Message From Our EEC Board President

Dear Friends of EEC, As we close out 2022, it seems the perfect time to reflect on EEC’s path to the future. Our Board and Staff teams have spent the year assiduously building organizational capacity, launching new programs, and raising EEC’s profile.
And here we are on the eve of 2023 excited to tackle our second year of transformation into Northeast Ohio’s collegiate entrepreneurship hub. What lies ahead? 

EEC will be hosting the annual ideaLabs competition on April 13 at Bounce Innovation Hub, with new twists and learning opportunities. IdeaLabs 2023 will recognize outstanding student businesses in a variety of industries and different stages of growth. This evolution is a demonstration of the energy and teamwork that is driving EEC forward. We thank Hiram College for serving as our presenting school and champion of this event.

Tech Side Hustle and the Tech Internships Program will be growing and evolving; our Member Benefits team is developing new educational programs for entrepreneurship directors and faculty; and EEC will build awareness of the criticality of entrepreneurial skill building for all higher education students in preparing for an inconstant future. EEC will also help students pair their entrepreneurial experiences with opportunities to earn applicable tech-credentials.

We see a future in which our NEO colleges and universities are sharing entrepreneurship resources, learning together, and inspiring students to turn their audacious dreams into reality. We envision students better prepared to think like entrepreneurs and the business community able to tap into this pool of talented students to meet their goals. We foresee Northeast Ohio becoming one of the top regions in the nation for students to practice their entrepreneurial skills in a supportive community that values and deploys their talents in startups and growing businesses. 

We look forward to 2023 and sharing this journey with all of you! 

Colette T. Hart, EEC Board President