Ivy Tech Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Be your own boss
What You'll Learn
Ready. Set. Launch.
The Ivy Tech Entrepreneurship program provides the education you need to meet your business goals. Whether you’re interested in creating an app or starting a catering company, you can find success with the support, network, and education offered through the program.
Students begin building their networks early as the Entrepreneurship program introduces them to community leaders from a variety of locally-owned companies and nonprofits. This empowers students to meet their own goals through a unique combination of mentorship and education, as they can learn what has and hasn't worked for those who have come before them.
Over the course of the program, Ivy Tech students can pitch their ideas to investors to gain funding for their startups. Many businesses across the state have successfully launched with the assistance of the program.
Here’s a glimpse into what you’ll do:
Create comprehensive Business Model Canvas to lay the foundation of your business idea by identifying all necessary components needed for success.
Learn about the legal requirements for running an enterprise.
Gain insight into the day-to-day operations of a small company.
Understand the entrepreneurial mindset.
Practice leadership and interpersonal skills as they relate to customer, employee, and supplier issues.
Understand financial concepts of business ownership including raising capital, understanding your financial position, and evaluating operating performance.
Career Options
The options are endless when it comes to entrepreneurship careers and salaries. Entrepreneurs are the visionaries and innovators working to advance our world in every sector. No matter what industry your business is in, Ivy Tech can come alongside you as you work towards your goals.
The Entrepreneurship program prepares you for the following careers:
Business Owner/Founder
CEO
COO
CFO
Partner
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Long-Term Certificate
– known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Short-Term Certificate
– known as a Certificate (CT)
You're a current student enrolled in another program looking for support in starting your business
You're interested in earning multiple credentials during your time at Ivy Tech
You're interested in supplementing your technical business courses with cross-disciplinary core coursework.
You're a current Ivy Tech student interested in supplementing your existing education with the knowledge and skills needed to launch a business
You're interested in earning multiple credentials during your time at Ivy Tech
You're looking for a certificate program to help you launch a business
You're interested in learning how to launch a startup, but not sure you want to pursue an associate degree You already have a degree and want the knowledge, support, and tools required to create a company
You're interested in learning how to launch a startup, but not sure you want to pursue an associate degree You already have a degree and want the knowledge, support, and tools required to create a company
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
Ivy Tech Student Spotlight: Laquisha Jackson
Her specialty? Hot and tasty, gourmet southern cuisine. Her passion? Feeding people. And through her business, non-profit, and consulting services, Laquisha Jackson feeds people in more ways than one.
“I love making people feel good and empowered,” Laquisha says. Laquisha is the founder and owner of Soulful Kitchen, which caters hearty, gourmet Southern cuisine dishes. Laquisha has been cooking since childhood and brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
Through Laquisha’s participation in the RISE Entrepreneurship Program, which equips emerging entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to contribute to economic development and sustainable communities, Laquisha further developed her expertise in scaling, growing, and networking for her business.
Laquisha says, “RISE helped me understand and develop the intricacies of the infrastructure of my business.” Through the program, Laquisha also perfected her public speaking and problem-solving skills, she explains. In particular, Laquisha noted specific assignments which required her to pitch new business ideas with only a few minutes of research.
“The top takeaway from [RISE] was to fall in love with the problem that I am solving, understanding that the solution will be the outcome,” Laquisha says.
Ivy Tech Student Spotlight: Ryan Ryker
Where some see trash, others see treasure. But Zokos founders, Ryan Ryker and Rod Baradaran see opportunity. “Eight out of 10 Amazon returns are thrown in the trash,” Ryker explains and clarifies that the majority of these returned items are in perfect condition.
In April of 2020, Ryker and Baradaran saw this black hole of inventory as a profitable opportunity and started Zokos, an eCommerce company that buys and sells returned online goods from companies like Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, and more.
In less than one year and during a global pandemic, what started as a two-person operation with a half truck load of inventory in just 400 square feet of facility space has flourished into a growing team now operating in a 15,000 square foot facility and having already sourced a quarter of a million dollars in returned goods during the first two months of 2021.
As a South Bend native himself, Ryker is motivated by the good his company is doing for the South Bend area community and beyond. Zokos transforms what is otherwise considered waste into accessible, quality home goods for people in the local community and surrounding areas. “This is my hometown. I want to see it succeed,” Ryker says. While the company may be sourcing its inventory from all over the world, Zokos harnesses local resources for its business operations.
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
The AAS in Entrepreneurship arms you with the tools you need to develop an idea and launch a startup. Students can choose to launch during the program if they're ready to do so. If they've already launched, Ivy Tech faculty can come alongside them to help them meet their future business goals. Through the program, you'll have access to a wide range of support from your facilitator, business visits, speakers, mentors, and a well-developed ecosystem. You can continue to draw upon this network as you continue to build your business after graduation.
Long-Term Certificate
known as a Technical Certificate (TC)
Already in another program? Consider stacking your credentials with the Entrepreneurship Technical Certificate (CT) program. This program teaches you essential skills to assist you in launching a startup. The Entrepreneurship program is easy to stack as there are only four core courses you must take. The other credits can come from courses you are already taking.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
If your goal is to earn an associate degree in Entrepreneurship, you can earn this certificate on your way. The TC is designed to provide a gateway into entry-level entrepreneurship careers. That means you may be able to enter the workforce in your desired field even before you graduate if your plan includes working while in school.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 31 credit hours:
Short-Term Certificate
known as a Certificate (CT)
The Entrepreneurship Certificate (CT) curriculum features three courses in entrepreneurial foundations, mindset and awareness, and new venture development.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
If your goal is to earn an associate degree or long-term certificate in Entrepreneurship, you can earn this certificate on your way. The CT is designed to provide a gateway into entry-level entrepreneurship careers. That means you may be able to enter the workforce in your desired field even before you graduate if your plan includes working while in school.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 16 credit hours.
