Owlspark receives $200k grant for entrepreneurship

By Dixita Viswanath     4/18/13 7:00pm

OwlSpark, Rice University's newest organization to further entrepreneurship by Rice students, recently received a $200,000 grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. The funding will go toward social entrepreneurship ventures that will be added to the program this summer, according to OwlSpark co-founder Veronica Saron.

Saron, a Will Rice College junior, said OwlSpark will provide Rice-affiliated startups with the resources, funding and space required to launch companies and that the funds will go toward living expenses, basic prototype creation and implementation for startups accepted

this summer.

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"The second priority for funds will be for program costs during the summer, since mentoring is all via volunteer," Saron said. "Right now, there is a fundraising campaign going on within the [Office of Resource Development] for the continued endowment of OwlSpark as a program and institution here on campus."

Saron said OwlSpark has funding through Rice University, the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership and, the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Will Rice College freshman Victoria Arango said she is excited for the continuing opportunities at Rice for entrepreneurship.

"Having this club on campus allows student to interact with businesses in a formal manner and give them the opportunity to improve their skills before [entering] the real world," Arango said.

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