CWA - Panel Discussion: Community Driven Entrepreneurialism
Name:
CWA - Panel Discussion: Community Driven Entrepreneurialism
Date:
April 7, 2022
Time:
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM MDT
Registration:
Register Now
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Event Description:
Panel Discussion & Networking: Community Driven Entrepreneurialism
When: Thursday, April 7th 5:30 to 7:00 PM
Community-based programs and/or investments can generate a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. What can communities do to ignite and sustain the entrepreneurial spark? Join us for this presentation with renowned panelists on this important topic for our local community. Followed by a networking session.
Panelists
Scott Sternberg, (Moderator):
Scott Sternberg is the Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council and Associate Vice President for Economic Vitality. Sternberg holds significant leadership experience in international business, entrepreneurial startup ventures, and research technology development. He most recently served as President of Vaisala Inc., a manufacturer of professional weather and industrial environmental sensors, systems and solutions. Prior to his initial employment and escalating roles within Vaisala, Sternberg worked to position the venture capital backed Photometrics for sale to Roper Technologies, where he then worked for a number of years to build their portfolio of digital imaging companies.
Aside from his direct business experience, Sternberg has been actively engaged throughout his career in service to economic development, technology transfer and environmental sustainability goals. He was Chair of the Board of Directors for CO-LABS, helping to position the organization as both a strong advocate for federal research investment and a true partner in the conversion of scientific findings into business enterprise. Sternberg also served on the Board of Trustees for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and currently sits on the External Advisory Board for the School of Global Environmental Sustainability at Colorado State University.
Erick Mueller:
Erick Mueller has helped businesses grow throughout his career. He started his career with DOT First Aid & Safety where he was promoted from a student intern to Vice President. He helped the organization grow from $2.2 million in annual sales to over $5 million in two years. Fresh from this experience, he founded Vision Co., a corporate training and consulting organization. As CEO and President, he grew the business to over $300,000 in annual revenue. Mueller then co-founded and was Vice President of Sales for Achieve.com, an interactive Web service. He created the new selling process and led its growth to over 10,000 customers.
Mueller also co-founded Real Measure and EyeThink Corp., computer-based instrumentation businesses. He successfully negotiated and sold EyeThink Corp. to a Fortune 50 company. Currently, Mueller is Chairman and co-founder of Funovation, which creates heart-pounding addictive attractions that require brain and brawn. He has led the company from an idea to over 180 locations throughout 21 countries. Funovation has been awarded a Top Colorado Company to Watch and a Top Boulder County Company.
In addition, Mueller is an award winning Adjunct Professor and Director of the Cross Campus Entrepreneurship Program at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he has been rated by students among the top MBA instructors. He leads a Global Seminar each summer, Entrepreneurship & Empowerment in South Africa, helping disadvantaged businesses in the Townships. Mueller also helps with the Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, helping disabled military veterans start businesses.
A few years ago, Mueller developed The Tour de Happiness, a documentary exploring happiness. He also traveled to New Zealand and Australia, which included an appointment as Entrepreneur in Residence at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He graduated magna cum laude from Eastern Michigan University and holds an MBA magna cum laude from The University of Colorado Boulder.
Matt Stinchcomb:
Matt Stinchcomb is a director and co-founder of Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley, an organization that provides human, social, and financial capital to local communities who are working to repair our natural systems and tackle the climate crisis.
Stinchcomb was part of the founding team at Etsy.com, an online marketplace for 4.5 million craftspeople and entrepreneurs. Over his ten years with the company, he served in several executive roles, most recently as VP, of Values and Impact, where he oversaw the stewardship of the company’s mission, and sought to give all employees the means and the desire to maximize the benefit their work has on people and the planet. Etsy was the first certified B Corporation to go public. He later became the Executive Director of etsy.org- a non profit, now called the Good Work Institute, that supports people to work in ways that advance just economic transition.
Additionally, he is a co-founder of Place Corps, an educational program for 18 to 22 Year olds dedicated to cultivating a call to know, love, and serve our places.
Stinchcomb serves on the board of directors for the Schumacher Center for New Economics (Chair) and the Hawthorne Valley Association (Co-Chair). He lives in Gallatin, NY with his wife and three children.
About Conference on World Affairs
The Conference on World Affairs is a year-round unit of the University of Colorado Boulder, offering events without admission fees to the Boulder community, students, and the public. The CWA is a premier forum for discussion of world affairs, attracting a diverse group of experts and engaging panelists from around the world. Our goal is to engage, educate, and inspire University of Colorado students, faculty, and staff; the greater Boulder community; and the people of Colorado and the nation to exchange ideas, acquire knowledge, and gain new insights
