MBA alum and former Dingman Scholar Matt Fleischer put passion into promise to create a successful beer company Zoey Rawlins, founder of Shop DC and former Dingman Scholar, launched her business by following trends in the marketplace Run by students, The Smith Store offers promotional branded apparel, accessories and gifts The Dingman Center supports entrepreneurs throughout the Washington D.C. Metro Area and beyond The Dingman Center is located at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland

Full Press Releases

Dingman Center News - Press Releases

 

University of Maryland Alumnus’ Shopping and Fashion Guide Acquired by Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive
Founder will use proceeds to support student businesses after getting publication's start at the University of Maryland’s business school

College Park, MD – March 13, 2007 –SHOP DC, a Washington, D.C. shopping and fashion guide founded by Zoey Rawlins, was recently acquired by Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (WPNI) and has been relaunched as DC Scout. A former University of Maryland MBA student, Rawlins announced she will use some of the proceeds to benefit student entrepreneurs at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Rawlins created SHOP DC two years ago while working toward her MBA at the Smith School and with $7,000 in startup funding from the school’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. The Dingman Center assisted SHOP DC as part of $50,000 in seed stage funding the center annually makes available to student-run, start-up companies.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to become part of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive and it gives me great satisfaction to be able to leverage my success to the advantage of other Smith School entrepreneurs. Without the Dingman Center, SHOP DC would never have launched or come this far,” said Rawlins. “This is a way to say thank you.”

DC Scout caters to online residential shoppers eager to pinpoint local retailers, fashion trends, events and the best neighborhoods for shopping. Rawlins launched DC Scout on washingtonpost.com February 26, and has joined WPNI as its brand manager for the online product.

“We’re thrilled to offer our users the ability to find compelling fashion-oriented content on washingtonpost.com. We believe that DC Scout will provide an important service to our stylish readers and savvy local advertisers,” said Henry Tam Jr., director, Local Product Development, WPNI.

“Washington DC was really lacking a local shopping and retail source. In less than two years, Zoey came up with a concept, turned out a successful product and is now part of one of the world’s top media companies,” said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. “What an inspiration! Zoey sets a great example for the Smith School’s student entrepreneurs and cares enough to generously share in her success.”

Financials of the deal were not disclosed.

Sign up for the DC Scout e-mail newsletter at www.washingtonpost.com.

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research for the digital economy. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, Executive MBA, PhD, and Executive Education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in four continents including North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. More information about the Robert H. Smith School of Business can be found at www.rhsmith.umd.edu.

About Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive
Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (WPNI) is the online publishing subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO). Its mission is to create truly interactive platforms that offer unmatched user experiences by developing editorial products with world-class reporting and award-winning content.

WPNI’s news and information sites, which include washingtonpost.com, Slate, Newsweek.com and Budget Travel Online, inform and encourage conversation and debate while reaching millions of unique and active users each month. WPNI properties’ long lists of awards include the first-ever Emmy for original video journalism online awarded to washingtonpost.com.

The company is headquartered in Arlington, Va.

 

Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship Portfolio Company Joins Silver Spring Incubator

College Park, Md. – March 9, 2007 – Destination Information Systems software maker Geocentric — a Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship portfolio company — recently accepted a spot in the Silver Spring Innovation Center, a Montgomery County, Md. incubator for early-stage and startup information technology companies. The Dingman Center, part of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, helps students and entrepreneurs throughout the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region start and grow their businesses, investing in some as portfolio companies.

“The Dingman Center’s support and advice have been extremely helpful,” said Geocentric President and Founder Jim Blakeslee, who graduated with an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business in 2006. He launched the company in 2005.

Geocentric’s software enables Destination Marketing Organizations, such as tourism destinations and business improvement districts, to self-manage and self-publish high-quality interactive maps and location-driven content within public websites, mobile web applications, and kiosks. The company’s award-winning technology is showcased on interactive guides to regional dining and shopping for clients such as the Georgetown (DC) Business Improvement District, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (NC), and the Silver Spring (MD) Arts & Entertainment District, as well as clients in Philadelphia, Boulder, Co., Greensboro, N.C.

“We are delighted to welcome GeoCentric into the Silver Spring Innovation Center and look forward to supporting the company’s continued success,” said John Korpela, manager, Montgomery County Incubator Network.

“Jim’s business combines a great tool with solid technology that’s really easy to use,” Epstein said. “Geocentric is perfect fit for the Silver Spring Innovation Center. It’s a Dingman Center goal to see companies move up into incubators in the region. Not only is it great for Geocentric, but it’s a real boon to our program.”

