UNH Entrepreneurship Center Newsletter

The ECenter is the co-curricular heart of ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship at UNH. Our goal is to create the next generation of leaders with an entrepreneurial mind-set who can see opportunities and identify creative solutions others have missed, one idea at a time. Although part of UNH, we are independent of any one college.

July 2020 Newsletter

The Latest Happenings from the ECenter

Welcome

Innovators innovate.

Problem solvers solve. Turbulent times require both.

Never has the mission and the relevancy of the ECenter been more apparent. I am proud of the ECenter team members, Heather MacNeill and Allison Bell, who have stepped up over the past few months to ensure that the high impact experiential programs we offer students have continued this summer, specifically our Summer Seed Grant and Paid Student Internship at Start-ups Program. The unique value of our internships at start-ups is that students learn by being and living in the trenches, wearing multiple hats and seeing founders do the same. The Summer Seed Grant gives student the opportunity to work on their start-up ideas and be paid to do it. Both programs are off and running!

With the events of the past few months surrounding racial inequality and injustice, it was personally important to me that the ECenter as an organization, me as its leader, and our entire team pause to assess whether we are doing our part to support diversity and be a welcoming environment for under-represented students from a variety of backgrounds. After all, our stated mission from the very beginning has been to support the ideas of "ALL students from all colleges and majors." So, we put into practice what we preach to students and performed “customer discovery” with students and alumni of color to not only get direct feedback on our past, but to help us think about how to improve going forward.

While these conversations confirmed what we hoped was the case – that the ECenter is a welcoming place where young entrepreneurs of color feel unconditionally supported – it also highlighted that we could do more to encourage greater engagement and participation from those under-represented populations who may not have the same level of initial ease upon finding us at Madbury Commons, particularly during their first year on campus. Many of the students and alumni we spoke with offered to be part of the solution going forward. Thank you to Geno Miller ‘18, Joel Nkounkou ’18, Nelson Thomas ‘20, Samara Walker ‘14, and so many others. Ideas were generated from these conversations to open the door wider and to develop specific programs that meet the needs of a diverse student population. We are close to finalizing some of these to launch in the fall 2020 semester. We look forward to seeing the impact they have and make any necessary modifications from what we learn for future semesters.

Innovation knows no color, no gender, no culture, no geography, and no childhood background. Ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship should succeed on the merits of the problems they solve, the customers’ wants, and price the customers are willing to pay for the goods/service. The ECenter continues to do all that it can to ensure that.

Stay curious,

Ian Grant

Executive Director, ECenter

e.center@unh.edu

Support Student Ideas

ECenter Alum Launches Companies to Connect Technology Companies with People of Color

Geno Miller, UNH class of 2018 (and ECenter Alumni), founded his start-up company Shtudy in 2017 while he was still a student and he worked with the ECenter during those early days of his development process. His mission is to “create wealth in tech communities of color” by connecting technology companies with candidates of color. His new initiative, The First 33, provides companies with a means of meeting their hiring goals while increasing diversity in the tech sector. Read on for more about the work Shtudy is doing and how companies can engage with The First 33!

Can you give us some background on Shtudy and the work you’re doing?

Founded in 2017, our mission here at Shtudy is to create wealth in tech communities of color. Shtudy is an early talent acquisition platform that connects young Black, Hispanic, and Native American software engineers with job opportunities at leading companies. It’s the only digital diversity hiring solution that allows recruiters to engage, book intro calls, interview, and hire pre-vetted technical job seekers of color all in one place. To date, we’ve raised over $150,000 in funding and generated more than 350 signups. Our partners (Camelback Ventures, JobTalk LLC, and more) are leaders in the diversity recruiting space. Shtudy’s product is ready to launch in 3 weeks.

What is The First 33 Initiative and how did it come into being?

The First 33 Initiative is an innovative way for companies who are committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in tech to consistently meet their hiring goals each quarter. Diversity recruiters and hiring managers are expected to hire a certain number of qualified Black, Hispanic, or Native American software engineering candidates each season. The First 33 Initiative is an easy solution for medium-sized companies to guarantee they hit their targets. The first 10 companies who join will receive exclusive access to our online talent database, and can hire up to a total of 33 of Shtudy’s verified young job seekers of color. Each candidate is required to pass a rigorous coding quiz and soft skills training course to prove and sharpen their abilities before they’re entered into the recruiting pool.

How many companies can join the First 33 Initiative?

We invite all companies who are serious about diversifying their workforce to join. However, the first 33 hires will only be distributed to the first 10 companies. That way, we ensure we’re only working with companies who have the courage to lead the charge for diversity in tech with us. Don’t miss out on this!

