UK Gatton College of Business and Economics
 

Our Mission

The mission of the University of Kentucky's Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE), in keeping with the Gatton College of Business and Economics Strategic Plan, is to strengthen Kentucky’s economy through entrepreneurship and small business outreach in the Commonwealth. VACE serves students, staff, faculty, and community entrepreneurs with the goal to help launch their startup dreams. The Center seeks guidance from members on the advisory board as well as regional stakeholders to foster entrepreneurial education through webinars, online accelerator programming, and public events. VACE also connects entrepreneurs with mentors, Kentucky Angel Investors, and free access to downloadable books and templates. Check out the latest news, events, accelerator opportunities, and video library resources to get involved.

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January

Spring 2025! Apply for Bootcamp 1.0 Business Accelerator!

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January 12, 2025 - Last Day to Apply
January

2025 GSE Summer Startup Open Enrollment!

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January 21, 2025 - Application Closes 11pm ET
February

Bootcamp Accelerator Startups: Where Are They Now featuring Cultivate Recovery

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Webinar

News

Fall 2024 Bootcamp 1.0 Winning Startups!

The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) is proud to announce the top winning startups of the Fall 2024 Bootcamp 1.0 online Business Accelerator!  Founders in the Monday and Thursday sections of the accelerator are represented by entrepreneurs from colleges across The University of Kentucky, local entrepreneurs in the community, as well as faculty, staff, and students throughout the Bluegrass. Bootcamp is made available to any Kentucky entrepreneur seeking to start a business for the first time in a virtual learning environment that provides an entire semester of entrepreneurial tr

2025 PNC Wildcat Pitch Competition

The PNC Wildcat Pitch Competition is open to all University of Kentucky students from all majors across campus. Teams will pitch a business plan in their division, undergraduate or graduate (including PhD candidates), to compete for prize money. Student teams are encouraged to perform their best pitch to a panel of prestigious judges for a chance to win seed money for their startup ventures! A total of $20,000 in prize money has been generously sponsored by PNC Bank. The competition will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025 in the Gatton College of Business.

VACE Bootcamp Grad Pitches at Ole Miss "Servin" The South Pitch Competition!

On Nov. 7, 2024, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at the University of Mississippi hosted the “Servin’ the South” Business Model Competition. CIE empowers students to create innovative businesses through top-tier education, experiential learning, and renowned research. Offering major and minor entrepreneurship programs, CIE has supported over 65 student ventures, advised more than 838 students, and seen 535 student teams participate in business competitions since 2018.