April 2013

Applications Due May 1 for Fourth Annual Leavey School of Business Program

SANTA CLARA, Calif. April 5, 2013 – More than 35 California-based enterprises will be selected for six months of intensive entrepreneurship training led by Santa Clara University business school faculty in the 4th annual California Program for Entrepreneurship (CAPE), which begins in June.

Participants attend classes, complete workshops, and are mentored by members of SCU's advisory boards, alumni and volunteer network. The program is available at no cost to accepted participants (apart from travel expenses to and from the University).  Applications will be accepted through May 1; the online form and details are found at www.scu.edu/business/cie/CAPE.cfm.

“A successful Silicon Valley business doesn’t have to be high-tech, but most resources for entrepreneurs around the Bay Area are focused on how to develop the newest technology ,” said Daniel Aguiar, the executive director of the Santa Clara’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which created the CAPE program in 2010. “Our vision for entrepreneurial education is broader than that.”

CAPE has proved to be a valuable training ground for businesses that seek an extra edge for marketing, strategizing, focusing on their business plan, or discovering finance options. Among businesses developed through CAPE over the last three years are:  a family business producing portable shower systems for mobility-impaired users; a gluten-free, vegan bakery; and a line of bio-nutritional soil treatment products for landscapers. More than 65 entrepreneurs have completed the program. 

Selection is based on quality of the business concept, opportunity for growth and scalability, and potential to make an economic impact on the community. The participants will complete virtual exercises, work with faculty coaches and mentors, and join colleagues in two weekend sessions at Santa Clara University over the summer.

In September the cohort will return to the campus for an intensive, week-long workshop, after which they will prepare their business ‘pitch’ before another onsite weekend session in October. The program culminates in a $5,000 business plan contest and completion ceremony in November.

“For more than 150 years, California’s businesses have depended on Santa Clara University for people who put ideas to work,” said Drew Starbird, dean of the Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business. “CAPE is another way we help business—and the community—succeed.”

About Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business
The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University began in 1923, and was one of the first business schools in the country to receive national accreditation. Its undergraduate business, MBA, and Executive MBA programs are consistently ranked among the top in the nation by BusinessWeek, U.S. News, Princeton Review, and others. The curriculum at all levels emphasizes the leadership role of business in creating prosperity within an ethical framework, as well as business responsibilities for social justice and sustainability in the global marketplace. The School opened its $49 million building for undergraduate, graduate, and professional business education in Fall 2008. For more information, see www.scu.edu/business/

Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121