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    June 08, 2021

    Keenan Center Awards Thousands in Development Funds to Student Entrepreneurs at Le Moyne

    The Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity has released the results of its fifth annual Dolphin Tank competition, partnering with regional, national and global firms to provide funding for 10 student-founders who have launched successful, growing businesses.

    According to Mike D’Eredita, Ph.D., ’92, director of the Keenan Center, the annual competition is more than a typical capstone project. “This program is so much more than an opportunity for students to hone their presentation skills and develop their craft - it actively puts money into the startup community, and enriches our economy today and for the future. Many of these students are already generating thousands of dollars in revenue while going to school full time. It is inspiring to see the Dolphin Tank’s impact on the drive and imagination of these bright young people.”

    The Keenan Center announcement celebrates six companies that invested $35,000 in student innovators: CAD Dimensions, Bank of NY Mellon, Black Eagle Partners, Constellation Brands, SpinCar, Hallmark Realty and Startfast Ventures.

    “The partners in the community play a vital role in helping Le Moyne College and the Keenan Center create measurable and meaningful change,” said Madden School Dean Jim Joseph, ’83. “We are grateful for their commitment to our students and faculty. Our shared vision and passion to increase CNY’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is very exciting.”

    “We would like to call attention to the Keenan Center’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as 20 percent of the student startups are non-profits whose target markets are underserved populations,” D’Eredita continued. “Each team hailed from different backgrounds, ethnicities and industries. Our commitment to Le Moyne’s mantra “Greatness Meets Goodness” is woven into the fabric of the Keenan Center.”

    Thanks to a generous donation by Tim and Kathleen Keenan ‘81, the Keenan Center is dedicated to building an entrepreneurial pipeline from the Le Moyne College student body directly into the Central New York business community. The Center has participated in events like Upstate Unleashed, has already helped to support a number of student, alumni and community entrepreneurs and will continue hosting Le Moyne’s annual Dolphin Tank each spring. The show showcase competition will annually help student teams compete for more than $35,000 in pre-seed dollars from regional business leaders.

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