Become an Active Participant
With over 100 events scheduled throughout the year (that's more than three events per week), the EA is by far the most active club at Anderson. If you're interested in any part of entrepreneurship, the choice is simple: Join. Plan on coming to an event? Please read our Code of Conduct.
The EA is entirely student-run: We plan the events, invite the speakers, generate ideas for programs, and make it all happen. This is a club of entrepreneurs and is run in a spirit of entrepreneurship. Students are encouraged to innovate, from creating new events to inviting speakers in whom they're interested. Our success is up to you, our members, and the EA is here to make your goals attainable.
Programs
Entrepreneurial
EA Conference
The EA Conference is the premier event for the EA, serving students, alumni, entrepreneurs, and business executives through a full day of seminars and panel discussions. Anderson has welcomed over 300 attendees each year to share valuable insight on current topics in entrepreneurship, critical business skills and emerging technologies. Past keynote speakers include: Terry Semel, Former CEO of Yahoo!; Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com; Dan Gordon, Founder of Gordon Biersch; Paul Orfalea, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Kinkos; Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun Microsystems; Brent Rider, Founding General Partner of El Dorado Ventures; Malcolm Bricklin, Founder and CEO of Visionary Vehicles; Scott Ingraham, Former CEO of Rent.com; Kelly Perdew, winner of The Apprentice.
Entrepreneur in Residence
Entrepreneur in Residence offers small groups of students the chance to spend a day with an entrepreneur. Sessions are usually held off campus, and offer students a chance to learn firsthand the challenges and rewards of starting a new business. Previous trips have included visiting local entrepreneurs, such as the founders of Revolution Prep, as well as sponsored visits with the owners of Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston.
Vistage
Vistage is one of the most unique and rewarding programs at Anderson. Vistage is an international organization of entrepreneurs and CEOs that meet to examine and discuss issues and challenges that leaders face. Students selected for the program are placed into groups led by Vistage mentors, who are successful CEOs and entrepreneurs. Each month, the mentor arranges for his or her group to visit a new entrepreneur at his or her place of business. Students learn how CEOs and entrepreneurs make decisions and deal with challenges, both in their professional and personal lives.
Tech Transfer
The Tech Transfer program provides Anderson students a way to connect with other UCLA research centers, students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals to explore new entrepreneurial ideas. Through speaker events, mixers and workshops, the program gives Anderson students the opportunity to learn more about how bleeding edge intellectual property is developed and commercialized into viable companies. EA members also automatically have access to the Westwood Venture Alliance, a networking partnership between entrepreneurial graduate students at UCLA's engineering, business, law and medical schools.
Dinners For Eight
The Dinners for Eight program allows eight students to dine with a business leader or entrepreneur host in an intimate setting. Hosts volunteer as an opportunity to network and engage in constructive conversation with students. Members of the Anderson Board of Visitors and the Price Center Board of Advisors are encouraged to participate in the program as hosts. Other individuals with whom the EA has relationships are also invited to host dinners for eight. Participating students are selected based on a brief statement of interest, and past participation. D48 organizers strive to give everyone a chance to benefit from this very popular program. FEMBA, EMBA, and full-time MBAs are all eligible to participate and groups generally represent a good mix of the three. Participating in this program is a great way to establish contacts in various industries and to learn about the inspiring trials, successes and challenges that accomplished business people have undergone in order to get to where they are today.
Entrepreneurship 100 Series
This workshop series gives students broad exposure to entrepreneurship across a variety of topics. Prominent entrepreneurs and business leaders come to campus for afternoon and evening presentations to share their experiences and insights. Topics covered include transforming ideas into opportunities, securing start-up capital, and overcoming inertia. Workshops focus on the basics of starting a business and the small details that often go overlooked. The Entrepreneurship 100 Series Owner Manager will also help coordinate the Entrepreneurship Across Industries events.
