The next step—the ability to launch student-created concepts in the marketplace—has received a significant boost with a $5 million pledge from University alumnus Angel Alvarez, founder and chairman of ABB OPTICAL, and his family to establish the University Student Startup Accelerator or USTAAR.
The USTAAR program is open to any student or student team from any area of the University and will nurture and support their new ideas from inception to implementation.
Motivated by their own experiences as successful entrepreneurs, Alvarez and his brother, Victor, seek to galvanize student entrepreneurs—helping them turn their daydreams into real-life ventures. “Our vision is to be a catalyst that allows students to see how they can change the world,” explained Angel Alvarez.
The gift to create USTAAR is part of the University’s Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century. The most ambitious in the institution’s history, the $2.5 billion campaign is set to conclude in 2025, when the University will celebrate its centennial.
Full story: Elevating future generations of student entrepreneurs
