The TIA Summit Series is a workshop and speaker series for the entire campus, covering entrepreneurial topics. The series was developed by a TIA student three years ago to supplement the curriculum of the monthly TIA workshops. We’ve hosted workshops on building a website on a shoestring budget; how to make a Kickstarter video; how to conduct surveys for market validation; and how to 3D print. Speakers have included Sian-Pierre Regis ’06 on how to build a personal brand; Deborah Tutnauer ’81 on how women can demand their worth; and Cindi Bigelow of Bigelow teas on running a successful family-owned business. We partner with clubs, academic departments, or offices such as when TIA students present at department brown bags or similar events. Students have presented to the Women’s Studies brown bag that is typically attended by over 100 students each week. Other examples are students with technology-driven ventures who have presented at Computer Sciences; ventures with a social component at the Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE); and ventures around sustainability or are environmentally conscious at Environmental Studies.

One current goal of the series is to highlight our belief that entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business; but rather is about identifying a problem and creating a solution for that problem. Through the Summit Series we are able to demonstrate how entrepreneurship can be applied to just about any academic or personal interest.

Startup Experience – NYC
January 13 – 17, 2018

As part of the TIA Summit Series, we are excited to bring the Startup Experience 2-day entrepreneurship program to Colgate University! The Startup Experience is an intensive hands-on workshop for future entrepreneurs and social innovators.

This is a unique opportunity to learn what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. Students will hear from experienced global entrepreneurs and will work in a team to transform a big problem into a new opportunity for a startup company. During the program participants will learn what it means to have an entrepreneurial mindset, how to be more creative, how to test innovative ideas, and how to build a real viable company in just two days.

The workshop will be led by serial entrepreneur Henrik Scheel who grew up in Denmark but now lives in Silicon Valley, California. Henrik brings a wealth of experience from the startup ecosystem in San Francisco and has worked with entrepreneurs in 25 countries around the world.

This program is for anyone interested in being a change maker – the skills learned can be applied in all industries and in all careers.

The workshop will be followed by an immersion trip to New York City. Students will spend one full day visiting startups in the city capped off by a Colgate Professional Network event in the evening. This is a perfect opportunity for students to experience first hand the fast-paced and exciting world of startups at every level.

The workshop and immersion trip are sponsored by Thought Into Action, Entrepreneurship at Colgate and the Fox Leadership Endowment. Thank you to all who support these initiatives so that we are able to provide these experiences for our students.

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Students gather to watch Ryan Diew ’17 on Shark Tank, October 1. (Photo by Andrew Daddio)

Much has happened since Ryan Diew ’17 stepped in front of cameras in early June to pitch his travel app, Trippie, on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Investors on the season nine premiere that aired October 1 pulled no punches in their criticism of the app, but Diew says he took their advice to heart, and he has been hard at work making Trippie the best airport navigation tool available on the Apple Store.

“I really have taken heed of a lot of their advice,” said Diew. “I think that I let my emotions get the best of me toward the end. I am really passionate about this, and I broke down, and that’s something I’ve learned from. I’ll never do that again.”

Trippie has expanded from four to 16 airports since the Shark Tank episode was filmed in June, and it now covers locations that account for 82 percent of all U.S. domestic air travel.

Ryan Diew ’17 (Photo by Mark DiOrio)

Despite being chewed to pieces by the “sharks,” Diew said that in the hours after the episode aired, Trippie was downloaded nearly 12,000 times before the web server he rented to keep up with demand crashed from the traffic. Even with technical problems, Trippie ranked 21st in travel on the App store on Monday, Oct. 2, and Diew expects his Android version to launch later this week.

“This was the chance of a lifetime, and I don’t regret any of it. The progress that we’ve made since my pitch has been amazing,” Diew said. “We’ve expanded and added functionality, making the app better. I’ll just continue to keep pushing.”

Colgate Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Career Initiatives Michael Sciola said he admired Diew’s willingness to put himself in front of an audience of millions in pursuit of his entrepreneurial dream.

“At Colgate, we teach our students that it is impossible to win a game if you are afraid to take a shot,” Sciola said. “I admire that Ryan took the chance to move his business forward and know that he will use this as a learning experience. I cannot wait to see what happens next!”

Thought Into Action Alumni Executive Director Wills Hapworth ’07 said he’s been impressed with Diew’s grit and resilience. “His response to Shark Tank and Mark Cuban’s tough questions was to double down on product development and growth so he would be prepared for the bump he expected after the episode’s airing. He was laser focused over the past few months. That is the heart of a true entrepreneur. I know these are traits that have served him well in the classroom and on the basketball court, and now hopefully in business as well. It will be one of the marks of his life going forward. We are proud of Ryan.”

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