Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship

This piece was originally written for the Secretary of Commerce of Virginia

Governor Terry McAuliffe signed Executive Order 47 on August 24, establishing the Governor’s Council on Youth Entrepreneurship. The Council will be responsible for coordinating and implementing youth entrepreneurship initiatives and fostering the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem for young people in Virginia. The Council, which is co-chaired by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, includes student innovators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and educators from every region in the Commonwealth. Working with higher education and other public and private sector resources, the Council will conduct a comprehensive assessment of current local, state and federal programs and services available to young entrepreneurs. The Council will work closely with institutions of higher education and other state agencies to grow vibrant regional ecosystems across Virginia, while supporting opportunities to advance research, innovation and commercialization at Virginia’s colleges and universities.

The Council, which is co-chaired by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, includes student innovators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and educators from every region in the Commonwealth. Working with higher education and other public and private sector resources, the Council will conduct a comprehensive assessment of current local, state and federal programs and services available to young entrepreneurs. The Council will work closely with institutions of higher education and other state agencies to grow vibrant regional ecosystems across Virginia, while supporting opportunities to advance research, innovation and commercialization at Virginia’s colleges and universities.

Governor McAuliffe has identified the following initial key priorities for the Council:

1. Clarify and expand students’ intellectual property (IP) rights

2. Promote the formation of collaborative spaces for entrepreneurs and students to meet

3. Encourage schools to offer courses in entrepreneurship that are easily accessible to all students and to integrate innovation into curriculum

4. Identify ways for colleges and universities to award academic credit to students for starting a business

5. Remove unnecessary costs for students starting a business in Virginia

The initial report of the Council’s assessments and recommendations is due to the Governor no later than December 1, 2015.

>> Adolph Brown was a council member