HELENA – Montana’s next million dollar idea could come from Carroll College.
This year the school’s business program has partnered with Silicon Valley’s longest-serving CEO Ray Zinn and his ‘zinnstarter’ program to award about $1,000 to three or four teams of student entrepreneurs for product prototype and business plan development.
But first, the teams presented their business ideas Wednesday to a nine-person all-student board of directors. Shark Tank-style.
Intimidating, sure, but a good taste of the business world.
“Most people in the general community would just kind of fumble their way through, or not through at all, and wind up not succeeding in their business,” said Carroll entrepreneur Rowan Van Brand of the benefit of the program. ” So this is a wonderful idea for helping young people, and first-time business starters to really get an idea what it means to run a business.”
Several other Montana businesses have also provided another $30,000 to help fund the entrepreneur in residence program beyond this semester.
