members: Parker Moore, Alyson McWilliams, Isabella Boulware, Menghan Zhang Organizational Design Team Winner: Sam's Club 🛒 Project Manager: Kaisei Yamauchi Team Members: Dylan Clark, William Scholl, Ada Monteys, Mya Negley, Hannah Dryden Audience Choice Award: J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. 🚚 Project Manager: Philip Nuñez Team Members: Amna Khan, Brett Harrelson, Diego Ignacio Peredo Yshiy Joshua Yustana, Soumya Kolluru The Studio serves as an innovation hub to students across campus and works to develop future leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators by cultivating their creative mindset and connecting them to opportunities to make real-world impact. 🧠🚀 Start your innovation journey at the Studio: https://lnkd.in/gk8_DXJw 📸 by Chieko Hara #StartSomethingAR #FutureLeaders #DesignThinking

Looking to build a strategy for success? Join us TOMORROW for an evening of insights, connections, and actionable advice!🚀🍽️ 🌟 Speakers Spotlight: 🔸 Nadia Issa & Jessica Teal Miles University of Arkansas Sharing insights on brand identity: what it is and how to center your business around it 🔸 William Staley Thrive Inc. Offering tips on launching a brand and attracting customers 🔸 Janet Coursin Financial management expert Explaining the essentials of managing finances to run a sustainable business RSVP now: https://lu.ma/hctw3r9e Small Business Owners and Aspiring Entrepreneurs—This One's for You! #StartSomethingAR #SmallBusinessSuccess #NetworkingEvent

"Two grand biking-hiking developments on opposite sides of the state have reached new stages." 🏕️📈 #OutdoorRecreation #DiscoverArkansas #EconomicDevelopment

Thanks to everyone who came out to The Collaborative to celebrate another semester of our Venture Intern Program! 🎉🎓 Launched in spring 2020, VIP has now provided nearly 300 students exposure to the workings of early-stage ventures and the #NWArk entrepreneurial ecosystem. This interdisciplinary group of students, representing diverse majors from six #UARK colleges, has also supported over 180 startups and support organizations since the inception of the program. 💼💡 The program includes a paid assignment with a host organization, as well as supplemental training opportunities, cohort meetings and coaching/support from experienced mentors. Be a VIP: https://lnkd.in/g5by8Gj #StartSomethingAR #StudentSuccess #Entrepreneurship