The Dingman Center has offered mentorship, programs and access to funding for entrepreneurs in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. for more than 20 years. Dingman portfolio companies have a close partnership and lasting relationship with the center. They are selected on the basis of their long-term viability and the management team’s objectives.

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research for the digital economy. The Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, Executive MBA, Executive MS, PhD, and non-degree executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its programs in learning locations on four continents including North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. More information about the Robert H. Smith School of Business can be found at www.rhsmith.umd.edu.

Georgetown Launches Updated Website Based on Geocentric's Citylight Software

Bethesda, MD, December 14, 2006 -- Geocentric announced today that the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) has relaunched their website, www.georgetowndc.com, using Geocentric's Citylight Web Software for Downtown District Marketing.

"We are very proud of the new website and its potential to increase web traffic," said Juanita M. Crabb, Executive Director of the Georgetown BID, "we believe more traffic to the website will translate into more visitors for Georgetown."

Click here for the official press release.

 

Entrepreneur/Marketing Exec Joins University of Maryland Entrepreneurship Center
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship adds Neil Selvin as Entrepreneur-in-Residence

College Park, Md. – September 28, 2006 - The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced Neil Selvin joined the school’s nationally recognized Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship as an entrepreneur-in-residence. Selvin has more than 25 years of experience branding and marketing a range of technology products and now operates an independent consulting practice, Strategic Marketing. He will leverage his substantial insight and experience to assist student and local entrepreneurs in their preparation to obtain funding through the Dingman Center’s Capital Access Network.

“Neil brings a great deal of knowledge to the Dingman Center as a successful entrepreneur and strategic marketing consultant,” said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. “His history of success offers a huge asset to the students and regional entrepreneurs seeking to promote and build their businesses.”

“Neil Selvin is a true leader of the digital economy and an invaluable resource for Smith students and regional entrepreneurs taking part in Dingman Center programs,” said Howard Frank, dean of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Previously, Selvin was the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Approva, a software compliance company. He also ran a number of companies, including OneWorld Systems and Pivia. Prior to this he served as chief executive of Global Village Communication, a Macintosh modem and communications software company. Selvin’s accomplishments include growing Global Village from a $20 million company to $140 million in three years, and taking the company public in 1994. In the early 1990s, Selvin worked at Apple, where he was the director of marketing for portable computers and drove the launch of the original PowerBooks. By creating unique positioning for the PowerBook, he was able to permanently change the laptop playing field, resulting in first-year revenues of $1 billion and the most successful new brand at Apple in seven years. Selvin has also served on a number of boards of directors.

About the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research for the digital economy. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, Executive MBA, MS PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations on three continents — North America, Europe and Asia.

Geocentric Creates New Downtown Raleigh Site

BETHESDA, MD -- July 31, 2006 -- Geocentric announced today that the Downtown Raleigh Alliance has launched a new website, www.godowntownraleigh.com, driven by Geocentric's Citylight Web Software for Destination Marketing.

The new website contains an extensive events calendar and merchant directory, plus an interactive map of the five neighborhoods that make up the downtown district: Glenwood South, Capital District, Warehouse District, Fayetteville Street District and Moore Square. today

Click here for the official press release.

Goozex, Inc. Launches its Premier Video Game Trading Platform

COLLEGE PARK, MD – July 10, 2006 – Goozex, Inc. today launched its premier video game trading platform, after nearly a year of development.  The company promises to offer users a new way to maximize their used game inventory to purchase other games for only $1 per transaction.  Customers who establish an account can place into an automated queue system their used games that will be given a fair market point value.  The user accumulates points for every trade they send out, and in turn, they can use those points to acquire other games from other users for only $1 per transaction. 

 

The Goozex system automatically connects customers across the nation on a peer-to-multi-peer system and removes the hassles of auctioning and negotiating prices.  As the system and user base grows, so will the library of games available to trade.  “We expect the system to become a self-sufficient trading platform that is safe, fun and fair for all users,” said Valerio Zanini, CEO and Co-Founder of Goozex, Inc.  “We want gamers to come to Goozex when they have beaten their games and are looking for different ones to play without having to pay the high price at your usual retail stores like Gamestop.  It's going to be hard to beat our one dollar trade,” Mr. Zanini further explained.  

