Innovation and Entrepreneurship as a Lever
for Workforce Development
Moderator
Rachel Jagoda Brunette
Program Officer, The Lemelson Foundation
Panelists
Phil Weilerstein
President and CEO VentureWell
Steven Tello, Ed. D.
Senior Assoc. Vice Chancellor University of Massachusetts Lowell
Nathalie Duval-Couetil, MBA, PhD
Director, Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Purdue University
Associate Director, Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship
Associate Professor, Technology Leadership and Innovation
APLU Annual Meeting
Austin, Texas
November 14, 2016
Developing the Workforce of the
Future through Innovation and
Entrepreneurship
Phil Weilerstein
VentureWell
APLU Annual Meeting
Austin, TX
November 14, 2016
Why Innovation?
40 MILLION JOBS
Intellectual
property-intensive
industries
support at least 40 million jobs and contribute
34.8 percent ($5 trillion) of U.S. gross
domestic product, the exports of those
industries accounted for 60.7 percent of total
U.S. merchandise exports in 2010.
US Commerce Department Study March 2012
Percentile change in
importance of task type
in U.S. economy
Autor, D., Levy, F., & Murnane, R. J. (2003). The skill content of recent technological change:
An empirical exploration. Quarterly Journal of Economics 188, 4. [updated, D. Autor, 2008]
Innovation = Invention + Market Fit + Diffusion
Attributes of Innovators
critical thinking
problem solving
adaptability
intrinsic motivation
collaboration
creativity
analytical skills
design thinking
entrepreneurial
global awareness
synthesis
communication skills
curiosity
Attributes of the Entrepreneur
Seeks:
 Achievement
 Autonomy
 Power / Control
Has:
 Social Orientation
 Self Efficacy
 Persistence/enduranc
e
 Risk Taking tendancy
 Market Awareness
 Creativity
 Flexibility / Adaptive
Therefore…
 Skillset is continually evolving
– Contexual
– Relative
– Dynamic
 Requires adaptive learning skills
 Dynamic and ongoing
How to build an innovator





Intrinsic Motivation
Creative thinking
Problem Solving
Design & Communication
Entrepreneurial Action
How to improve the innovation
environment at universities
1. Catalyze the development of experiential courses
and programs in innovation and commercialization
2. Stimulate multi-disciplinary collaboration among
students and faculty to move creative research,
product and technology ideas to commercialization
3. Integrate university activity with arts, industry and
local business networks for mentoring, advising and
investing
4. Set goals and measure the impact of
commercialization as educational, product and venture
development experiences.
1
How to institutionalize
entrepreneurship in education
 Entrepreneurial thinking in the Frameworks
– integrate throughout the curriculum,
– build into accreditation requirements more explicitly
– Expect it of every student
 Entrepreneurial Doing in the Programs
– Remove barriers to experiential engagement at both
ugrad and grad levels
– Legitimize commercial endeavor as part of
educational experience
– Celebrate the pursuit of opportunity by those who
choose the path
Create and Support the Pathway
 Respect the innovator at least
as much as the innovation
 Educate for innovation and
research. Innovation can be
taught and learned.
 Address the challenges in
venture formation head-on &
provide support to address them
 Provide rewards and recognition
for innovation that acknowledges
an expanded view of the
academic role
Inventor
ADVISING
Innovations
INVESTMENT
Venture
What Is Required to Produce a
Pipeline of Innovators &
Entrepreneurs?
Steven Tello, Ed. D.
Senior Assoc. Vice Chancellor
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Learning with Purpose
UMass Lowell
$921.9 M
Regional Economic Impact
Learning with Purpose
What Is Required to Produce a Pipeline of
Innovators & Entrepreneurs?
People
Potential Innovators & Entrepreneurs
Mentors, Educators, Investors, Partners
Opportunity
Problems & Markets
Learning Process
Formal & Informal
Resources
Funding, Space, Equipment
Networks
Social, Business, Innovation
Learning with Purpose
Lets Return to Attributes of Successful
Innovators & Entrepreneurs
How does Higher Ed support development of Attributes?
