Rebel Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Transcript

Let’s meet Alejandro. He’s a graduate student from Ecuador and he’s taken advantage of the many resources available at UNLV to foster innovation. He recently competed in the UNLV President’s Innovation Challenge with his proposal and business model to bring to life his vision of creating a more sustainable future. Why don’t you tell us all about it, Alejandro?

Thanks for the intro, Alex. Hello everyone. I was looking to study in the US, and UNLV was the perfect fit for me. It offers strong academic programs and excellent connections with the businesses in Las Vegas. As an MBA student with a background in economics, UNLV’s connections with the Las Vegas community have helped me learn about different industries. In addition to getting students involved in research, UNLV also helps students get involved in the community and develop their entrepreneurial spirit. One example is the UNLV President’s Innovation Challenge, a “Shark Tank”-style competition where UNLV students prepare and present a business idea to a panel of judges composed of faculty members and influential people from the Las Vegas community. This year, the theme of the competition was how to make southern Nevada more sustainable and more economically diversified. I teamed up with my two siblings who are also attending UNLV and one of my brother’s classmates. My brother is in a PhD program, I am in a master’s program, and my sister is in a bachelor’s program. Our business idea is to create fully compostable and biodegradable alternatives to single use plastics. We placed second in the competition and the university awarded us $15,000 and is committed to helping us succeed. As an international student, UNLV feels like home. Since the beginning, I have truly felt part of the Rebel family because of the university’s inclusive and diverse community. Furthermore, Las Vegas is a global city that attracts people from all over the world. No one here feels like a stranger. UNLV is helping me and my siblings grow academically and professionally and has given us the opportunity of working at the university since the beginning. We’re looking forward to giving back to the community in the future. Throwing it back to you, Alex.

Thanks, Alejandro. There’s no denying it, UNLV encourages innovation and entrepreneurship in all of its students by providing mentorship and ensuring they have access to the facilities they need, like the maker space at Black Fire Innovation, the UNLV Innovation Incubator, and the UNLV Library’s Patent and Trademark Resource Center. Incredible.