 

Goozex has a very close Robert H. Smith School of Business relationship because the company currently operates from the Dingman Center, an incubator for entrepreneurial enterprises.  Valerio Zanini is a May 2006 Smith MBA graduate and former Dingman Scholar.  As a student, Valerio founded the EU Club, and co-founded the International Club to help bring the Smith community together with new and creative cultural programs.  Jon Dugan, co-founder and economics senior at the University of Maryland, developed the idea and pitched it to the Dingman Center in Fall 2005.  Since then, Jon has committed to his role as COO to help drive the company towards being the leader in online trading systems for used video games.  As a freshman Jon was a leader on the University of Maryland's swim team and competed amongst the world's elite athletes across the globe.

 

About Goozex, Inc.

 

Goozex, Inc. is a peer-to-multi-peer trading company headquartered in College Park, Maryland.  Currently, it is the only company in the world that offers an automated point system to provide a fair market value for used video games that can be used for purchasing other video games.  Incorporated in March 2006, Goozex, Inc. is building a nationwide user base targeted towards video game players.  Please visit our website at www.goozex.com

 

Contact:

Mark Nebesky

Tel. 240-988-5324

mnebesky@goozex.com

D.C.-Based Quantum Leaps, Inc., a Global Accelerator for Women's Entrepreneurship, Hosts U.K. Delegation's Visit to Washington; Theme of Visit is ''Business Growth and How to Make It Happen''

Washington -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- July 5, 2006 -- A delegation of individuals and organizations from the United Kingdom who support women entrepreneurs will visit Washington July 10-12 to learn more about the resources that women entrepreneurs in the United States rely on to start and build their businesses.

The visit has been organized by Prowess, the U.K. gateway to women-friendly business support. The theme of the visit is "business growth and how to make it happen". The U.K. delegates will meet leading U.S. thinkers, policy makers, investors, support organizations and entrepreneurs to learn how to spur the growth of women-owned businesses in the U.K.

The visit is being hosted by Quantum Leaps, a Washington-based non-profit organization that promotes women in business globally. Quantum Leaps helps women in businesses make economic strides by connecting key stakeholders, distributing timely information and best practices within and across countries, and linking effective programs with resources.

The delegation includes representatives from U.K. regional economic development agencies, policy makers, providers of business support and finance, researchers and academics, and non-profit sector professionals.

During their stay in Washington, the delegates will network with local leaders from organizations such as the Association of Women's Business Centers; the Center for Women's Business Research; the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland; the Direct Selling Education Foundation; Grow Fast Grow Right; the International Finance Corporation; the National Association of Women Business Owners; National Women's Business Council; Teqcorner; the U.S. Small Business Administration; Vistage; Women Impacting Public Policy; Women in Bio; the Women Presidents' Organization, Womenable; the Women's Business Center of Northern Virginia; and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.

Philadelphia's Center City District Selects Citylight Software for Destination Marketing

Bethesda, MD -- June 27, 2006 -- Geocentric announced today that the Center City District in Philadelphia, PA has selected Geocentric's Citylight hosted software service for location driven destination marketing.

"We are extremely excited to work with Geocentric to improve the capabilities of our website and to better serve our web visitors with new interactive features," said Michelle Shannon, VP of Marketing for Center City District.

Citylight allows destination districts to organize and dynamically publish location based content in a way that appeals to both web visitors and search engines. Center City will use the software to provide rich, interactive web content including detailed interactive city maps, merchant directories, and other location driven features.

The Center City District (CCD) encompasses 120 blocks and more than 2,100 properties, and includes notable landmarks such as the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia City Hall, and Rittenhouse Square. The district is a business improvement, or special services district, supported by mandatory assessments on real property and governed by a private-sector board.

University of Maryland Business School Appoints Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship Associate Director

College Park, Md. -- April 28, 2006 -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland today announced that Melissa K. Carrier has been named to the newly created position of associate director at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. She will help manage the top-ranked national entrepreneurship center¹s programs, continue to develop the center¹s network of investors, and assist regional and student entrepreneurs. The position was created as part of the Dingman Center's continued efforts to support Washington and mid-Atlantic entrepreneurs and investors.

"Melissa will help us expand the center¹s role and influence by allowing us to significantly increase the quality and breadth of our programs and activities," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. "She will allow us to expand our focus to include a greater proportion of established firms in addition to emerging startups and student-run businesses. Her impressive business experience and contacts will also be of benefit and we¹re excited to have her on board."

In her new position, Carrier will be responsible for coordinating and managing Dingman Center programs such as the Capital Access Network, an angel investment network linking entrepreneurs with potential investors; and the Mentor program, which provides business consulting services for companies to develop marketing and strategic initiatives. Carrier¹s management role also will support efforts to expand the center¹s international presence and initiatives such as the China Business Plan Competition, an annual competition designed to support the growth of entrepreneurship and world-class business ideas in China.

