Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator

University of Wisconsin Stout•Platteville, WI

About The Position

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator develops and delivers entrepreneurship, innovation, and K–12 standards-aligned programming through the Huff Family Innovation Center (HFIC), the Mobile Incubator, and the Platteville Business Incubator. The position is the primary coordinator of community-based entrepreneurship education, founder development programs, innovation outreach, and regional partnership initiatives throughout Southwest Wisconsin and the Driftless Region. Working with schools, libraries, entrepreneurs, economic development organizations, faculty, students, and community stakeholders, the Coordinator expands access to entrepreneurial training, innovation programming, prototyping resources, business incubation services, and university-supported learning opportunities. The role helps build a regional culture of innovation by delivering consistent programming across the Mobile Incubator, HFIC, and the Platteville Business Incubator. The Coordinator also supports student engagement and experiential learning, assesses program participation and outcomes, assists with sponsorship and grant reporting when applicable, and contributes to marketing and outreach communications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship, business administration, education, community development, communications, marketing, STEM education, library studies, or a related field.
Strong public speaking, facilitation, and presentation skills.
Ability to engage audiences ranging from K–12 students to adult professionals.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
Strong organizational and event-planning skills.
Ability to work independently while building collaborative partnerships.
Demonstrated commitment to customer service and community engagement.

Nice To Haves

Experience in entrepreneurship, small-business development, startup support, or economic development.
Experience working with business incubators, innovation centers, makerspaces, libraries, or community education programs.
Experience developing curriculum, educational resources, or instructional materials.
Experience managing grant-funded programs or projects.
Experience working with youth entrepreneurship, workforce development, or STEM education initiatives.
Experience building partnerships across educational, governmental, nonprofit, and business sectors.
Familiarity with design thinking, innovation methodologies, customer discovery, or entrepreneurial ecosystem development.

Responsibilities

Coordinate the scheduling, deployment, and operation of the Mobile Incubator throughout Southwest Wisconsin.
Develop, organize, and help facilitate entrepreneurship, innovation, prototyping/makerspace, and small-business education programs at regional libraries and schools.
Coordinate the logistics, materials, curriculum, and resources needed to deliver Mobile Incubator programs.
Evaluate program effectiveness, identify improvements, and maintain records of participation, outcomes, and regional impact.
Work with campus partners to develop and execute a sponsorship avenue for future funding.
Coordinate educational programming and entrepreneur engagement at the Platteville Business Incubator with the UWP School of Business and local partners.
Develop workshops, speaker series, networking events, and educational opportunities for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and small-business owners.
Help entrepreneurs identify and access university resources, prototyping services, technical expertise, mentors, and community support networks.
Support tenant engagement and community-building in the incubator.
Adapt and deliver HFIC educational programming for schools, libraries, community centers, and partner organizations on makerspace use, safety, and best practices.
Facilitate workshops on creativity, innovation, design thinking, EDP, emerging technologies, problem solving, and entrepreneurial mindset development.
Support K–12 youth entrepreneurship initiatives, career exploration programs, camps, after-school programs, and community learning experiences at HFIC, PBII, rural partner locations, and virtually.
Represent HFIC and university innovation initiatives at public events, conferences, and community gatherings.
Develop opportunities for UWP student involvement in entrepreneurship programs, outreach, workshops, and events.
Collaborate with faculty and staff to create experiential learning opportunities connecting students with PBII businesses, entrepreneurs, and community organizations.
Support student participation in PBII and HFIC resources, entrepreneurship, and small-business development activities, and create connections between graduating students and PBII resources.
Track participation and program outcomes; support sponsorship and grant reporting requirements when applicable.
Work with marketing to document stories, impacts, and community achievements, and assist with marketing, outreach communications, and program promotion.