Idea Factory is a central hub where entrepreneurial mindset, human-centered design and social innovation all come together to spark world-changing ideas at TCU. Students create realistic solutions for complex challenges while learning how those solutions impact society – presenting their ideas in competitions and showcase-style events to receive feedback, guidance and even seed money.
Bringing human-centered ideas to life.
Social Impact
Creating a vision for positive change and learning how to analyze data to develop a deeper understanding of end-users and of cause-and-effect relationships between businesses and society.
Creative Problem-Solving
Exploring ideas that solve real-world problems and optimizing those ideas with guidance in strategy, analysis and prototyping methods.
Cross-discipline Collaboration
Working with fellow students across academic disciplines, including business, engineering, design and social sciences, for more well-rounded solutions.
Personal Growth
Practice creating and presenting original ideas and leveraging feedback and mentorship from industry experts and faculty members.
Opportunities
Side Hustle Showcase
This showcase is a chance for students to present “side hustle” style entrepreneurship ideas – from baking cookies to producing videos or assisting the elderly – to receive feedback from entrepreneurial professionals and even to win seed money. The supportive environment empowers students to share their passions, build confidence and foster connections within our campus community. The showcase centers around trifold board displays and takes place each spring.
Social Impact Design Challenge
Each April, this annual competition invites students to develop ideas for innovative ventures that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Looking through the lens of social entrepreneurship, students compete for cash prizes while gaining practical insights into design thinking and how to leverage data to show a clear link between their business and its impact on society.
Pitch Your Passion
This more relaxed weekly event allows students to share business ideas at their earliest stages, taking advantage of immediate feedback from peers and mentors. Open to all TCU students who have a passion for innovation, this event fosters creativity and collaboration, offering a space to refine ideas and connect with like-minded individuals.
About Us
The Idea Factory is an initiative within the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Neeley School of Business. We are dedicated to supporting the innovative and creative spirit of TCU students and the entire TCU community by providing an inclusive environment, innovative and human-centered frameworks, and resources to advance ideas and drive creative solutions.
Mission: Supporting the innovative and creative spirit of TCU.
Vision: To be the hub for human-centered, cross-disciplinary innovation at TCU.
Values:
- Radical collaboration
- Empathy, optimistic spirit
- Fail fast and forward
- Experiment relentlessly
- Do work that matters
