Terp Start-up Accelerator celebrates 10 years at U of Maryland
The student entrepreneurs spent the eight weeks learning about building their business.
This past summer, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland marked 10 years of its Terp Start-up Accelerator program. It is an intense, eight-week program that helps student entrepreneurs hone their business plans and build or pivot their ventures, culminating in a final Demo Day pitch and start-up showcase.
A mix of undergraduate and graduate students took part in the summer 2024 bootcamp to work on their 14 different start-ups. Companies included apps, clothing and accessories makers, an artificial intelligence tool for software engineers, a custom shoulder-rest maker for violinists, a medical device maker, a board game company, and a virtual farmers market.
The entrepreneurs spent the eight weeks learning about building a business – everything from defining their market to customer to discovery and honing a marketing strategy – and putting together a pitch about their venture. Participants got a cash stipend of up to $5,000 and worked with mentors and coaches throughout the process.
They took part in workshops and had access to other resources, including the potential to receive startup funding during the academic year as a Terp Start-up Fellow.
The Dingman Center awarded five Demo Day prizes – ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 – to acknowledge ventures that demonstrated exceptional progress and potential in key areas of business development.
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