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Two MUIDSI students, Paul Schuler (MS DSA program) and Jeffrey Appiagyei (Informatics PhD program) were recently awarded funding for their business ventures by Entrepreneur Quest (EQ).
For University of Missouri students with bold ideas, Entrepreneur Quest (EQ) is the ultimate launchpad. Over the course of a semester, participants gain real-world business skills, one-on-one guidance from mentors and a powerful network of campus and community supporters.
Offered by the Griggs Innovators Nexus, EQ has invested more than $223,000 in student ventures since 2018. Even more impressive, however, are the enduring benefits EQ graduates carry with them. And often EQ is a springboard for additional competitions and business accelerators.
Success after EQ can take many different forms. Some students continue building their businesses on the side while working full time in a related industry to gain more knowledge and financial stability.
“Students involved in the program find that the real-world experience gained from launching a viable business and pitching it to win funding makes them attractive job candidates,” Kelsey Raymond, Mizzou’s new executive director of entrepreneurship program, said.
Others discover after conducting market research that they need to pursue a different business idea.
“An entrepreneur’s greatest strength isn’t just perseverance, it’s adaptability,” said Greg Bier, entrepreneur in residence at the Griggs Nexus, located in the Mizzou Student Center. “The decision to pivot isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a big picture move driven by evolving awareness. The entrepreneurial mindset is one of continuous curiosity — always scanning for unmet needs, emerging trends and new opportunities.”