In her previous position with AT&T, Carrier served as financial director of corporate development, mergers and acquisitions. Prior to her three years with the telecommunications giant, she served on the business strategy group at AOL Time Warner Inc. and was a business development manager at SAP America Inc. She also has worked as a business consultant at US Interactive Inc., Cambridge Technology Partners and Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). Carrier is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania¹s Wharton School, having earned an MBA in strategic management and finance with honors in 2003. She earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Ohio State University, graduating magna cum laude in 1995.

S. Tien Wong named entrepreneur-in-residence at Robert H. Smith School of Business
 Prominent Private Investor Will Help University of Maryland Business School Students and Local Entrepreneurs Develop Their Business Ideas

College Park, Md. -- February 7, 2006 -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland today announced that S. Tien Wong, chief executive officer of Opus8, Inc., a Md.-based private investment firm, will join the school's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur-in-residence, Wong will leverage his substantial experience in identifying and developing new business ventures to assist student and local entrepreneurs at the leading entrepreneurial center in creating and managing their businesses.

"Tien brings a great deal of experience to the Dingman Center as a successful serial entrepreneur and private equity investor," said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "His many years of experience in successfully starting, growing and selling multiple businesses – as well as his valuable perspective as a prominent regional investor – will be a huge asset to the students and regional entrepreneurs served by the Dingman Center."

"Tien has been enormously supportive of the Dingman Center and the Smith School for quite some time," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. "We were privileged to have his support as a judge and keynote speaker during last year's China Business Plan Competition in Beijing. Tien coming on board with an even greater commitment of his time and talent offers the Dingman Center a tremendous advantage."

In 1991, Wong co-founded and served as CEO of CyberRep Inc., until its acquisition in 2003 by Affiliated Computer Services (NYSE: ACS). At the time of its acquisition, CyberRep was the third-largest privately held Customer Relationship Management (CRM) company in North America. Prior to co-founding CyberRep, Wong worked for 10 years in commercial real estate finance and investments.

Wong serves on the boards of directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Potomac Officers Club and HarVest Bank of Maryland. He is former treasurer and a national board member of the American Teleservices Association. Wong is chairman of the Executive Leadership Committee for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship's Greater Washington region as well as CEO of The Tien and Beverly Wong Foundation, which supports youth, education, and social services charities. He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth, the Direct Marketing Association, and the Technology Council of Maryland. He is co-chairman of the DC Tech Council's 2006 Early Stage Capital Forum. Wong is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he majored in government.

University of Maryland's Business School Expands Capital Access Network
 Deloitte & Touche, Silicon Valley Bank and Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Join School-sponsored Network Assisting Regional Start-ups
College Park, Md. -- October 5, 2005 -- The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced that the school's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship has expanded its Capital Access Network (CAN), a program that facilitates funding relationships between angel investors and regional start-ups. The Dingman Center has formed a number of key partnerships and has planned new activities which will provide entrepreneurs with greater resources and opportunities to secure funding. New developments include:

  • Deloitte & Touche and Silicon Valley Bank have joined CAN as sponsors to provide participating entrepreneurs access to seed- and early stage capital
     
  • Beginning this year, Charles O. Heller senior managing director of Beacon Global Private Equity and past director of the Dingman Center, will work with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) to further evaluate companies and provide assistance
     
  • Monthly CAN breakfasts will connect potential mentors and investors with entrepreneurs
"The commitment from the regional investment and venture capital community in targeting the network for involvement has been great," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. "Feedback and interest from the entrepreneur community has been strong as well. We're looking forward to a productive and active year."

"Maryland DBED's experience and resources in assisting small businesses will bring a tremendous added value to participating entrepreneurs," said Heller. "Adding Maryland DBED to the mix really enriches the network."

As an example of a recent success story, the network recently assisted a local start up, eXpert Technology Solutions (XTS), which provides turnkey business intelligence reporting to track access to corporate computer systems, in securing $50,000 in matching funds from Maryland DBED in June 2005. After securing the DBED funding the company also obtained another $200,000 from an early-stage investor.

"We came to the Dingman Center and got great feedback and help refining our business plan," said Eric Spiegel, XTS CEO. "After the Dingman Center introduced us to DBED things really started rolling. I'd encourage any local entrepreneur to take advantage of the resources offered by CAN as a key first step in turning a business idea into a reality."

