It's very frustrating on occasion, given the speed at which projects can change course, but the students who work with us generally find that experience rewarding. This year, due to demand, the program expanded from four full-time student interns to eleven. It also grew to include students not only from the Business School, but also from the School of Information, College of Engineering and the Medical Schools as well. The sharing of experiences and expertise is one of the most positive things about this program. The fact that we have industrial engineers working with MBAs and pre-med students is what makes this program different.
People learn from each other and draw on one another's strengths.
This is the second year that TechStart has been financially supported in part by the University of Michigan Business School's Samuel Zell and Robert H Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, through their co-sponsorship of participating MBA students. The Zell-Lurie Institute, in addition to providing financial assistance, has also contributed significantly to both the structure and the vision of the program. Additional funding was also raised this year through an association with the Dow Chemical Company's New Ventures Group, an entrepreneurial offshoot of the Midland, Michigan corporation, presently working to strengthen ties to the Ann Arbor high-tech community through strategic partnership. The inventors, who often don't have the time to really dig in and research all the markets, competitors, and factors that may impact the success of their business, appreciate the assistance. The students, on the other hand, are hungering for interesting, real-world entrepreneurial projects where they can put their education use.