As an employer, how long will it take me to hire a candidate through Shtudy?

It depends on how fast you and the candidate decide to go through the recruiting process. Anywhere from 3-14 days is normal for companies to interview and hire a Shtudy candidate.

As an employer, can I hire Shtudy candidates before the product is released in 3 weeks?

Yes, of course! We have candidates who are looking for jobs right now. If you want to hire people today or any time before Shtudy’s platform launches, we can 100% do that for you.

How is The First 33 Initiative different from the Tech Inclusion pledge initiated in 2016 and how is it carrying that mission forward?

The difference is that we’re also supplying the candidates, so we know firsthand which companies are taking action versus those who are just talking a good game. Many pledges often fail because there is no effective way to hold companies accountable for the long-term. Our platform’s algorithm allows us to monitor which companies are interviewing and hiring the most candidates.

Can companies still hire from Shtudy’s talent database even if they don’t want to join the initiative?

Yes, companies can hire candidates without joining the initiative. The initiative is completely optional. However, we are very selective about who we work with to ensure we are providing our candidates with the best opportunities to thrive in their careers.

What are the benefits for companies joining the initiative?

There has never been a better time for Shtudy and our partners than right now. The first 33 hires will only be distributed to the first 10 companies who sign up. The recent attention of the Black Lives Matters movement has led to less diverse companies being exposed, while those who are building more diverse and inclusive work cultures are receiving positive PR and revenue benefits. In addition, COVID-19 has caused the demand for remote tech workers to skyrocket. It is important for companies to have a seamless end-to-end digital diversity hiring solution to create a competitive advantage. Don’t miss out on this!

Can you speak to some of the biases and challenges, either direct or indirect, that individuals of color face in the tech sector?

People of color face obstacles throughout all stages of the recruitment process, from preparation to post-hire. Unconscious bias and simply lacking knowledge of how to effectively showcase their abilities to recruiters are very common hurdles for techies of color. Because there are so few engineers of color, new employees rarely have an opportunity to ask another person of color about their experiences beforehand. Another big challenge for engineers of color is being heard and feeling welcome amongst coworkers. As a marginalized group within a large organization, it’s very easy for an employee to feel as though they’re being ignored or excluded.

In addition to the initiative, what steps can individual companies take to address biases and increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

Companies need to start by asking themselves, “How diverse is my executive team?” A diverse leadership team is critical to building a work culture in which every voice is welcome, heard, and respected. It is also sends a huge signal to the rest of your workforce as to which direction the company is headed. Having an executive team who share different cultures and religious backgrounds are just as important as ethnic diversity.

How much does it cost to join the initiative?

The first 10 companies who join can hire up to a total of 33 verified candidates and get unlimited access to our talent database for just $15k.

Is there a 30-day guarantee?

Even better. We give a 90-day trial period for all of our partners once they make their first hire. If it doesn’t work out after 90 days, you can hire an additional candidate for free. We’re just that confident in our job seekers.

How can companies join The First 33 Initiative?

Joining the First 33 is quick and easy - just send me a short email with the subject line “First 33” to geno@shtudy.co so we can schedule a chat so you can start hiring talent as soon as possible.

Summer Seed Grant Awarded to Five Students

The ECenter's oldest program, the Summer Seed Grant, saw a boost in funding this year, thanks to sponsor Pierce Atwood LLP. Instead of the previous $3,500 per person for the nine week program, each awardee receives $4,000.

The Summer Seed Grant is a unique program that pays students to work on their early-stage ideas/start-ups over the summer without having to find a summer job. The students typically work out of UNHInnovation's Cube ^x Coworking Space, but this summer, due to COVID-19, all students are working remote. They're also receiving weekly one-on-one mentorship from seasoned entrepreneur Mike McClurken and ECenter Executive Director Ian Grant. Many thanks to Mike for spending his summer on this with us!

Ten start-ups applied and went through a first round of judging.

After the finalists presented in front of the final round judges, we were thrilled to award $4,000 each to Nathaniel Hunt '22 (COLA), Brady Esmaili '23 (CEPS), Joey Neleber '22 (CEPS), and Nicolas Camara '21 (CEPS) for Spaitr and Alhussein Al-Jawad '22 (CEPS) for Valetan.

Spaitr is a two-fold venture consisting of a diagnostic tracker attachment to a lacrosse stick and an app to serve as a way for coaches to track the team's results, growth, and diagnostics.

Valetan is an online service that allows people to have their cars parked and delivered to them with worry-free convenience.

Congratulations, Nathaniel, Brady, Joey, Nick, and Al!

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Pierce Atwood!

Welcome Aboard, Travis!

