1. Intercollegiate Sports Meets
Entrepreneurship:
A Model for Co-opetition
Dean Chang
Associate VP for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

4. National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition
Final Four
ACC Clean Energy Challenge Who will be the Clean Dream Team?

5. $2 Million DOE National Clean
Energy Business Plan Competition
• ACC Challenge is one of six regional
competitions awarded by Dept of Energy
• Goals:
– Commercialize promising clean energy
technologies from University and National
Laboratories
– Train students for careers in clean energy
and entrepreneurship
• Awarded to University of Maryland

7. ACC Clean Energy Challenge:
Why ACC Sports Theme?
• The Atlantic Coast Conference
– annually conducts over $4 billion in cutting-edge research
– is the top-rated BCS conference in the country in terms of
the average ranking of all its member universities
– is the only BCS conference with seven schools in the Top
50 (4 private, 3 public) and 10 schools in the Top 70
US News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2011”
• ACC Clean Energy Challenge
– Apply the competitive but friendly spirit of ACC conference
rivalries with one of the most critical challenges facing our
country and our planet – clean energy

8. ACC Clean Energy Challenge:
What Is It?
• Leverage ACC to Increase
• Participation
• School Pride
• and FUN!
• ACC Schools Rotate Co-Hosting
– April 2012: UMD, Va Tech, UVA
– April 2013 : NC St, UNC, Duke, Wake
– April 2014 : Ga Tech, Clemson, FL St, Miami

9. Decorated with Banners from ACC
Basketball Tourney

10. 10 | eere.energy.gov

11. Final Four
NC State Clemson
Maryland GA Tech
Maryland Duke
Miami GA Tech
South FL Central FL
VA Tech Central FL
VA Tech Virginia

12. Runner Up
NC State Clemson
Maryland GA Tech
Maryland Duke
Miami GA Tech
Maryland
South FL Central FL
VA Tech Central FL
VA Tech Virginia

13. 2nd Place: University of Maryland
Prof. Peter Kofinas, Aaron Fisher

14. Champion!
NC State Clemson
Maryland GA Tech
Maryland Duke
Miami Central FL GA Tech
South FL Central FL
VA Tech Central FL
VA Tech Virginia

16. ACC Clean Energy Challenge:
Sports Theme
• Mascots
• Music
• Banners
• Brackets
The Final Four
16 | eere.energy.gov

17. ACC Clean Energy Challenge:
Campus Champions
• Campus Champions critical for
helping to recruit entries
• Role of campus champions
– Point of contact for their campus
– Recruit entries
– Market the competition
– Provide judges for qualifying round
– Competition co-hosts
• Selection of campus
champions
– Engineering Deans
– ACCIAC
• 10 of the 11 ACC schools had
campus champions
17 | eere.energy.gov

18. ACC Clean Energy Challenge
• What worked well
– ACC/March Madness
– Marketing to partner
universities
– Marketing to judges &
sponsors
• Over 50 judges from 40
different organizations
across all rounds
– Marketing to press/media
18 | eere.energy.gov

19. Intercollegiate Sports Meets
Entrepreneurship:
A Model for Co-opetition
Dean Chang
Associate VP for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

20. • Kevin #1: Kevin Bacon’s Do Good Challenge
– 7-week social impact American Idol-style competition
– Showcase for innovative, socially-concerned UMD students
– http://vimeo.com/44056882

21. • Kevin #2: Kevin Plank’s Cupid’s Cup
– American Idol-style business competition
– Showcase for innovative, charismatic student entrepreneurs
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mON4ot1HIM

25. Intercollegiate Sports Meets
Entrepreneurship:
A Model for Co-opetition
Dean Chang
Associate VP for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

26. Intercollegiate Sports Meets
Entrepreneurship:
A Model for Co-opetition
Dean Chang
Associate VP for Innovation and Entrepreneurship