Smith School's "Pitch Dingman" Kicks Off First Monthly Competition
Undergraduate finance major, Frank Wilson, wins $500 for five-minute business pitch
College Park, Md. -- September 28, 2005 -- The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business held its first monthly "Pitch Dingman" competition on Friday, Sept. 23, 2005. Pitch Dingman is a monthly contest open to all members of the University of Maryland community – including students, faculty and staff – that is designed to promote entrepreneurship and the launch of new businesses. The format allows for a five-minute presentation of a business idea followed by three minutes of questions and feedback. The contest judges include a combination of Dingman MBA student scholars and entrepreneurs-in-residence.

Frank Wilson, a Smith School undergraduate finance major, received the first place prize of $500. Wilson's recipe for success included presenting a service-based idea designed for University of Maryland students. According to Wilson, by identifying an unmet need in a small but concentrated market, he can potentially carve a niche generating revenues of approximately $100,000 in the first year of operations.

"I am really looking forward to continued development of my business plan with the help of the Dingman Center. The $500 will go to great use in the start-up of my company, which hopefully will be a success," said Wilson.

"Smith is one of only a handful of U.S. business schools to offer an entrepreneurship center of this quality. Every University of Maryland student thinking of starting a business should leverage the knowledge, experience and accessibility of Dingman's scholars and entrepreneurs-in-residence," said Derek Vlcko, Pitch Dingman coordinator and Smith School MBA student. "In the business world this type of service can sell for hundreds of dollars per hour, here at the Dingman Center it is free."

"Pitch Dingman is a great example of how the Dingman Center promotes entrepreneurship on campus – providing budding entrepreneurs with the potential for cash prizes, as well as timely feedback and guidance," said Adam Lehman, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Dingman Center. "The program is producing results as demonstrated by the high quality pitches presented by motivated, well-prepared campus entrepreneurs. I fully expect several of the presenting entrepreneurs will launch successful new businesses."

The next Pitch Dingman competition is scheduled for 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, Oct. 21, 2005. Working sessions are held at the Dingman Center on non-competition Fridays to assist entrepreneurs in preparing their pitches and to offer feedback and advice once competitors' businesses are up and running. For information about competition or work session registration, contact Derek Vlcko at dvlcko@umd.edu.

Successful "Serial Entrepreneur" Named Technology Commercialization Fellow at University of Maryland's Business School

College Park, Maryland -- July 25, 2005 -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland today announced that Dan Goodman, CEO of Zernike USA, has been appointed technology commercialization fellow at the school's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. The Dingman Center is a nationally-recognized, leading entrepreneurial center that assists students and regional entrepreneurs with expertise, resources and funding. In his new role, Goodman will work with Dingman Center scholars and local companies to commercialize technologies from within the university community. Goodman will also focus on identifying market opportunities for developing new ventures.

"I am very pleased to announce Dan's appointment as technology commercialization fellow," said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "Dan's extensive technical experience will be an invaluable resource for the Dingman Center and for early stage technology companies looking for the center's assistance in refining their business models to get to market quickly."

Goodman's ties to the Smith School and the University of Maryland include previously serving as the founding entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of Maryland's Office of Technology Commercialization; currently acting as a scientific advisor with the New Markets Growth Fund, the Smith School's $20 million student-managed venture capital fund; and a previous role as an advisor to the Dingman Center.

"Dan's experience in all aspects and phases of electronic and IT product development, and in founding and managing a diverse range of businesses has already been a great asset to Dingman Center entrepreneurs. We look forward to his further contributions and assistance," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.

Goodman is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in founding and running product, service and consulting businesses. Previous positions include working inside Microsoft Corp. as the director of software development of a captive contractor to Microsoft's consulting business unit and a position as vice president of U.S. business development for Trykor, Inc., a technology transfer and entrepreneurship training contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy. Goodman also served as CEO and managing director of TrykorZernike, Inc., a high-technology import/export firm, as well as co-founded BrainChild Maryland, the State of Maryland's public/private technology commercialization partnership focused on spinning high-technology companies out of Maryland's university and federal laboratories. Goodman serves as acting chairman of the Board of Advisors of the U.S.-China Science Park and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Chesapeake Innovation Center, the nation's first Homeland Security incubator, sponsored by the National Security Agency. Goodman is a member of the Greater Washington Board of Trade's Technology Task Force and a member of the Board of Directors of HandsOn Toys in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Goodman holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and has studied Technology Transfer at the National Institutes of Health's Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences.
 