We're excited to announce Travis Thompson '94 has joined UNH’s Advancement team as Director of Development! Thanks to the generosity of two UNH alums and ECenter Advisory Board members funding the position, Travis will be fully dedicated to fund raising for the ECenter. Travis brings a diverse set of professional experiences spanning a number of different industries. Multiple management and leadership roles in hotel and resort management, banking and finance, and most recently in global manufacturing, provide a strong background in sales and relationship building that will certainly be an asset as Travis seeks funding for the ECenter's variety of programs open to all UNH students.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Travis is the Joint School Board Chair for SAU 16 in Exeter, NH, the Vice-Chair for the Cooperative School Board and the President of the New Hampshire School Boards Association, having been an elected School Board member for 13 years. He and his wife Sharon and their two kids live in Stratham, NH. Their son graduated high school this past year and is excited to continue the family connection with UNH as an incoming freshman this fall.

Welcome, Travis!

If you'd like to connect with Travis, please email him at Travis.Thompson@unh.edu .

Nine Students Start Their

Paid Internships at Start-ups

While many internships for UNH students were cancelled due to COVID-19, the ECenter's Paid Student Internship at Start-ups Program is running this summer, nearly at capacity. Sponsored by the Patten Family Foundation and other generous UNH alumni, nine UNH Durham students are getting hands-on experience working at a start-up company. This was increased from six students last summer. We started this program because we recognize that not all students have the “a-ha” idea right away and/or they want to learn about and understand the inner workings of a start-up and help in the building process.

Typically, this program provides that experiential learning opportunity over a 10-week period and students receive a stipend of $4,000. This summer, a few of the students have abbreviated internships of seven weeks in order to provide the opportunity, but to make sure the office setting is safe and follows state regulations.

This is the fourth summer we have run the Paid Student Internship at Start-ups Program. We had over 25 companies and over 20 students apply this year.

The nine students matched for internships this summer are:

Rob Andreasse ‘22 of Newmarket, NH (Paul College) matched with NextStep in Dover, NH

Izaiah Barba ‘22 of Rye, NH (Paul College) matched with Brickleaf Properties in Manchester, NH

Carola Davis ‘23 of Durham, NH (Paul College) matched with Soteria Solutions in Durham, NH

Kelsie Dawe ‘22 of Nashua, NH (Paul College) matched with Kikori in Portsmouth, NH

Darren Gibadlo ‘21 of Hampton, NH (Paul College) matched with NOCA Beverages in Boston, MA

Aidan Kittredge ‘21 of Hampton, NH (Paul College) matched with Aisling Organics Cosmetics in Salem, NH

Marisa Labadini ‘21 of Merrimac, MA (Paul College) matched with Unruly Studios in Boston, MA

Anna Pollak ‘23 of Meredith, NH (Paul College) matched with Soake Pools in Pembroke, NH (Anna is also pictured above next to a newly installed pool!)

Hailley Simpson ‘22 of Belmont, NH (Paul College) matched with Craic Sauce in Lowell, MA

Email Senior Program Manager Heather MacNeill at Heather.MacNeill@unh.edu if you're a student or start-up interested in learning more about the program. We can also add you to a notification list to be alerted to the applications on our website when they are available for downloading.

Kikori Announces Kickstarter

You've probably heard us talking about Kikori and co-founder Kendra Bostick (current UNH Ph.D. student) at least once or twice before. Under the coaching of Ian Grant, Kikori took first place in the fall 2019 Social Venture Innovation Challenge, hosted by UNH's Center for Social Innovation and Enterprise and won the Holloway Prize this past spring 2020, hosted by UNH’s Paul College. Kikori is an app developed for educators, aligning experiential education activities with social emotional learning standards, 21st century skills, and teaching standards. Exciting things are happening at Kikori. They officially launched a Kickstarter starting July 7th !

During the Kikori Kickstarter , they are offering 1000 exclusive Lifetime Memberships (the last time they will EVER be offered) and access to the Kikori Community with lots of amazing activities and connections to add to your repertoire! Funds from the Kickstarter will go directly to funding the launch of Kikori in the fall.

“We know how much experiential education can make a difference,” says Kendra Bostick, Co-founder and CEO of Kikori. “This Kickstarter campaign, to raise $50,000, will help us build the next version of the app, filled with new features and developments from feedback we have received through our beta. This will take Kikori to the next level to help more people on an even larger scale.”

To learn more about Kickstarter and supporting Kikori’s $50,000 campaign, please visit their Kickstarter page .

UNH, the ECenter, and/or any of its employees do not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by Kikori or any third party and takes no responsibility therefor. All such information is provided solely for convenience and informational purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Any person who chooses to fund via Kickstarter should do so based solely upon their own evaluation.