The Strome College of Business at Old Dominion University will host a virtual colloquium on transitional entrepreneurship on June 18 and 19. The colloquium is the first of a series of annual colloquia supported by a grant from the E.W. Kauffman Foundation.
Transitional entrepreneurship describes entrepreneurs who launch ventures to accomplish significant life or career transitions. The conference will focus on scholarship concerning entrepreneurship among individuals from the following backgrounds:
- Military veterans
- Minorities
- Women
- Immigrants
- Refugees
- Economic distress
Organized by Department of Management Chair Anil Nair and Assistant Professor Li-Wei Chen, with support from doctoral student Chris Willis, faculty, students and staff from the department and the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), the colloquium will feature panel discussions and paper presentations. More than 100 scholars, policymakers and entrepreneurs from 14 countries are planning to attend.
"I am pleased that Strome College of Business is hosting this important international colloquium," Provost Austin Agho said. "Entrepreneurship, diversity and community are focus areas for the University. The colloquium has attracted a diverse group of scholars to address issues that are critical to our society and particularly to the Hampton Roads region - entrepreneurship among veterans, minorities, women, immigrants and individuals in economic distress. I thank the Kauffman Foundation for supporting the university's initiatives."
Nair was awarded the $400,000 grant last fall as part of the Kauffman Foundation's Knowledge Challenge initiative, which focuses on "grants that seek to answer questions based on real-world problems facing entrepreneurs and their communities. An emphasis throughout the portfolio includes grants for programs and projects that advance knowledge about entrepreneurship and economic mobility, and support an inclusive pipeline of entrepreneurship researchers," according to the foundation's website.
"Transitional Entrepreneurship is a concept that we introduced in our 2015-20 strategic plan, and it continues to be strategic pillar for the Strome College of Business," Dean Jeff Tanner said. "This colloquium aligns well with Strome's mission of research that engages with community challenges. I am glad to see that the colloquium has attracted a stellar group of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. It is only through such joint efforts that we can develop solutions that impact transitional communities around the world."
"Transitional entrepreneurship is essential to economic growth and innovation," added Nancy Grden, IIE associate vice president. "We thank the Kauffman Foundation for its support of the Strome College of Business and IIE, which allows us to convene thought leaders and practitioners for this topic of national interest."
