Rice’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) is hosting a Festival of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology and Art (FIESTA) Aug. 29-Sept. 1 to showcase its work, resources and capabilities.
Lilie provides everything entrepreneurs need to go from idea to launch to real-world impact through training, mentorship, collaborative coworking space, equity-free funding opportunities and other resources.
“We’re excited to showcase mind-blowing research and innovation from Rice University faculty, students and alumni,” wrote Priscilla Hernandez, marketing specialist for Lilie, in an announcement to campus.
Because entrepreneurship doesn’t live only in the business school, students from all disciplines are encouraged to participate in the four-day event. FIESTA is open to the entire Rice community and includes multiple opportunities to hear from faculty and alumni who have successfully taken advantage of Lilie’s resources and launched startups in the technology, government, nonprofit, small business and corporate sectors, among others.
The festival begins Aug. 29 with a keynote speech by Jacob Robinson, a Rice associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering who founded Motif Neurotech, which is focused on minimally invasive electronic solutions for mental health. There will also be an opportunity to meet with Lilie mentors.
On Aug. 30, Rice faculty and student entrepreneurs will share what inspired their research and how their ventures are faring. The first two days’ events will be held in Lilie’s space in the Cambridge Office Building.
Aug. 31 features the Entrepreneurship Resource Fair outside the Rice Memorial Center, where representatives of entrepreneurial-minded student organizations will be available to connect with potential new members. On Sept. 1, Rice and Lilie alumni will come together for a networking event with students at the Lilie Outpost in McNair Hall.
Lilie’s mission is to equip Rice students with both the entrepreneurial skills and mindset to become innovators through experiential learning and co-curricular activities. The lab hosts more than 20 skill-building, speaker, competition and networking events for students as well as 36 undergraduate and graduate programs – such as 1st Pitch and Launchpad.
Lilie was created in 2015 thanks to a gift from Houston entrepreneur and alumnus Frank Liu and his family. Rice graduates have launched 297 businesses launched through the lab’s programs.
To register for the events, visit https://entrepreneurship.rice.edu/fiesta.