ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS: Trained advisers are available Monday through Saturday to assist in the development of your idea or project. From finding your target market to negotiating term sheets, we provide the tools that help you to assess situations and make expert decisions. Our team members are equipped with backgrounds and expertise in law, business marketing and management, as well as other areas to offer direction to start-up ventures in a wide variety of industries. To schedule a consultation, you must have a profile in order to fill out a Venture Assessment Form (VAF). The VAF is seen only by our staff so all of your information remains confidential and it gives us the opportunity for us to do some research before meeting with you. After submitting a VAF, a member of our team will contact you to schedule an appointment.

PREPARING TO LAUNCH SESSIONS
Not every entrepreneur comes to us with a developed idea. We developed the Preparing to Launch sessions to address those who are interested in a specific industry, a target market or finding a solution for a problem. These sessions bring together students and alumni from multiple disciplines to identify opportunities, brainstorm solutions, and prototype designs. If you have an idea for a Preparing to Launch session, contact our office and we will set it up!

SPEAKER SERIES
The Launch Pad sponsors a wide variety of speakers to discuss topics ranging from basic business guidance to specific industry support. Content includes strategies for starting your business, growing your continuing operation, and discovering new opportunities. Speakers have included economist Dr. William Baumol, prominent Silicon Valley attorney and venture capitalist Kimberlie Cerrone, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation Dr. Carl Schramm, Jon Kislak a principal of Antares Capital, and Kim Syman, Managing Partner and Director of The Action Tank and New Profit, Inc.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE
The Launch Pad’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative inspires young leaders in their commitment to make a difference in our community. Not only are we expanding the scope of student potential through exposure to underserved populations and unmet societal needs, we are concretizing the problem solving process. Many of The Launch Pad’s students are developing ventures with a double bottom line in mind; they want to create sustainable, innovative organizations that address community needs. We are also finding many students interested in starting non-profits or charitable foundations. We have begun our social entrepreneurship initiative by partnering with the Liberty City Trust to explore contributions we can make. In May we are co-hosting a Business Opportunities Fair with the Equality Administration Office to offer support and guidance to entrepreneurs in Liberty City. With greater resources, we hope to offer outreach in Overtown and downtown Miami as well.

We have engaged incredible leaders from the non-profit community to serve as on our Social Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, including Ruth Shack (founder, President & CEO of the Dade Community Foundation), Daniella Levine (founder and executive director of the Human Services Coalition), Paula Ellis (Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, The Knight Foundation), and Trabian Shorters (Vice President for Communities Program, The Knight Foundation). With their guidance, The Launch Pad will be an incredible resource for both for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises.

WOMEN’S INITIATIVE
MOMentum is an initiative by The Launch Pad, in collaboration with the Miami Children’s Museum, to assist Moms (and Dads!) in developing the skills and network to take a leap into entrepreneurship. MOMentum occurs the last Saturday of each month at the Museum to educate and enlighten our South Florida entrepreneurs-in-training. Our speaker shares her story during the first hour and the following hour is spent in small group workshops helping each attendee develop her business. This outreach has been a wonderful experience for students and alumni to assist and learn lessons from community entrepreneurs.
The Launch Pad has created alliances with Women in Executive Leadership (WEL), The Commonwealth Institute (TCI), IT Women, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), Women Angels, and Women’s Business Development Centers (WBDC) to provide additional support to our female students and alumni.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE
The Launch Pad has been developing strong relationships with each school and college at the University in an effort to create an environment for interdisciplinary collaboration. Our Technology and Science Initiative involves not only preparing for our students in the STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and math) for entrepreneurial activities but also offering critical technology skills to our social sciences, arts, and business students.
The Launch Pad is working with the Technology Research and Development Authority (TRDA) to bring their Roadmap to Success workshop series and other valuable offerings to the South Florida community. UM Innovation has been a strong supporter of The Launch Pad as well. As the Life Science Park comes to fruition, we look forward to continuing to play a role in supporting the entrepreneurial culture that Vice Provost Chernow is creating at the Miller School of Medicine.