SVCE recognized during Global Entrepreneurship Week

Global Entrepreneurship Week is drawing to a close. On Tuesday, the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship and our director Anu Basu were honored by San José mayor Chuck Reed for its work in promoting entrepreneurship.

Photo: Profs. Joel West, Anu Basu and William Jiang of the SJSU Department of Organization & Management.
I wouldn’t call it a major milestone, but we hope it is yet another reminder to the community of the ongoing role we play in promoting entrepreneurship in the Valley.

For example, our Neat Ideas Fair is (AFAIK) unique in the country in spotlighting nascent business ideas (pre business plans), drawing a wide range of entries from engineering and industrial design in addition to business students. The 5th annual fair will be held Dec. 4 at the student center.

In January, we will also be starting a new undergraduate major in entrepreneurship, and launching a new class in green entrepreneurship.

This is an important time for encouraging entrepreneurship. On the one hand, fundraising is tough. On the other hand, the opportunity cost is low and (in some case) perhaps close to nil. Firms that begin at the trough (have we found it yet?) could be well positioned if (as usually happens) the recession lasts 1-2 years.