Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, received the Outstanding Contributions to Advancing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education Award at the 2023 Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Higher Education.
The honor recognizes the individual who has demonstrated extraordinary achievements in entrepreneurship in higher education. Founded by Desh Deshpande, a successful serial entrepreneur, the symposium brings together academics, policy planners and practitioners to discuss best practices in integrating entrepreneurship throughout their universities and draws those at the forefront of innovation in higher education.
During Burke’s 22 years leading the program, the Rice Alliance has had a transformative impact on the university, the Greater Houston community and the landscape of university entrepreneurship across the country, Rice President Reginald DesRoches noted in his nomination letter.
“Brad’s sustained leadership has been a driving force in making these transformative accomplishments within Rice and the broader higher education community,” DesRoches wrote.
Internationally, one of the most well-known Rice entrepreneurship programs is the Rice Alliance and Jones Graduate School of Business’s Rice Business Plan Competition. Burke has grown the program from nine regional universities competing for $10,000 in 2001 to 42 global teams competing for $3.4 million in prizes in 2023.
This award for Burke reflects more than 2 decades leadership by the entire Rice Alliance team as a catalyst for growing Rice University’s innovation and entrepreneurship culture and programming.