While entrepreneurship comes with a lot of risks, it can be a great career choice for those with big ideas and a high level of self-motivation. These career paths can span every industry, so you can tailor your education and career to match your interests and ideas. Entrepreneurs also have high levels of freedom in terms of how, when, and where they work as well as how much they can earn.
Entrepreneurship often requires:
Self-motivation
Flexibility
Ability to set and meet goals
Innovation
Leadership
Ability to tolerate risk
Creativity
Vision
Persuasion
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the traits above, entrepreneurship may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
There are no prerequisite courses you must take prior to enrolling in this program.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least four weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Entrepreneurship Courses
Descriptions of Entrepreneurship courses can be found in our online course catalog:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our course list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Course Formats
The entrepreneurship program is an applied, hands on program that focuses on helping students start their own businesses by the end of the program. Students participate in business visits, benefit from speakers, mentors, and coaches in the classroom, and collaborate with their colleagues in the classroom. For this reason, this program is only offered in a face-to-face format on campus to provide entrepreneurs with the most immersive and rewarding experience.
Applying to Ivy Tech is Free & Easy
The Ivy Tech application is free and easy—you don’t need a certain test score, GPA, or class rank to get started at Ivy Tech. Applying takes about 10-15 minutes and can be completed entirely online.
No Application Deadlines
Ivy Tech does not have a deadline for admission. Our eight-week class sessions start throughout the year—in January, March, June, August, and October—and there is no hard deadline for applying for any of the start dates. It's important, though, to apply early enough that you'll be able to complete all the degree planning, financial aid, and registration activities that need to happen before your first day. We recommend you apply about one month before you intend to start classes. See upcoming start dates
STEPS TO APPLY
(1) Apply to Ivy Tech
If you’ve never applied to Ivy Tech Community College before (or if it’s been two years since you last attended classes here), your first step is to apply to Ivy Tech. You can apply online or in person. To apply in person, reach out to your local admissions team and arrange a meeting. Or, stop by any campus on any Tuesday for Tuesdays@TheTech to receive personal assistance with applying and registering for classes.
After you submit your application, you'll be asked to upload documentation—such as SAT/ACT/PSAT scores or high school and college transcripts—that can assess your readiness for college-level coursework and help us make sure you are taking classes that are the right fit for you. How to upload assessment documents
If you don't have your scores or transcripts at your fingertips, don’t worry. Go ahead and submit your application. You can go back to upload assessment documents at any time until the end of the term for which you applied.
(3) Look for a Confirmation Email
Once your application is processed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address provided on your application. Typically the email will arrive within 1-2 business days of submission, but during peak processing periods (April-June) could take up to 5-10 business days.
The email will contain instructions on how to register for classes, as well as important information regarding your Ivy Tech student portal (MyIvy account), tuition, payment options, and more.
(4) Create an Account in MyIvy
MyIvy is Ivy Tech's online student portal. Students use MyIvy to check e-mail, register for classes, pay tuition, manage financial aid, get the latest news and announcements, and much more. MyIvy also contains "QuickLinks" to the Ivy Tech websites and online tools you will use most often. Learn more about MyIvy
Before you can register for classes you will need to submit documentation or complete an assessment test. Your test scores can help us determine the best English and math starting classes for you. See the Test Score Course Placement Chart
If you submitted assessment documentation during the application process, your advisor will likely be able to work with those documents to determine course placement and you won't need to take any further steps. If you don't have any of those documents or the scores don't meet minimum thresholds, don’t worry! Your advisor will direct you to complete our free Knowledge Assessment to help develop your customized learning path to better prepare you for courses.
(6) Register for Classes
Once you have completed the steps above, you may register for classes. Ivy Tech students register for courses using the Schedule Builder tool which can be accessed within MyIvy. If you are a new, first-time Ivy Tech student, we recommend that you meet with your advisor who will help you develop your Academic Completion Plan and help you sign up for courses that are the best fit for you.
For a complete list of registration steps, including detailed registration steps, deadlines, and information about holds, withdrawals, waitlists, and refunds, visit our Registration 101 page.
(7) Pay Your Tuition
After registering for your courses, your bill can be viewed in your MyIvy account > Student Dashboard- > View/Pay Balance. Payments can also be made in your MyIvy account. For complete information about payments, including payment options, payment plans, how to make immediate payments, due dates, information about refunds, and more, visit our Payments page.
Ivy Tech + RISE
Ivy Tech partners with the Regional Innovation and Startup Education (RISE) to ensure Entrepreneurship students have access to the resources they need. Through RISE, our students create ecosystems, work with mentors, make a business model canvas, network, and gain valuable knowledge from speakers and local entrepreneurs.
Fall 2023 Entrepreneurship Certificate Program: This program can help you launch your business in just 3 classes. Fill out the inquiry form below to connect with us. Classes begin August 21.
Advising Team Ginny Leonard, Director of Academic Advising Advisor for: Exploratory/Undecided students [email protected]
Jenny Atkisson, Academic Advisor Advisor for: School of Business, Logistics and Supply Chain programs, School of Public and Social Services programs, and Psychology [email protected]
Sam Brunsman, Academic Advisor Advisor for: School of Information Technology, School of Health Sciences programs [email protected]
Lou Herchenroeder, Academic Advising Specialist Advisor for: School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Applied Sciences programs, General Studies, Liberal Arts and Education programs [email protected]
Rose Tobin, Nursing Success Coach Advisor and Success Coach for School of Nursing programs [email protected]
Sellersburg Academic Advising Center
8204 Hwy 311, Pfau Hall, G6
Sellersburg, IN 47172
Virtual On-Demand Service (video, voice, or live chat): Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET