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OCE Entrepreneurship Blog

The Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship (OCE) blog provides valuable insights from individuals and entities within the entrepreneurship ecosystem and enhances communications with and between our stakeholders, supporters and partners.

We extend an invitation to anyone interested in submitting content for this blog to please reach out to the OCE with proposed content.  We are especially interested in topics related to: a) entrepreneurship education, b) startup and early growth success stories, c) specific business launch and/or growth challenges and how they were overcome, d) resources and opportunities available to entrepreneurs, e) startup team-building and f) any other topics that may be of interest to entrepreneurship students, educators, supporters, and/or practitioners.

Latest Blog Posts

July 2, 2024 | National Disasters and Entrepreneurship

 

Remember the expression “may you live in interesting times,” which is the English translation of what is thought to be an ancient Chinese curse. Here “interesting times” may be referring to challenging or troubling times. It feels like we are indeed living in interesting times, where we are surrounded by natural and man-made disasters, and conflicts around the world.

national disasters Blog

April 29, 2024 | Ban on Worker Noncompete Clauses will Stimulate Entrepreneurships

 

In April 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule banning noncompete clauses with workers nationwide. Using noncompete clauses, employers prevent employees from working for a competitor or starting their own business in the same industry for a certain amount of time after leaving the company.

noncompete clauses Blog

October 20, 2023 | Core Loops in Skill Gaming

On the surface, entering the Skill Gaming market seems like a no-brainer for game developers. Unlike the freemium model, which relies on analyzing massive amounts of metrics to find choke points that get users to spend, Skill game design focuses on gameplay. You don't have to spend more than 50% of your design on tedious tasks, iterating and reworking on an endless Sisyphean content treadmill.

Core Loops Blog

August 30, 2023 | Skill-based games – What are they?

Rarely has a market niche been bestowed with such a profusion of names as skill-based games. Skill-based games, mobile Esports, cash tournaments, mobile competitive Esports, casual eSports, competitive games, paid competitive games, and real money games -  to name a few, are all names of one genre.

Skill-based games blog

June 26, 2023 | New Opportunities in Mobile Gaming: an Introduction

ÁùºÏ±¦µä is one of the foremost centers for leisure and hospitality in the world. Entertainment brings a lot of resources to our state. As a popular form of entertainment, gaming contributes significantly to the Silver State.

Mobile Gaming blog

January 20, 2023 | European Bridge Organizations in global innovation hubs – towards the ultimate tech diplomacy

In a globalized world, many companies, including importantly technology firms, face a global competition from very early on. While bigger, more resourceful firms often develop their presence in the global market by their own means, new and smaller firms often benefit from assistance offered by different types of government organizations, mainly at global innovation ecosystems.

Bridge Organizations Blog Post

March 8, 2022 | Senior entrepreneurship: Catching a second wave

There may be some concern that entrepreneurial activities would decrease as countries go through population ageing. This concern is more pronounced in higher-income developed economies, which exhibit a faster aging trend. The underlying assumption with this argument is that entrepreneurship is driven by younger individuals in the population. With falling fertility rates and ageing populations, it is thought that entrepreneurship falters as the demographic structure shifts towards older populations.

Senior Entrepreneurship BLOG POST

February 25, 2022 | Social entrepreneurship in the US and importance of interdisciplinary collaboration

There are at least three important things that can be said about entrepreneurs: they take risk to create new ventures, they are innovators, and they start and run businesses that have good potential to succeed. All these can be used to describe social entrepreneurs as well. Greg Dees from the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship at Duke University defines social entrepreneurship as “the process of recognizing and resourcefully pursuing opportunities to create social value.” Dees portrays social entrepreneurs as “innovative, resourceful, and results oriented.” Social entrepreneurs are usually leaders in their communities and work towards making a social impact

Social Entrepreneurship in the US BLOG POST

February 23, 2022 | Engaging with workforce development and education

"Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…" Maybe it's because I just saw Fiddler on the Roof or because Valentine's Day has just passed, but I wanted to take a moment to bring together two very special audiences – entrepreneurs and workforce development – to make the case for why this marriage should be a no-brainer and provide ideas for how to make a move. 

Engaging with workforce development BLOG POST

February 16, 2022 | Where resources are for dreamers and doers alike!

