Full Court Press as a Come-from-Behind Strategy to Win the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Game: A Case Study at the University of Pittsburgh

This paper reflects on the process followed in the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh to cultivate an innovative and entrepreneurial culture among students and faculty. As a member of the first cohort of the Pathways program, a strategic process was initiated to unlock the innovation capabilities of students and to feed the demand that early activities suggested existed for more entrepreneurial-focused courses and programs. The plan focused on four inter-related areas of development: people, policies, places, and programs. This paper describes steps undertaken for each key area, as well as why it is believed that each of these areas is necessary for a healthy and sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship culture. Quantified measures of results in each area are presented to describe progress and performance. The near-term mission of the program is to develop a culture in which students learn to create, cultivate, and launch impactful ideas, but the long-term goal is for students to carry those skills with them to realize impactful careers of innovation and entrepreneurship.