Highly Regarded Investor and Incubator of Start-up Companies To Assist Student Entrepreneurs at University of Maryland Business School

College Park, Maryland -- July 18, 2005 -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland today announced that Adam Lehman, president of Rock Ridge Ventures, will join the school's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, a nationally-recognized, leading entrepreneurial center that assists students and regional entrepreneurs with expertise, resources and funding, as an entrepreneur-in-residence. Lehman will leverage his substantial experience in identifying and developing new business ventures to assist student and local entrepreneurs in creating and managing their businesses.

"Adam brings valuable experience in guiding, building and investing in start-up ventures," said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "The perspective, advice and mentoring that he will be able to impart to students offers tremendous advantages for the Dingman Center and the Smith School's leading entrepreneurship program."

As president of Rock Ridge Ventures, Lehman develops and invests in new business ventures and provides a variety of strategic advisory and management services. Lehman also serves as executive vice president of ZG Ventures, which is developing for-profit education ventures based on the innovative In2Books non-profit literacy program. Prior to his roles with Rock Ridge and ZG, Lehman was an executive with America Online for seven years, ultimately serving as a senior vice president. During his tenure with AOL, Lehman participated in the development of a wide range of new domestic and international business ventures and opportunities. Prior to joining AOL, Lehman was an associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions group of the corporate law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, working on investments, acquisitions and financings, principally in the media, communications and technology sectors. Lehman is currently a member of the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and of the Advisory Board of Fair Chance D.C. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College (summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School (cum laude) and a 1987 Truman Scholar.

"Our entrepreneurs-in-residence offer an immeasurable resource to our Dingman scholars," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. "When you are building the confidence – not to mention the skills – to run your own business the ability to access someone who's not just been there, done that, but been there and successfully done that, can make all the difference."
 

Internet Visionary and Successful Private Equity Investor Joins University of Maryland Business School

College Park, Maryland -- April 22, 2005 -- The Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, today announced that Mark Walsh, managing partner at Ruxton Associates, LLC, a private equity and investment firm, has joined the school's faculty as an senior executive fellow. Walsh will work with the faculty in the school's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, a nationally-recognized, leading entrepreneurial center, to advise graduate business school students on the development of their businesses and to provide expertise to regional entrepreneurs.

"Mark has earned a reputation for being a true visionary and ahead of the curve -- particularly in recognizing the potential of the Internet in impacting business," said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "His knowledge and experience fit well with the Smith School's focus on preparing leaders for the digital economy. I am pleased to welcome Mark to the Smith School community."

Walsh's diverse career in interactive services and technology includes joining AOL in early 1995 where he created and ran AOL Enterprise, the business-to-business division of AOL. In mid 1997, he joined VerticalNet Inc, the internet's first business-to-business platform, as the CEO. He took the company public in early 1999. He became chairman in late 2000. Walsh previously was the CEO of Air America Radio. He also served as the chief technology advisor for the Democratic National Committee and was the original head of Internet operations and strategy for John Kerry for President in mid 2003. Walsh has an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BA from Union College in Schenectady NY, where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees. He also serves on a number of venture-backed company and not-for-profit boards.

"At the Dingman Center we recognize that direct access to experienced and successful entrepreneurs offer a tremendous resource and advantages for a growing business. Mark's expertise across the business life cycle -- from start up to exit -- will be invaluable for our students and the entrepreneurs we assist," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship.

In addition to his work with the Dingman Center Walsh will lecture for the Smith School's MBA and executive MBA programs.
 

Smith Ranked Among Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 13

College Park, Maryland -- March 28, 2005 -- The entrepreneurship program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business is ranked among the top 13 nationally in the April 2005 issue of Entrepreneur magazine. For the third consecutive year and since the survey's inception, the magazine has included the Smith School prominently among its annual list of the best 100 collegiate entrepreneurship programs in the United States.

"The Smith School's leading approach to entrepreneurship education and research gives our students the ability to deal with complex issues such as the integration of technology and globalization, while successfully undertaking the challenge of building a successful business," said Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "The Smith School is committed to nurturing and growing the entrepreneurial spirit in our students and I'm pleased that our entrepreneurship programs have been rated among the best in the country."

According to the sixth annual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, a report measuring entrepreneurial activity worldwide, 73 million people across the globe are either nascent entrepreneurs, or own or manage a young business. Among Smith School resources supporting entrepreneurship is the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, a nationally-recognized, leading entrepreneurial center that assists students and regional entrepreneurs with expertise and funding.