Whether you are an established business owner or an entrepreneur looking to start a business, the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Department of Business and Industry (B&I) is ready to help you reach your goals. To help you find and access to local, state and federal business resources, we have developed the Roadmap to Starting and Growing a Business in ÁùºÏ±¦µä and the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Business Support Ecosystem Chart for doing business in the Silver State.  

Where resources are BLOG POST

July 27, 2021 | StartUpNV: ÁùºÏ±¦µä's only state-wide startup accelerator and business incubator

StartUpNV is a 501(c)3 non-profit state-wide business incubator and accelerator for "home grown" ÁùºÏ±¦µä start-ups - and those considering locating in ÁùºÏ±¦µä to grow. Their ecosystem of founders, mentors, University connections, investors, and business partners work together to support member companies. Learn about the programs they offer to investors and entrepreneurs.

StartUpNV BLOG POST

June 30, 2021 | Rural Entrepreneurship

In the past 10 years, there has been a boom in entrepreneurship in Northern ÁùºÏ±¦µä due in large part to leaders at the College of Business and EDAWN. Programs like the University's Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition have inspired students to pitch business ideas for the chance to earn prize money to kick-start companies. In November 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, rural ÁùºÏ±¦µä entrepreneurs had their first opportunity to participate in a rural pitch competition.

Rural Entrepreneurship BLOG POST

May 11, 2021 | Innovative Air Service Builds Entrepreneurial Linkages 

How important to the Reno-Tahoe entrepreneurial infrastructure is JSX air service between Reno and Oakland? Try this: I walked out the front door of my house in midtown Reno at 8:30 in the morning, drove over to the east side of Reno-Tahoe International Airport and strolled onto a JSX flight. At 10:30, just two hours later, I walked into a meeting in downtown Berkeley. And I hadn’t burned up any of my personal energy on the hassles of traditional air travel. No lines at TSA. No cattle-call boarding process. I was fresh and ready for a highly productive meeting. So, I’m thrilled that JSX will resume its service between Reno and Oakland on May 21.

Innovative Air Service Builds Entrepreneurial Linkages BLOG POST

March 24, 2021 | Alter Ego: When Individuals May Be Liable for Corporate Debts

ÁùºÏ±¦µä encourages business ventures and entrepreneurism by allowing individuals to form corporations as a shield against personal liability. Generally, individuals are considered separate from the corporations they control. So, if a corporation fails to pay a debt, the corporation itself is liable, and not its individual owners or operators.  

Alter Ego BLOG POST

February 19, 2021 | Biz Assembly: Modeling peer-to-peer mentorship

Mentorship refers to the guidance provided by a mentor, especially an experienced person in a company or educational institution. There are many different forms of mentorship available depending on the needs of the person, team or business seeking guidance. Peer mentoring is conducted between people who are at similar stages, in which one person has more experience than the other in a particular domain and can provide support as well as knowledge and skills transfer.      

Biz Assembly: Modeling Peer-to-peer mentorship Blog Post

February 1, 2021 | From Ivory Tower to Real Business

“At some point you have to stop taking classes and simply go do it.” -- Rick Sontag speaking to University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno students in the College of Business, 2012.

In a New York Times OpEd, David Brooks reflects on the mission of higher education: “technical and practical knowledge and skills for career preparation are important and necessary goals of higher education. But the best outcomes of a college experience go well beyond this…what collectively might be called “life and citizenship knowledge.”

From Ivory Tower to Real Business Blog Post

January 4, 2021 | Tenth Year - Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition

The College of Business and Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship are about to begin the tenth Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition during Spring semester 2021.  A generous gift from Rick and Susan Sontag funded the endowment that provides the $50,000 annual award to the winning student team.  This award has played a significant role in encouraging UNR students interested in developing and pitching business concepts, often leading to the launch of new businesses.

Tenth Year - Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition Blog Post

November 30, 2020 | International Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium 2021

On March 8, 2021, the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship, in conjunction with the College of Business at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno and a number of programs and entities within the University and the ÁùºÏ±¦µä community, will host the International Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium 2021 (#IWES2021).  This will be the third annual IWES event and the first time the conference will be entirely virtual.  The event occurs in conjunction with the global celebration of International Women's Day.

International Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium 2021 Blog Post