News

The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs Summer Startup Program Announces 2025 Business Pitch Competition Winners

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 17, 2025 ) — Some of Kentucky’s most innovative high school students created business solutions for real-world problems and acquired skills that will serve them for a lifetime during the 2025 Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) Summer Startup Program. Students tackled challenges ranging from mental health to lithium-ion battery disposal to heart failure detection. GSE identifies, inspires, and empowers Kentucky’s future innovators through its three-week Summer Startup program for high schoolers.

July 2025 Newsletter: A Summer of Entrepreneurial Excellence at UK and Beyond!

Summer is in full swing, and so is the spirit of innovation at the University of Kentucky's Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship! We're thrilled to share some inspiring success stories from our talented founders, highlight exciting upcoming events, and provide valuable resources for aspiring entrepreneurs in our community.

UK Entrepreneur Madison Bates Wins Emerging Entrepreneurs Competition interviewed on Fox56 News

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 25, 2025) Meet Madison Bates, the visionary founder of R.A.M. Devices, LLC, an innovative MedTech startup dedicated to transforming stroke rehabilitation. With a strong foundation in biomedical engineering and neuroscience from the University of Kentucky, Madison has channeled her expertise into developing cutting-edge wearable sensor technology.

UK Gatton College, GSE extend partnership to empower future business leaders

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 20, 2025) — The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) and the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky have announced a three-year extension of their partnership. The GSE “Summer Startup” program will be held on campus through 2027.

June Newsletter 2025

June Newsletter 2025 -  Summer is buzzing with entrepreneurial energy and opportunities across Kentucky! We're thrilled to announce that The Gatton College is hosting the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs Summer Startup, nurturing the next generation of innovators. Our own VACE Advisory Board Chairman, Silas Deane, was recently showcased on the Middle Tech Podcast, sharing valuable insights for the startup community.

Spring 2025 Bootcamp Winning Teams

Lexington, Ky (April 2025) - The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE), in the Gatton College of Business and Economics, is excited to announce the Spring 2025 winning startups! Each winning team received prize money to move their ideas forward and help build further momentum into the next phase of their entrepreneurial journeys. Congratulations to all the founders that represent the University of Kentucky, the local entrepreneurial community, and surrounding counties across the state of Kentucky!

Gatton College of Business and Economics recognizes winners of 2025 PNC Wildcat Pitch Competition for student entrepreneurs

More than 20 student-entrepreneurs showcased their innovative ideas and business savvy during the 2025 PNC Wildcat Pitch Competition Sat., April 26, at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics. This full-day competition allowed University of Kentucky student teams to pitch their business plans to judges for a chance to win a total of $20,000 in prize money. The competition was divided into an undergraduate division and a graduate division and was judged by a multi-disciplinary panel.

250LEX Entrepreneurial Showdown: Bootcamp StartUps Win 2nd Place!

Lexington, KY – On Tuesday, April 16, 2025, student entrepreneurs from the University of Kentucky, Transylvania University, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and Fayette County Public Schools presented their innovative ideas at the 250LEX Entrepreneurial Showdown at the Transylvania University Campus Center.

250Lex: Toyota Presents Competition For Young Entrepreneurs

Press Release, Office of Mayor Linda Gorton (April 8, 2025) - Entrepreneurial teams from the University of Kentucky, Fayette County Public Schools, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and Transylvania University will compete for cash prizes during the April 16 Entrepreneurial Showdown presented by 250Lex and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky.

2025 Winners! 1-Minute CCTS Research Poster Pitch Competition!

The 20th Annual Clinical Center for Translational Science (CCTS) Spring Conference was held on April 1, 2025 in the Central Bank Center. The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) in the Gatton College of Business and Economics hosted its 8th annual 1-minute poster pitch competition. This year's conference theme is "Pioneering Pathways: Innovative Trial Design in Translational Science."

5th Annual PNC Innovation Summit Ignites Entrepreneurship at UK's Gatton College of Business

Lexington, KY  (March 26, 2025) – The University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business hosted the PNC Innovation Summit, organized in partnership with the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship. The event on March 26th proved to be a resounding success, fostering connections, sparking innovative ideas, and highlighting the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem thriving in the Bluegrass region.

Bridging Continents: Fostering Entrepreneurship Between NWU and UK

It's exciting to delve into the intersection of entrepreneurial development across continents as North-West University (NWU) in South Africa visited the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship at the Gatton College of Business & Economics. Universities are evolving beyond academic learning and becoming “dynamic hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship”, according to Professor Mzubanzi Bismark Tyobeka, vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU).

GSE Collegiate Pitch: University of Kentucky VACE Bootcamp Startups Win Big!

On March 1, 2025, the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) Collegiate Pitch competition showcased the innovative talent emerging from Kentucky's universities, with University of Kentucky (UK) Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) Bootcamp teams making a notable impression. VACE played a key role in preparing the Bootcamp teams for the competition. Five Bootcamp startups were selected to compete in the 2025 GSE Collegiate Pitch: DocAI, PRLZ Extracts, RAM Devices, NeuroVista, and HandyHat.

Startup Runway Atlanta: Bootcamp Founder Selected as Top 10 Finalist!

Startup Runway turns the funding gap faced by founders into an onramp. Finalists have had rounds led by firms from Canaan Partners to Microsoft, Techstars, Valor, Floodgate and more. Investor introductions  helps promising founders meet first investors. This exclusive program creates relationships with angels and VCs that make a significant difference in how fast startups get funded.

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.

Bullard's Commitment to Supporting Gatton’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Bullard, a long-standing Kentucky-based company with a rich history of innovation, is deepening its commitment to fostering entrepreneurship within the Gatton College of Business & Economics and The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship. Bullard's involvement extends to supporting the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship, which plays a crucial role in nurturing aspiring entrepreneurs at the University of Kentucky and throughout the Commonwealth.

5th Annual PNC Innovation Summit on March 26th

The Gatton College of Business and Economics is pleased to announce its continued collaboration with PNC Bank to present the 2025 PNC Innovation Summit, “Funding Innovation – The Art of Startup Fundraising,” on March 26th and the PNC Wildcat Pitch Competition on April 26th. Now in its fifth year, the PNC Innovation Summit provides UK students with insights into the startup arena and real-world challenges unique to early-stage organizations, while delivering opportunities for attendees to learn from and connect with distinguished business leaders and alumni.&n

Five University of Kentucky Bootcamp Startups Selected for GSE Pitch!

The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship is excited to share some big news: GSE has selected five Bootcamp startups to compete in the 2025 Collegiate Pitch at Thomas Moore University on March 1st!

Entrepreneurship Club Spring 2025 Announcements

The University of Kentucky Entrepreneurship Club is finishing the year off strong with two main events in March and April! Come to the Scaling a Startup & Startup Leadership Workshop on March 6th, where you can learn to navigate a startup team from a panel of local entrepreneurs!

Pitch your business idea in a low-stakes environment on April 17th and receive feedback on presentation and proposal!

Stay up to date with all club news and events in our GroupMe - https://groupme.com/join_group/94155167/xd1perIj 

2025 CCTS Conference: VACE 8th Annual Poster Pitch Competition!

The 20th Annual Clinical Center for Translational Science (CCTS) Spring Conference will be held on April 1, 2025 in the Central Bank Center (in-person).  The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) in the Gatton College of Business and Economics hosts its 8th annual 1-minute poster pitch competition. This year's conference theme is "Pioneering Pathways: Innovative Trial Design in Translational Science."