2009 Collegiate Entrepreneur's Organization Conference

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization provides young entrepreneurs with networking opportunities, chapter activities, and the national conference to help them start their own businesses.

The 2009 National CEO Conference will be held on October 22 – October 24 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Over 80 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders share their ideas and expertise with students on how they launched their businesses, the lessons they've learned, and where they are today. Go here to learn more and register.

America's Best Young Entrepreneurs: 2009

BusinessWeek recently named their 25 finalists for the top U.S. entrepreneurs ages 25 and under. These 25 most promising young businesses range from specialty mushroom growers to renewable energy consulting to an online advertising buying platform Invite Media, a Wharton alumni company. Check out the other finalists here, place a vote for the most promising and on November 9th, BusinessWeek will be announcing these top vote-getters.

Wharton Business Plan Competition Winners Ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell

Lumina Diagnostics, winner of the 2009 Wharton Business Plan Competition, visited the New York City NASDAQ MarketSite accompanied by the Wharton School. In celebration, representatives of Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs and Lumina Diagnostics rang the NASDAQ closing bell. Find out more here.

Reinvention Success

Recently featured on Inc., Flocabulary, a study-guide publisher that aimed to teach history through hip-hop, had a great idea, but no business. Read their story about how UPenn graduate Harrison and Tufts graduate Rappaport reinvented themselves, began to grow, and now have their study-guides used in 100 school districts.

"Get It Started!" Gets You Started

"Get It Started!" is the Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs' newsletter of entrepreneurial highlights and insights. Every month the newsletter is updated with new articles, video clips from experts discussing pertinent issues, and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

This month's stories include "Reaching Beyond the Case Study," a look into the experiences gained by student consultants at the Wharton Small Business Center, and a video interview with Wharton MBA alumna Anne-Marie Corner, founder of Biosyn. Check out the newsletter and subscribe here.

The 2009 Wharton Business Plan Competition Venture Finals

On Wednesday, April 29, eight finalists will compete for $70,000 in prizes at the annual Venture Finals, an event sponsored by MentorTech Ventures which attracts over 200 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, investment bankers, alumni, faculty and students. A few of the competing plans include the next generation artificial eye, programmable robotic toys, and diabetes monitoring "jewelry". Find out more and register to attend here.

"Do Something Awesome"

Tekzilla, a Web video show, featured Twitter co-founder Evan Williams in a live interview at the Web 2.0 Expo. In the video, seen here on TechCrunch, Williams offers advice for tech start-ups, the first being to "just do something awesome."

Students = Inventors

The final round of PennVention, an annual student inventors competition at the University of Pennsylvania, will take place Friday, April 10, as the 2009 Invention Fair. 10 finalists will present their ideas before a panel of judges and a live audience and compete for over $60,000 worth of prizes. Find out more here.

Give Water: One of the Coolest College Start-Ups

Sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Ben Lewis, CEO of Give Water, has landed on Inc.com's list of the Coolest College Start-Ups.

Give Water donates 10 cents per bottle sold to four different types of local charities: children's causes, breast cancer research, environmental causes, and muscular-disorders research. As Lewis says, "Consumers... want to choose how they give back, and they want to give back locally." First sold in a few stores around Lewis' hometown Pittsburgh, Give Water has since donated more than $50,000 and garnered interest from producers in Canada, in the Midwest, and along the East Coast, including Whole Foods. Read more here.

Young Entrepreneurs: "Coddled and Soft" ???

The editorial posted by Steven Berglas at Forbes.com, entitled “Entrepreneurship (Or Lack Thereof)”, will illicit strong reactions from any entrepreneur under the age of 35 – the question is will they choose to roll their eyes, cringe or maybe nod their heads in agreement? No generation likes to be called “coddled…and soft” – especially business students who are turning down the big paycheck on Wall Street to be their own boss. Check it out and tell us what you think.