OU Expo to Highlight Entrepreneurs

A trade show fostering entrepreneurship across the University of Oklahoma Norman campus and surrounding community kicks off its second year Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Tom Love Innovation Hub, on OU’s Research Campus in Norman.

The Entrepreneurship Expo, scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m., allows entrepreneurs to exhibit their goods, services and concepts in an open forum.

“Bringing together the entrepreneurial community by hosting the Entrepreneurship Expo last year sparked innovation, relationships, pivots, sales and investment conversations,” said Denise Parris, assistant professor of entrepreneurship. “We are anticipating this year’s Expo to be even larger, with additional exhibitor space and support from our sponsors.”

Parris, who pitched the initial idea in fall 2018, said everyone came quickly onboard with the idea of featuring entrepreneurship in a trade show format.

“The two main goals are to highlight you are never too old or too young to be an entrepreneur, and to help facilitate building an entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Parris said. “The Expo is a collaborative effort across OU and the community.”

That ecosystem will enable and encourage the launching of successful ventures, Parris said.

Exhibitors will be divided into the following categories: early stage, which entails taking an idea on determining feasibility; developing a product, in which a proof of concept is already completed; testing, which means a first version of product is already developed; and selling, meaning an item or service is produced and ready to sell.

Exhibitors will have opportunities to meet with potential investors, generate leads and sales and build new business relationships.

The Michael F. Price College of Business’s Tom Love Division of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development and the Tom Love Innovation Hub collaboration coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 18-22. For more information, visit the OU Entrepreneurship Expo.