inside impact

12 Class Activities To Stimulate Inventor-Entrepreneurs

Inventor entrepreneurs are benefitting from cutting-edge I&E classroom exercises used by VentureWell’s faculty grant recipients.

Inspiring Sustainable Design: Circular Economy—Design for a Lifetime

To help faculty engage students in green design methods, we spotlight key exercises from the Tools for Design and Sustainability course.

Cultivating Inclusivity: Why Mentorship Matters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Find out how to provide mentorship to students who may not feel like they belong in innovation and entrepreneurship.

At-Home DNA Testing: A Q&A with Ana Cornell of Acorn Genetics

Hear from Ana Cornell about her E-Team Acorn Genetics, which is developing a low-cost, at-home DNA testing kit that enables users to privately test for genetic conditions.

Combating Cardiac Arrest: A Q&A with Heather Holman of Heartbeat Technologies

Hear from Heather Holman about her E-Team Heartbeat Technologies, which is working to treat patients experiencing cardiac arrest by increasing blood flow to the heart.

Inspiring Sustainable Design: Green Materials—How To Build Better

Learn how to teach students to incorporate green materials into their inventions with exercises from the Tools for Design and Sustainability.

Sarah Says: What Customer Discovery Approach Is Right for You?

Sarah Wharmby defines the different types of customer discovery interviews early-stage innovators can use.

Cultivating Inclusivity: Engagement at Community Colleges and Beyond

Learn how community colleges welcome and encourage entrepreneurs from non-traditional backgrounds—and how you can, too.

Inspiring Sustainable Design: Biomimicry—Using Nature’s Blueprints

Faculty can use biomimicry to teach sustainable design principles to students who are looking to solve the challenges of the climate crisis.

Cultivating Inclusivity: Storytelling To Foster Belonging and Inclusion

Learn how to cultivate a sense of belonging through storytelling in your classroom by utilizing stories from mentors and teaching students how to tell their own.

What Is Non-Dilutive Funding and Why Is It So Important for Early-Stage Innovators?

When you’re just starting out as an early-stage innovator, the number of funding opportunities can be overwhelming. Learn how non-dilutive funding can be right for your venture.

How To Connect Design Students to Sustainability

Course & Program grantee Mateo Neri offers advice for faculty seeking ways to integrate sustainable principles into their courses.

Sarah Says: Mapping Three Paths for Student Innovators

Welcome to Sarah Says, a new series by VentureWell Program Officer Sarah Wharmby. Sarah will address commonly asked questions raised in our E-Team workshops. Our…

Cultivating Inclusivity: How To Infuse Belonging in Your Classroom

We’re unpacking how the innovation and entrepreneurship community can bring a sense of belonging to higher education by starting in the classroom.

Cultivating Inclusivity: The Impact of Belonging on Student Success

Our Cultivating Inclusivity article series takes a deep dive into one of the most talked-about topics at OPEN 2022: the concept of belonging in higher…

AeroShield: How early-stage support helped researchers embrace entrepreneurship

Learn how early-stage support helped E-Team AeroShield Materials shift their thinking from researchers to entrepreneurs.

9 ways to help startups write a winning grant application

If you’re planning to apply for a grant, there are several ways to ensure that your grant application stands out from the competition.

Studying the Impact of STEM Entrepreneurship Programs: The Why and How

Sarah Zappe and Stephanie Cutler share research highlighting the challenges of studying the impact of STEM entrepreneurship programs on individuals—and why we need to do more.

inventing solutions to prevent ocean pollution

Despite ominous data about the harmful impact – and volume – of ocean pollution, there’s a wave of early-stage innovators determined to address the issue.

Celebrating Danielle Boyer, an Eco-Friendly Robotics Trailblazer

We’re spotlighting Danielle Boyer, founder of robotics education startup The STEAM Connection and winner of our 2022 Sustainable Practice Impact Award.