Entrepreneurship Speaker Series
The speaker series program features guest speaker lectures covering entrepreneurial issues across a variety of topics. Topics include everything from industry trends to personal experience. The Speaker Series provides a networking forum for students and entrepreneurs with similar interests. Speaker Series Owner Managers recruit and provide support for directors in each focus area, and act as liaisons between related Anderson clubs. Focus areas include: * Women in Entrepreneurship * Entrepreneurship in Life Sciences * Corporate Entrepreneurship * Entrepreneurship in Entertainment * Entrepreneurship in Sports * Global / International Entrepreneurship * Entrepreneurship in Real Estate * Social Entrepreneurship * Entrepreneurship in Small, Family, & Lifestyle Businesses * Entrepreneurship in High Tech
Internship Fair
The EA Internship Fair is a new event that will give students the opportunity to meet and talk to entrepreneurs building new businesses. Entrepreneurs often need help but do not have the resources to do traditional on-campus recruiting. The EA Internship fair is an opportunity for students who would like experience working in entrepreneurial environments or are interested in internships to meet and network with local entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship Week
Entrepreneurship Week is a week's worth of events related to entrepreneurship and is a joint effort between Anderson and UCLA's other graduate programs including law, medicine, engineering, theater, film & television, and arts & architecture. The goal of Entrepreneurship Week is to bring students and members of the local business community together to create a culture of entrepreneurship at UCLA. Events are held throughout the week and include keynote speakers, new product demonstrations, networking events, and panel discussions on topics related to entrepreneurship.
Project ECHO
Project ECHO is a high school business plan development competition. Anderson students have the opportunity to mentor high school students and act as judges during the final competition. Project ECHO is a very rewarding program and is a great chance to get involved in the local community.
General
General EA events, including the EA Kickoff.
Venture Capital
Private Equity 100 Series and Private Equity Panel
The Private Equity Panel series teaches students about the industry and provides opportunities for students interested in a career in private equity. Annual events include seminars, networking sessions with local private equity professionals, and the Private Equity Roundtable, where students can meet and learn from local private equity professionals in a small group setting.
Venture Capital 100 Series and Deal Review
VC 100 Series and Deal Review are educational events that give students an overview of the venture capital industry. Events build from a broad introduction to the industry to advanced topics including term sheets and valuation. The series culminates with Deal Review where students have the opportunity to evaluate and provide feedback on student business plans competing in the Knapp Venture Competition.
Venture Capital Panel and Speaker Series
Meet the professionals who will fund your company before it goes public. West Coast venture capitalists talk about their path into the industry, walk Anderson students through the VC investment process, and share the highs and lows of fighting on the front lines of building new businesses. The Owner Manager will recruit speakers, either individually or in panels, that will include venture capital professionals and angel investors to discuss the state of the industry.
Venture Capital Roundtable
The Venture Capital Roundtable is a premier event that attracts over 60 venture capitalists and more than 100 MBA students interested in venture capital, private equity and entrepreneurial development. The event includes a networking reception, a keynote presentation, and a series of roundtable discussions. The event is a chance for students interested in venture capital to talk to professional venture capitalists about current industry trends and opportunities.
eLabs
Entrepreneurship Labs (eLabs) is an opportunity for students to pitch their business ideas and get constructive feedback in a fun and supportive environment. eLabs is one of the most popular EA programs and is a great place to test an idea, form a team, or find a mentor.
Knapp Venture Competition
Since 1971, the Knapp Venture Competition has funded innovation at Anderson. Participants undergo an intensive learning experience of preparing and presenting a unique business idea to a panel of professional investors. During their careers, most Anderson students will at some point start, advise, or finance a growing business. The Knapp competition prepares students for this experience by simulating the process of starting and evaluating a new enterprise.
Contacts Council
Alumni Outreach
The Alumni Outreach Owner Manager serves as a liaison to Anderson's vast alumni network. The goal of the program is to help current students expand their networks, and to facilitate alumni involvement at EA events. The Owner Manager will look for creative ways to involve alumni in EA activities, such as by organizing networking events, writing stories about entrepreneurial alumni for the Exchange, and coordinating speaking engagements and workshops.
Entrepreneurs' Organization
Entrepreneurs' Organization is a volunteer group of business professionals under the age of 40 who are owners, founders, co-founders, or controlling shareholders of companies with annual sales of $1 million or more. The EO Owner Manager serves as a liaison to the local EO chapter and organizes roundtable events throughout the year. The annual EO Roundtable brings EA members into an intimate setting with entrepreneurs who have created successful ventures.
Young Presidents' Organization
The Young Presidents Organization is a network of more than 9,500 young global business leaders in more than 75 nations who exchange ideas and share strategies to achieve personal and professional growth. The YPO Owner Manager serves as a liaison to Southern California chapters, organizes roundtable events, and facilitates YPO involvement in EA programs throughout the year.