Analytical Skills
Problem Solving Skills
Creativity
Design-Ability
Social Awareness
Adaptability, Collaboration
Communication
Entrepreneurial Thinking
Problem as Opportunity
Learning with Purpose
Takeaway #1
Need more Programs and Spaces that
support:
• Creativity/Design-Ability
• Social Attributes & Elements
• Entrepreneurial Thinking
But that’s not all …
We have to engage students in
the Pipeline
Learning with Purpose
Engaging Millennials in our Pipeline
Millennials/Gen Y
“The 9/11 Generation”
Born 1981-2000
Optimistic & Focused
• Believe they can change the world
Digital Natives
• Rely on Internet & Social Media
Social & Collaborative Nature
• Prefer to work in teams,
share with the world
Learning with Purpose
Takeaway #2
Successfully Engage Millennials
Programs should:
• Encourage “Opportunity to Change the World”
• Provide “Just-In-Time” Learning Opportunities
• Accommodate learning styles, schedules, media
• Provide Experiential Learning Opportunities
• Be Fun and Engaging
Learning with Purpose
Emerging Models Encouraging
Entrepreneurial Mindset
UMass Lowell DifferenceMaker® program
James Madison University - Medical Innovation
Course
Portland State University –
Invention Bootcamp for High School Students
Texas A&M Engineering Pop-up Classes
Learning with Purpose
Developing Entrepreneurial Mindset
Engage ALL UMass Lowell students in
creative problem solving, innovation and
entrepreneurship
Develop sustainable solutions to
problems that matter
Experiential, Just-in-Time Learning
Disciplinary & Cross-Disciplinary
Knowledge required
Learning with Purpose
www.uml.edu/differencemaker
Process
Raising
Awareness
Building
Skills &
Concepts
 Entre.
 Freshman Orientation
Major/Minor/Grad.
 Convocation
Programs
Activities
 Freshman Seminar
 College Competitions
 Lego Problem Solving
 Workshops
 DifferenceMaker Mixers
 Alumni Mentors &
 Principles Course
Speakers
 Faculty Workshop
Learning with Purpose
Supporting
Business
Formation
 $50K Idea Challenge
 DM Central
 Innovation Hub
 Hawk Hatch
 EforAll
 VentureWell, MIT
Lemelson
Developing Entrepreneurial Mindset
Learning with Purpose
James Madison University
Medical Innovation Course
Drs. Erica Lewis, Jacquelyn Nagel, Patrice Ludwig
Blends Engineering, Biology & Nursing Students
2 cohorts, 24 each
Address syndrome linked
to heart disease & diabetes
Use Classroom and MakerSpace
ELO’s
• Collaboration, Communication
• Problem Solving
• Critical Thinking & Analysis
Learning with Purpose
Portland State University
Invention Bootcamp
Dr. Nathalie Neve & Lemelson Foundation
4-week Intensive Bootcamp
for 24 High School Students
w/undergrad mentors
Themed Camps address
Social-Environmental Issues
Engineering & Technology,
Innovation, Entrepreneurship
Engage Under-represented students in STEM
Learning with Purpose
Texas A&M
Engineering Pop-up Classes
Prof. Magdalini Lagoudas, James Wilson
Fabrication, Prototyping,
Electronics/Programming, Communications
Non-credit, 2-hour Mini-courses
Supplement course knowledge,
Teach equipment & Processes
2000 students in 94 pop-ups this semester!
Levels of Competence
Expert, Volunteer, Inventeer
Coming recognition on transcript
Learning with Purpose
Summary Thoughts
• Higher Ed experimenting with models for
teaching entrepreneurial thinking
• Some of this “teaching” must take place outside
the “traditional” classroom
• Still some challenges to widespread adoption and
scalability
– Staffing, Program Resources, Disciplinary “Walls”,
Curricular “Space”
• How do we know which models work best?
Learning with Purpose
Thank You!
