Student Innovators and Entrepreneurs

The Harold Alfond® Institute for Business Innovation was created to embolden students on their path to becoming world-class innovators and entrepreneurs. The Institute provides the instruction, resources, and guidance that is needed to take your great idea all the way to an operating business or social venture. You will be introduced to design thinking and lean startup methods by and skilled faculty and advisors that will teach you how to create, validate and monetize any idea, skill or college degree.

Resources and Programs

These are just some of the tools that will help you forge your dreams and ideas into reality.

1-Week Intensive Entrepreneurial Course

As a Thomas College student, you will have the opportunity to participate in a one-week intensive course in the spring on entrepreneurship. Also taught during the regular academic year in a 15-week format, this course will introduce you to the many aspects of how to create a business as well as how to utilize the ‘Lean Startup’ method of business creation.

Entrepreneurial Club

The Entrepreneurial Club allows for students to get involved in experiential learning by taking entrepreneurial theory and putting it into practice. Utilizing gaming platforms, guest speakers, and business competitions and challenges, students get to experiment with the different aspects available in creating businesses.

Entrepreneur Speaker Series

Held six times a year, entrepreneurs with regional and national significance join the Thomas College campus and the Greater Waterville business community to expound upon how they built their successful businesses in Maine.

Intensive Workshops & Seminars

Part of the Institute’s interest in exposing students and the business community to new strategies, approaches, and philosophies as they relate to innovation and entrepreneurship. The Institute will deliver the most leading-edge topics in easy to participate in workshop and seminar formats.

Mentorship

The Institute’s full-time Executive Director will work with student entrepreneurs as they develop and test their entrepreneurial ventures. In addition, students will have access to a group of veteran entrepreneurs called the Institute Fellows who will act as mentors to student entrepreneurs.

Signature Internship Program

Put your education to work for you as you assist local and regional businesses to work on stimulating projects. Get an earlier start on your career, as well as consciously developing yourself professionally, while at the same time exploring which career path you ultimately want to go down.

Converge and Create Weekend

Partnering with established entrepreneurs and state agencies, Thomas will host a weekend intensive event focused on innovative and entrepreneurial discussions and activities. Bringing new and seasoned entrepreneurs together to share their stories and their expertise and explore the many aspects and paths to create for-profit and non-profit ventures.