Today, August 4, 2015, the White House held its first Demo Day, a special showcase created by President Obama to highlight American entrepreneurs and their individual success stories.
Drew Spooner and two other North Dakota State University fellows, Jordan Brummond and Andrew Dalman, along with University Innovation Fellow leaders Humera Fasihuddin and Katie Dzugan, were in attendance at the Demo Day as part of the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) program.
UIF represents “29 institutions committed to actions that will expand innovation and entrepreneurship education offerings in order to enhance the economic potential of colleges and universities and better prepare students to create products that benefit humankind.”
Brookings named as 2015 Startup in a Day Winner
The city of Brookings, SD, received special accolades as a winner in the 2015 Startup in a Day – Start Small Model competition. The Startup in a Day initiative is a partnership with the White House and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in coordination with the National League of Cities, with U.S. cities to develop online tools that will allow entrepreneurs to discover and apply for local, state, and federal requirements needed to start a business – in less than a day.
“I’m calling on city halls across the country to join the initial eleven mayors in a simple but powerful pledge to entrepreneurs and small business owners: If you want to start a business, we’ll make it so easy to navigate the license and permitting system online, that you’ll be off and running within 24 hours,” said President Obama.
This honor means that Brookings will receive funding from the SBA to build tools and resources for the entrepreneurial community.
Scott Meyer, Brookings community leader and cofounder of the digital marketing and education firm 9 Clouds, says, “Our goal in Brookings is to be the creative capital of the North. We now recognize that anyone in our community can stand up and take action to make our town better. This award is both a reflection of the work we’ve done and a key stepping stone as we work to build a vibrant community.”
Congratulations to our friends at NDSU and in Brookings!
Photos courtesy of the White House