"One of the strong points of the Dingman Center is that we truly leverage all available resources to provide students with the tools to build success and confidence to be entrepreneurs," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center. "The Dingman Center takes advantage of its strategic position within the Smith School, a recognized leader in management education, to draw upon expertise from the entire university including the Clark School of Engineering, the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute and the Office of Technology Commercialization. Students truly have access to the latest thought leadership, best practices and mentorship from all disciplines while mastering the core principles of successful entrepreneurship."

Entrepreneur's third annual evaluation of the best entrepreneurship programs at U.S. colleges and universities was performed by TechKnowledge Point Corp., an online research and referral exchange for entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

Link to online article/list of rankings in Entrepreneur
 


Dingman Center Awards Hook & Ladder Brewing Company
10K in Start-up Funding
Smith School's Entrepreneurship Center Helps Student Businesses Grow

College Park - February 14, 2005 -- The Robert H. Smith School's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland today announced that it has invested $10,000 in start-up funding to Hook & Ladder Brewery, a student-run business founded by second-year Smith MBA student Matthew Fleischer. The investment is part of the seed stage funding the center makes available to student-run, start-up companies.

The Dingman Center, a nationally-recognized, leading entrepreneurial center, assists students and regional entrepreneurs with expertise, resources and funding. As part of the Center's mission in nurturing regional entrepreneurship, students are eligible to compete for $50,000 of seed stage funding per year. Investments are determined on a case-by-case basis with a maximum investment of $10,000.

"This seed funding provides a great opportunity for students to take the required steps towards becoming successful entrepreneurs," said Asher Epstein, managing director of the Dingman Center. "Too often people associate entrepreneurs with the Bill Gates of the world and that can be intimidating. The Dingman Center is singular in its commitment to providing entrepreneurs with the tools they need and in recognizing entrepreneurship as a key driver of the global economy."

Fleischer founded the brewery with his brother in 1999 after a year of successful experimentation. Hook & Ladder won a Gold Medal at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival, the beer industry's equivalent to an Academy Award. As a result the beer has successfully been distributed in California, Florida, and select parts of the Washington DC metro area. The funding from the Dingman Center will enable Fleischer to focus greater expansion in the DC Metro area.

"Growth is good and so is success, but each brings its own set of challenges to a small business," said Fleischer. "Access to the Dingman Center's mentors, funding and resources has put me in a stronger position to navigate building on a winning formula." 

 

Entrepreneurs -- "I think I can":  Compelling new research suggests that it's not a love of risk but self confidence that separates entrepreneurs from the rest of us

College Park, Md. -- February 7, 2005 -- If entrepreneurialism has a motto it should be "I think I can." Entrepreneurs are no more likely to want to stick their necks out than wage earners, they just have an unusual amount of self-confidence, according to results of a recent research paper, Entrepreneurial Risk and Market Entry. Study findings debunk a common stereotype about entrepreneurs -- namely that they are inherently more comfortable with risk.

The paper received the Best Doctoral Paper award from the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy in January. It was written by Brian Wu, a doctoral candidate at Wharton, and his advisor Anne Marie Knott, visiting assistant professor of management at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

"Everyone assumes that entrepreneurs are these cliff-jumpers -- able to take a leap of faith and confront unknowns that would deter the rest of us from even trying," said Knott. "In fact, it is more likely that they are skilled hang-gliders, with confidence that they can tackle any conditions."

The paper addressed a long-standing puzzle regarding entrepreneurs. Why is it they undertake ventures with substantially greater risk (51 percent of new firms fail by their fourth year), while most psychological studies show they have no better tolerance for that risk?

The paper answers this question by identifying the two components of uncertainty that make up risk: market demand and individual ability. Wu and Knott examined entrepreneurial startups with respect to both. They found that considerable ability uncertainty (opportunity for overconfidence) led entrepreneurs to be willing to enter "risky" markets with high demand uncertainty.

"These results were interesting," said Knott, "because they suggest market conditions that may inhibit entrepreneurship. For example, in industries where there is high demand uncertainty and low ability uncertainty, we see one-tenth the entry rates that we see in the economy generally. In those industries there may not be sufficient competition or innovation.

"The data also gives hope to those of us who don't think we're made of the right entrepreneurial 'stuff.' Just remember that we are all susceptible to believing we are better at something than we really are. For example 60 percent of high school seniors believe that they are in the top 10 percent in their ability to get along with others; while 25 percent believe they are in the top 1 percent" said Knott. "If we want more entrepreneurs, we may just need to better match people with the situations where they believe they excel."

