2009 WCBA Program of the Year
2009 WCBA Student Organization Advisor of the Year
2008 WCBA Student Organization of the Year
2008 WCBA Program of the Year
2008 Stanford Entrepreneurship Week Innovation Tournament Winner

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) Ambassadors is a group of University of Florida students that promote entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the university community. We are a meritorious student organization sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  Members include successful entrepreneurs, prominent student leaders and some of the university’s top students.  We look for big thinkers, innovators, visionaries, and the ultra ambitious with a fundamental desire to be brilliant. All majors, years, and interests are encouraged to apply.

Mission

“As the student face of the University of Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, our goal is to unite entrepreneurial minds. We encourage student involvement in entrepreneurship by creating programs that inspire innovation through experiential learning activities.”

What we do

Here is a brief list of the activities we take part in:

• Represent the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• WCBA Business Cup
• TEDxUF
• Entrepreneur-in-Residence
• Startup Hour
• Social activities
• Semester projects

First and foremost, the CEI Ambassadors represent the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  Being sponsored by the CEI allows us to use our creativity to spread the entrepreneurial bug and innovation across campus.  We achieve this through a variety of programs and events.

The TEDxUF program (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is a one day event to showcase the best of Gainesville’s leaders. It is designed to inspire innovation and entrepreneurial activities within Gainesville. Once a year we bring Gainesville’s luminaries to speak about inspiring innovation in their respective fields, from engineering and science to music and art.  See www.TEDxUF.com and www.TED.com for more information.

Each semester an exceptional entrepreneur is honored for their accomplishments as a CEI Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR). For a period of one week, the EIR becomes involved with UF students and faculty through lectures and special events. The Ambassadors are given an opportunity to meet with the Entrepreneur-in-Residence and host a private lunch discussion during their stay.

Beginning in fall 2010, the CEI Ambassadors will support a monthly event called Startup Hour. The goal of this event is to transcend the silos of UF, synergizing the entrepreneurial efforts of students from different areas of campus while exponentially increasing their network. These meetings will be held on the third week of every month, and everyone is welcome to attend.  Entrepreneurs of Gainesville come out to talk and collaborate with anyone who wants to talk about anything.

The CEI Ambassadors partake in many social activities. We have internal social activities within the organization such as BBQs, bowling, dinners etc. We host external social activities with other clubs around the campus also.

The bulk of our activities come from our semester project which we decide on as a group. In the spring of 2007 we decided to tackle the task of forming a proposal for an entrepreneurship major at the University of Florida. In the fall of 2007 we created a workshop titled “Entrepreneurship for Dummies” (Program of the Year) in which we teach students entrepreneurship fundamentals. In the spring of 2008 we created the WCBA executive summary competition. In the fall of 2009 we held the annual Business Cup (Program of the Year), and last spring we brought the TEDx program to UF. Last fall we brought an advanced screening of the movie “The Social Network”, promoted “Swap Meet” to encourage internships at local startups, held the annual Business Cup, and created www.InnovationAtUF.com.  This spring we held the largest TEDx event in the southeast (TEDxUF).

We strongly encourage students from around the campus to get involved with CEI’s programs. By attending some of our events, students learn from and interact with entrepreneurs directly. As a result, the students learn the essence of entrepreneurship and innovation, take action, and become the leaders of fields that have yet to exist.

Apply to become a CEI Ambassador here: CEI Ambassador Application

Email questions to Stefan Wolff at stefanwolff@ufl.edu.