7/11/2023 Urvashi Jha, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Written by Urvashi Jha, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Have a winning startup idea at the back of your mind but can’t figure out what to do next? Looking for teammates to scale your startup? Wondering if you are taking your startup venture in the right direction? Want to drive your entrepreneurial skills by being an intrapreneur in a large organization? Interested in developing an entrepreneurial mindset? TEC can help you find answers to these questions with mentoring, funding, world-class campus resources, unrivaled experiences, and skill-building. You will get what you need to innovate, create, and transform your idea into a commercial success.
Venture competitions, networking events, certificates, courses, a Bachelor’s degree in Innovation, Leadership, and Engineering Entrepreneurship (ILEE)—we offer you all these hands-on experiences and more. Here are 7 ways to get started with TEC:
Join our Mailing List
Our monthly newsletter is your best bet to stay updated with TEC events, news, announcements, community events, academic programs, competition deadlines, career opportunities, and more. Click here to join our mailing list.
Get Social with TEC
Stay connected with the TEC community, and like, follow, and share entrepreneurship stories, industry news, competition wins, pictures, and videos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. For any information or questions reach us at tec@illinois.edu.
Come Meet Us
We know it’s critical to meet like-minded people, mentors, investors, or fellow entrepreneurs to put your ideas in motion. Our team of experienced entrepreneurs, professors, faculty, and staff are always ready to have a conversation with you. We can talk you through your idea and connect you to the people who share your startup passion. We hold Entrepreneurship Advising Hours and you can find more details here. Set up a meeting by emailing us at tec@illinois.edu.
Show Up and Get Involved
TEC offers several programs to choose from, but if you’re not sure which one to pick first, SocialFuse is a great way to start. SocialFuse is a recurring pitching and networking event where you can find teammates, pitch your ideas, and get feedback. Even if you’re clueless about pitching, and wondering if entrepreneurship is for you, you'll have a great time at SocialFuse. You get to meet and greet, and learn what others have to say about entrepreneurship. Also, we highly recommend participating in our signature program: Cozad New Venture Challenge, and the popular Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Workshop.
Enroll in Courses
What better way to earn your course credits than working on your own startup? TEC offers over 25 entrepreneurial courses but we recommend starting with TE 100: Introduction to Innovation, Leadership, and Engineering Entrepreneurship. If you want to understand the broad spectrum of basic entrepreneurship concepts through various guest lectures, then TE 360 is the right course for you. Another interesting course to explore is TE 333: Creativity, Innovation and Vision. Questions? Contact us at tec@illinois.edu.
Upskill with TEC Certificates
TEC offers two undergraduate and two graduate certificates to help you become a successful innovator, entrepreneur, intrapreneur and leader. Students who have earned TEC certificates say it has helped them progress their career at an accelerated pace.
Join Student-Led Organizations
Last but not least, join organizations such as Founders, Enactus, EntreCORPS, Zero2One, and Cube Consulting to stay up to date with entrepreneurship happenings on the campus. These organizations will help you with resources, mentorship, professional development, employment opportunities, and consulting services.
Achieve your startup goals with TEC!