The doors are open, the phones are ringing and the students have assignments and goals. The College of Business Center for Entrepreneurship for the New West is now up and running! One of the college's partners in this innovative program is TechRanch, a Bozeman based resource center for entrepreneurs. Their website states that the vision of TechRanch is a world-class business incubator defining the best practices in starting, capitalizing and launching technology companies. While TechRanch provides the environment and assistance, the entrepreneur provides the will and the drive to achieve success. Our students then help the entrepreneur and learn first-hand about start-up businesses.

Senator Burns was recently a guest at the center, TechRanch and our other partner in this venture, TechLink. Burns was given a tour of facility and met the COB students currently stationed at the center. Burns also attended a presentation highlighting three of the TechRanch s clients and the projects and services they are working on. The afternoon was set up to give Burns a better understanding of the strengths the center will have for Montana and how the partnerships will enhance the growth of start-up businesses and the benefits to the economy.

In an article in the Bozeman Chronicle about the senator s visit to the center, COB dean Rich Semenik was quoted to say, "Students of Montana have a great entrepreneurial spirit and have a great desire to stay in Montana."

Currently, COB students from the center are working for a plant scientist, a software developer, a language translation firm and a chemist working on plant therapies. This fall, COB will add a new minor in Entrepreneurship for all students of MSU.

Be watching for great things to happen at The Center for Entrepreneurship for the New West!