By providing mentorship, workshops, and potential funding, the TCU Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship’s CREATE program empowers emerging entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality and cultivates the next generation of innovators.
September 23, 2024
By Kelly Kjetsaa
There is no monopoly on possessing an entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, Neeley School of Business professors have been extending opportunities to TCU students of all majors and those students are presenting innovative ventures through CREATE, an accelerator program operated through the TCU Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
“Just show up” is the advice Paul Evans gives to students of any discipline with a business idea they want to pursue or a startup already underway. Evans, an associate director for the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the program leader for CREATE, emphasizes that opportunity often comes to those willing to take the first step.
The CREATE program, powered by the Shaddock Seed Fund, is dedicated to helping TCU students of all majors develop and launch their business ideas. By providing essential mentorship, resources and funding, CREATE fosters an entrepreneurial environment that nurtures innovation.
The CREATE program and its resources exist because of the support of Bill Shaddock, a perennial champion for entrepreneurship and innovation at TCU. Shaddock has allowed the institute to build CREATE into a nationally ranked program that supports all TCU students.
Each fall, interested students attend information sessions and apply to showcase their business concepts in a business accelerator with other students in their college or school. The top pitch winners are accepted into a spring accelerator class with 10 teams who ultimately vie for access to up to $50,000 in capital to support their business.
CREATE produces inspiring success stories from students, highlighting the creativity emerging from TCU. As students apply this fall, read on to meet three student entrepreneurs who advanced through last year’s program and whose ventures are poised to make a significant impact beyond campus.
Madhavam Shahi, Computer Science (TCU College of Science & Engineering)
Quipler is a social networking platform designed specifically for college students to foster anonymous academic collaboration. Founder Madhavam Shahi, a junior computer science major, was inspired to create Quipler after observing students struggle to access academic support outside of class. The platform allows users to connect anonymously to ask questions, collaborate with classmates and seek peer study support.
Winning funding through the CREATE accelerator provided Shahi and his team with seed funding to enhance the platform and its marketing. This support enabled them to expand the system, add features like class reviews and tutor management and develop an Android app, all while improving user experience through an interdisciplinary approach.
“Collaborating with students from diverse disciplines broadened my perspective on how to build a product that appeals to a wider audience,” Shahi explained. “For instance, input from fine arts students helped refine the user interface, while engineers provided insights into scaling the platform technically.”
Reagan Oates, Graphic Design (TCU College of Fine Arts)
Senior graphic design major Reagan Oates presented Reagan Oates Design at the CREATE accelerator pitch day. Her graphic design agency delivers bold design, photography, and branding solutions for startups. However, as with any entrepreneurial journey, Oates faced obstacles along the way, particularly in demonstrating the distinct value of her services in a saturated market.
“One of the biggest challenges I faced was articulating why businesses and startups would choose my graphic design services over AI-generated designs and other agencies in the competitive DFW area,” said Oates, who is minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. “With the guidance of Paul Evans and the Institute of Entrepreneurship, I identified and refined my unique target audience, which helped me differentiate my brand and elevate my business.”
The CREATE program also gave her the funding to invest in professional equipment, which impressed clients and further legitimized her business, Oates said. Following her graduation in May, Oates plans to expand her business by renting a studio space and transforming Reagan Oates Design into a full-time agency.
Keeley Giles, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (TCU Neeley School of Business)
A fourth-year entrepreneurship and innovation major, Keeley Giles pitched KeeleyRae Embroidery at last year’s CREATE accelerator pitch day after identifying a demand for personalized embroidery services in college and corporate settings. Her passion for unique designs led her to believe KRE could thrive by focusing on quality craftsmanship and online marketing. Giles credits her time participating in CREATE with significantly refining her business.
“The mentorship, workshops and feedback I received gave me a deeper understanding of how to navigate challenges and make informed decisions,” said Giles. “The program has shaped me into a more strategic, resilient, and forward-thinking entrepreneur.”
Financial modeling and marketing workshops, along with networking opportunities, were particularly valuable, providing her with the tools and insights needed to streamline her business model and better position KRE for growth, said Giles.
With another success story, alumna Lindsey Dixon ’20 benefitted from CREATE when she was a Neeley graduate school student, and has become a campus icon known for her vintage TCU gear collection business, Fans Vintage. During her final year as an entrepreneurship MBA student, she participated in CREATE, which she credits with refining her business concept amid the challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through a venture ideas course taught by Michael Sherrod, William M. Dickey Entrepreneur in Residence, Dixon discovered the inspiration and foundation for what would later become Fans Vintage. Her journey highlights the transformative potential of TCU’s entrepreneurial resources.
“Through the tremendous continued support from professors Michael Sherrod, Paul Evans, and Rodney D’Souza [Davis Family Entrepreneur in Residence and executive director for the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation], I not only scaled my business but got increasingly involved with Neeley’s entrepreneurial endeavors post-graduation as my business grew, including the Shaddock Marketplace.”