 

Maryland's CTO, Chris Foster, to Open MIT Enterprise Forum StartupLab

Startups Optemax and Codign Software to Present Business Plans,
Panelists Led by Charles Heller
 

February 9, 2005 Phone: (410) 526-0483

COLUMBIA, Maryland-- The MIT Enterprise Forum announced today that Maryland's Deputy Secretary of Business and Economic Development and Chief Technology Officer, Chris Foster, will make the opening comments at the MIT Enterprise Forum's upcoming StartupLab on Thursday, February 24, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. in the Parson's Auditorium at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. The StartupLab features business plan presentations from Optemax, a Howard County start-up company by local entrepreneur Shirley Collier, and Codign Software, a Baltimore company represented by Joe Ponczak. Charles Heller, Managing Director of Beacon Global Private Equity, leads the panelist's team, who give expert feedback to the presenting companies.

As Maryland's Deputy Secretary of Business and Economic Development, Christopher C. Foster is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the state's commerce department with a budget in excess of $100 million. Mr. Foster also serves as the state's Chief Technology Officer, where he manages the Early Seed Stage Venture Fund. He has an extensive background in software design and applications, engineering and physics, and will serve as the central point person to spur Maryland's growth as a major center for intellectual capital.
Charles O. Heller is Managing Director of Beacon Global, LLC, and of Beacon Global Private Equity, LLC. Beacon is a merchant bank. Dr. Heller is also Professor of Practice--Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland Smith School of Business and Entrepreneur-In-Residence at UMCP's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. Dr. Heller was General Partner of Gabriel Venture Partners, Director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, co-founded CADCOM and InterCAD.
In addition to Mr. Heller, the panelist's team includes Matt Goddard of Round 2 Communications; Mike Curreri, president and CEO of AVIcode; and, Ray Taylor, Executive Director, Verizon Wireless Consumer Multimedia Products. Matt was the co-founder of Impreza, helped launch i1440 and describes himself as a specialist in launching companies and products in start up environments. Mike has founded several Internet-related companies and is recognized as a pioneer in the development of Internet-based collaborative networking tools. He is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, the University of Notre Dame Law School and George Washington University. At Verizon Wireless, Ray leads the Consumer Multimedia Products team responsible for development of next generation, "3G" services and life cycle management of GetItNow.

The MIT Alumni Association as a means to promote technology entrepreneurship worldwide founded the MIT Enterprise Forum over 20 years ago. The Forum has grown to 25 chapters throughout the world. Companies that have presented at the forum in their early stages have gone on to become highly successful organizations. The StartupLab, aimed at emerging start-ups, includes company presentations, expert panelists, and audience participation and is open to anyone interested in networking with the technology community.

The Baltimore/Washington chapter of the MIT Enterprise Forum was one of the first chapters to be formed and conducts a variety of events throughout the Baltimore/Washington region. "The return to Howard County is based on both the county's growing importance as a source of technology-based entrepreneurial activity and the excellent turn-out at last year's event," says Mickey Wohlmuth, director of the Baltimore advisors.

The StartupLab begins with a networking session and refreshments. Two early-stage companies present their business plans to the audience and expert panelists. The audience will be asked to participate with a panel of experts in providing constructive feedback to the entrepreneurs. The evening is an outstanding opportunity for the audience to get a close look at the strategy of start-up entrepreneurial companies and to learn from the responses of the expert panel.

Two companies will present. Optemax, Inc. (http://www.optemax.com), is a wireless technology company, bringing to market a technology-transfer opportunity from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the field of free space optics. Optemax says they have developed technology that transfers data from moving objects such airplanes and satellites 11,000 times faster than today's wireless technology. The second company Codign Software LLC, develops software that finds defects in code as it is being written. The CheckMate! suite uses a mathematical model to identify all the possible outcomes of a piece of code and then creates the necessary tests to generate the results. With this product, companies gain more confidence and reduce the maintenance cost of their software.

Registration for the February 24, 2005 start-up lab can be done online at http://www.mitef.org.

About the MIT Enterprise Forum of Washington/Baltimoree
Since 1981, the Enterprise Forum, a non-profit, volunteer organization, has been dedicated to the growth, education, and success of the entrepreneur and business community of the greater Washington & Baltimore area. It is open to the public and reaches out to local start-ups, high technology businesses, venture capitalists, angels, and the professionals who support them.
The network of 25 worldwide chapters of the Enterprise Forum was created as an outreach educational program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), and participation and membership by the general public, regardless of their affiliation, is encouraged.