• [email protected]
@Prof_Stello
Senior Assoc. Vice Chancellor
Entrepreneurship & Economic Development
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Learning with Purpose
Links
Texas A&M Pop-up Classes
https://engineering.tamu.edu/easa/areas/enric
hment/eic/programs/pop-up-classes
UMass Lowell DifferenceMaker®
http://www.uml.edu/differencemaker
James Madison University Medical Innovations
http://4-va.org/interprofessional-innovationsclass/
Portland State University Invention Bootcamp
http://www.pdx.edu/cecs/younginventors
Learning with Purpose
APLU – October 2016
Purdue’s Startup Ecosystem
“We’re going to build upon the positive energy from
Purdue innovators and we’re going to make an
impact on society. I can see us dramatically
increasing the number of patents filed,
commercialization deals accomplished and startups
formed in the coming year.”
Dan Hasler, President, Purdue Research Foundation, 2013
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Role of Education within the
Ecosystem
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Why is this distinction pertinent?
Metrics drive behavior
• Number of businesses created versus “student success”
Potential conflicts of interest
• For-profit activity, faculty/student relationships
Teaching vs. advising vs. mentoring
• Responsibilities, credentials, and experience associated
with each
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
“BIG”
Questions in
Entrepreneurship
Education
What are we teaching?
Creativity
Knowledge of IP
Product Development
Mindset
Networking
Customer Development
Leadership
Business Literacy
What are the priorities? For what students?
How do we teach it?
Theoretical
Essay - self-selected
Critical/Analytical
Exam
Group “how-to” presentations
Essay – set question
Case studies
Project/Report - joint
Live case studies
Competitive games
Written Test
Presentation
Project/report individual
Market research studies
Set up organization
Operations studies
Set up virtual
organization
Peer assessment
Simulation
Interview
Start-up competition
Set up a new venture
Role Play
Shadowing
Experiential
Adapted from: Pittaway, L., P. Hannon, A. Gibb, and J. Thompson (2009). “Assessment Practice in Enterprise Education,” International
38
Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research 15(1), 71–93.
How do we create environments
that foster it?
Classes
Hackathons
Community events
IP Policy
Competitions
Spaces
How do we make them inclusive?
How do we work with what already
exists in the community?
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
How do we measure outcomes?
LEARNING
-
Student awareness
Student interest
Knowledge acquisition
Skills acquisition
Entrepreneurial mindset
CAREERS
-
Motivation for an entrepreneurial career
Entrepreneurial intention
Empathy with the entrepreneurial life
Personal and career satisfaction
Net worth
PARTICIPATION
-
Demand for entrepreneurship courses
Number of courses offered
Student enrollment
Participation in events and activities
Publications by faculty
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
-
Venture creation by students and alums
Economic development
Resulting innovations
Firm performance
Networking with key stakeholders
Source: Duval‐Couetil, Nathalie. "Assessing the impact of entrepreneurship education programs: Challenges and approaches." Journal of
Small Business Management 51.3 (2013): 394-409.
What Purdue does…
Certificate in Entrepreneurship
and Innovation
• Similar to a minor available to all majors
Focus: Undergraduates
• Over 1200 students enroll in introductory
courses each year
• Among the largest multidisciplinary
programs in the country
• Administered through Provost’s Office
• Housed in Entrepreneurship Center
Education
Inspiration
Application
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Portfolio of initiatives and activities
• Courses & Experiential Learning
• Entrepreneurship Fundamentals
• Small Business Consulting
• Venture Development
• Entrepreneurial career
• Freshman Learning Community
• Internships
• Study Abroad
• Ambassadors & Fellows
• Mentoring and advising
• Events
• Competitions
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Graduate Students and Faculty
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
What We Know…
Reasons for studying it (percent)
HAVE A GENERAL INTEREST IN THE TOPIC
95
BROADEN MY CAREER PROSPECTS AND CHOICES
92
SEE IF I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
86
74
WANT TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR
69
EARN AN ADDITIONAL CREDENTIAL
60
INTERESTED IN TAKING BUSINESS CLASSES
HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS OR PRODUCT
51
DATA COLLECTED FROM 2600+ STUDENTS AT THE START OF AN INTRODUCTORY ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASS
Duval-Couetil, Nathalie, Chad M. Gotch, and Soohyun Yi. "The characteristics and motivations of contemporary entrepreneurship
students." Journal of Education for Business 89.8 (2014): 441-449.
