Entrepreneurship celebration returns to Cornell University in late April

ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University will honor Tiffany Norwood, a 1989 graduate who has launched seven startups, as Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 during its Entrepreneurship at Cornell celebration April 28-29.

The event brings together students, alumni, staff, and community members with an interest in entrepreneurship, according to a release on the Cornell Chronicle website.

“We are excited to be back in person with a celebration this year,” Zach Shulmany, director of entrepreneurship at Cornell, said. “Bringing entrepreneurial people together creates an energy that’s inspiring to see, and we know that this event fosters great connections for attendees.”

A number of other speakers will be featured including: Kavita Bala, dean of the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science; Scott Belsky, a 2002 Cornell graduate, CPO of Adope, author, and investor; Mac Cummings, a 2001 grad, CEO and co-founder of Terakeet; Marissa Saporta, a 1999 graduate, CEO and co-founder of Gorilla Commerce; Savneet Singh, a 2005 grad, president and CEO of PAR Technology Corp.; and Fredrik Wester, CEO and founder of Paradox Interactive.

Norwood’s talk, from 4:30-5:40 p.m. on April 28 in Statler Hall Auditorium, is free and open to the public. It will feature an interactive presentation of her entrepreneurial journey. Her company, Tribetan, uses technology, music, video, and animations to teach entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical creativity.

Norwood is also co-founder of SimWin Sports, the first-ever digital sports league platform with tokens, online betting, and e-sports fantasy tournaments.

The conference will also include eLab Demo Day, announcement of the Student Business of the Year winner, and the BenDaniel Venture Challenge.

Demo Day, set for 5:30-7 p.m. on April 28 in Statler Hall Auditorium, and also allows the public to attend for no charge. Student teams who are part of the eLab business accelerator will present their businesses and progress made so far this year. The 19 businesses that are part of the lab include a platform to address shortages at nursing homes, an app to help friends decide what movies and shows to watch together, and a service offering customized travel experiences in Morocco.

“This year’s eLab cohort features the largest group of student teams in the history of the program,” Ken Rother, eLab program director, said in the release. “We are excited to bring this event back in person and highlight the progress these companies have made as they prepare for launch.”

The BenDaniel Venture Challenge from 12-1:50 p.m. on April 28 in the Statler Amphitheater is also free and open to the public. This event, the Big Red Venture’s annual pitch competition, gives five companies the chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors.

All other conference events are open only to registered participants. The cost for the entire conference is $100 for the general public, $50 for faculty/staff, and no cost for students. Registration is available online at celebration2022.splashthat.com.