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St. Olaf launches annual Entrepreneurship Week

By David Gonnerman '90
April 19, 2005

St. Olaf will host Entrepreneurship Week April 19-21. Sponsored by the Center for Experiential Learning and Ole Ventures, the student entrepreneurial organization, Entrepreneurship Week is an annual event that focuses on entrepreneurship by students, faculty, alumni and staff at St Olaf.

All Entrepreneurship Week events -- including speakers and the "St. Olaf Business Idol" game -- are free and open to the public.

Aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial activity at St. Olaf, the annual event celebrates innovation and creative solutions through nationally recognized speakers and panelists who will discuss their own innovative initiatives.

The week will conclude with the Finstad Grant Marketplace, a showcase of the innovative products and services offered by St. Olaf students, on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Buntrock Commons Crossroads.

FosterHead
Simon Foster
The Braulick Speaker Series will present the first Entrepreneurship Week speaker, Simon Foster, CEO of the grocery delivery service Simon Delivers on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Viking Theater. In 1996 Foster founded SimonDelivers.com, a company that combines the British corner shop grocer and milk delivery with the ability to order products online. Foster's company now has 500 employees, 57,000 customers and revenues of $47 million.

Mary Henschel '88, CEO of Network ARTS, will speak on Thursday at 11:20 a.m. in the Buntrock Commons Ballroom. Named one of the top 40 business people in the Twin Cities under the age of 40 by Twin Cities Business Journal, Henschel has more than 11 years of experience managing technology and information system companies as well as holding leadership roles in a variety of civic technology groups.

A panel discussion by past St. Olaf Finstad Grant recipients and the "St. Olaf Business Idol" game will take place on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Buntrock Commons Ballroom. After listening to St. Olaf alumni discuss how Finstad grants have changed their lives, the audience will participate in selecting the student winner of an elevator pitch competition. The winner will receive $300.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.