Number of courses for impact
Comparisons by number of entrepreneurship courses taken: Students’ self-ratings on venturing and technology self-efficacy scale (Lucas et al., 2009).
* Indicates student self-efficacy is significantly higher compared with those who took no entrepreneurship courses (p<0.05). † Indicates student selfefficacy is significantly higher compared with those who took one entrepreneurship course (p<0.05).
Duval-Couetil, N., Shartrand, A. & Reed-Rhoads, T. (2016, February). The role of entrepreneurship program models and
experiential activities on engineering student outcomes. Advances in Engineering Education.
Impact on Perceived Knowledge
Leadership
Managing teams
4.1
3.2
Project Management
4.0
3.2
Business ethics
4.1
3.2
Advertising and promotion
3.9
3.1
Sales and selling
3.8
3.1
Product Development
3.7
2.9
Role of entrepreneurship in economy
3.9
2.8
Finance and accounting
3.2
2.8
Intellectual property
3.4
2.8
Raising capital or funding
3.5
2.7
Writing business plans
Entry
3.8
2.9
Market research and analysis
Exit
3.8
3.0
Risk management
2
Below
Average
4.3
3.6
Characteristics of entrepreneurship
Legal structures for ventures
4.3
3.7
4.0
2.7
3.3
2.5
3
Average
4
Above
Average
Source: ENTR Exit Survey
Entrepreneurship Courses
improved my…
Agree or Strongly Agree
Analytical Skills
82%
Communication Skills
92%
Presentation Skills
92%
Ability to evaluate ideas
96%
Confidence that I can be an entrepreneur
91%
Source: ENTR Exit Survey
Among graduates…
• 78% are likely to be involved in a
startup in the future
• 96% believe the skills and
knowledge gained will be useful
in their future careers
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Value to Working Alums - intrapreneurship
Study of young engineering graduates
Main themes identified:
1. Seeing the “Big Picture”
2. Communication Skills
3. Business Literacy
4. Working with Others
5. Help with Obtaining a Job
6. Entrepreneurial Mindset
“It was the first introduction I had to anything
business related, and so, whether that’s how to value
your own services, how to talk to clients, how to go
out and ask the right questions when you're trying to
get feedback… that I do on a day-to-day basis still.”
“It’s just a way to get organized … going through that
business development plan and say, OK, what’s your
value proposition? What’s your target market? What’s
your budget? How do you expect to get funding? And
really being able to answer these in a concise,
organized sort of way.”
“The things that a typical engineering student does
while they’re in college are very one-dimensional …
there isn’t a lot of … practical application ... I kind of
wish there was more of that. [Entrepreneurship] helps
me sort of look at things from more than just an
engineering standpoint. It helps me realize there’s
more to a business than product constraints.”
Duval-Couetil*, N. & Wheadon, J.† (2013, October). The value of entrepreneurship to recent engineering graduates: A qualitative
perspective. Paper presented at ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.
A Few Thoughts…
Entrepreneurship = the new rock band?
1970s
Different student
archetypes
Be-er
Today
Blurry line between
academic and nonacademic activities
Do-er
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Are the near-term expectations for
entrepreneurship education too high?
Art class
Civil engineering class
Music lesson
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
Are we inclusive enough in our
discourse and programming?
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
In Summary
• Entrepreneurship education is an efficient way for
students to learn how to generate economic and social
value from their knowledge
• Associated knowledge, skills, and mindset are desired by
employers and needed in contemporary society
• Offers opportunity for engagement with valuable
stakeholders and resources
Inspiration
Education
Application
Raises
awareness
“De-risks”
Saves time and
money
Duval-Couetil, November 2016
QUESTIONS?
Thank you!
Nathalie Duval-Couetil, MBA, PhD
Director, Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Associate Director, Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship
Associate Professor, Technology Leadership and Innovation
[email protected]