Can anything match the excitement of watching a chance encounter evolve into something real? What a thrill it was to stand in a conference room at the College of Business Administration and welcome leaders of the MIT Venture Mentor Service (VMS) to Florida International University (FIU). A group of 15 South Florida business leaders and […]
Tag: Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center
FIU alumnus eyes global opportunity.
Florida International University (FIU) graduate Andres Franco (BBA ’08) touts the importance of having great vision. As founder and owner of Premium Vision International (PVI), the leading distributor of glasses and optical accessories in Colombia, South America, Franco is involved in an industry-wide campaign to make eyewear affordable for consumers in developing countries. “The major […]
iVentures: Power of a chance encounter
Have you ever had a chance encounter that turned into a pivotal move for your business? Maybe it was a quick chat at a party that didn’t seem to mean anything at the time—but months later, held out amazing possibilities. How did you decide to let it drop or follow it up? In the spring […]
Haar to heart: An inconvenient truth—the federal government, not Wall Street, deserves the greatest blame
If one were to combine elements of Franz Kafka’s unfinished novel The Castle, Edward Albee’s Zoo Story and the Spanish Inquisition, one would have the recent congressional hearings on alleged malfeasance by Wall Street investment firms. The persecutory behavior and theatrics displayed by a number of Senate inquisitors were matched only by their appalling ignorance […]
iVentures: Growing a “gut feeling” at the iEntrepreneurship Lab
How do angel investors and venture capitalists make the decision about investing in a new venture? How do they determine if the company they are betting on is worth $7 million, $25 million or $100 million? The “art” of due-diligence fascinates me. I call it an art, because as much as we apply sound financial […]
iVentures: TEDx—A “Tipping Point”
Whenever you throw a party, there’s always a tipping point—the moment you know you have enough of a crowd for your guests to begin great conversations. The same principle can be applied to any dynamic community, including South Florida’s high tech and venture capital sectors. The ability to conduct a productive exchange, generate ideas and […]
FIU alumna Katie Jane, business woman and singer, scores big for the Miami Heat.
With a title of “account manager, corporate partnerships” for the Miami Heat, Katie Jane (BS ’07) shows companies how the giant LED motion graphic display outside the American Airlines Arena in Miami can deliver their advertising message with enormous results. Jane credits her courses in the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU) […]
Faculty Notes
Decision Sciences and Information Systems Irma Becerra-Fernandez (PhD ’94), professor and director, Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center and fellow, Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center, has co-authored a book titled Business Intelligence, published by Wiley. Finance and Real Estate John Zdanowicz, professor and Florida International Bankers Association Chair, has continued to contribute to work on the topic of […]
iVentures: Creative Time
Hello and welcome to my blog. I joined the Pino Center as its director last June. Since that time, my life has been a whirlwind of meetings and endless travel. In my “downtime” (like when I drive to work), I have often wondered: How can I share my thoughts on entrepreneurship, and the exciting work […]
Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame to honor two individuals, one company.
A lively evening that combines multiple awards, a networking reception, a silent auction and an induction ceremony will mark the 11th annual Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame (EHOF) ceremony. At the event, “Beyond Ideas: The Art of Entrepreneurship,” the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU) will honor alumnus Carlos Duart (MST ’99, BACC […]