BSU's high-achieving students partner with entrepreneurs to grow Idaho’s creative economy

March 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Boise, ID, March 1, 2010 – Entrepreneurs and Boise State University students look to each other for success in the companies at the WaterCooler, Boise’s entrepreneurial incubator. “Interns here are real colleagues. They lead projects, make decisions, learn by actually doing,” said Tony DuPont, founder of WaterCooler company Io DuPont and maker of Power Cordz™ synthetic bike cables. “There are some very talented students here that are making a real difference in these companies.”

Among the high-achieving interns are: Alex Livingston, a successful Business Plan competitor and Entrepreneurship Management major working with Idaho TechConnect; Aaron Olson, a winning Speech and Debate competitor and Entrepreneurship Management major working with Io DuPont and Power Cordz; Maria Julian, a International Business major working with Idaho TechConnect who fluently speaks several languages; and (fall 2009 graduate and previous intern) Lisa Frazier, a winning Advertising competitor and Marketing major working with Core Concepts.

The relationship between the WaterCooler’s entrepreneurs and their interns is symbiotic. “I don’t know where else I could get the kind of experience I’m getting here with Io DuPont and Power Cordz” said Olson of what is his 3rd internship. “The variety of tasks and level of autonomy and responsibility here has made this experience invaluable for me.”

His supervisor, DuPont, agrees. “We seem to pick up the best and brightest student-interns around [the WaterCooler]. It is liberating to know that I can set [Olson] free with a goal to meet and he will find a strong strategy. He’s already revised our business plan to make it the best one we’ve ever had.”

Julian and Livingston too are tackling jobs that are quite atypical for interns. Livingston analyzes economic indexes related to entrepreneurship and makes recommendations that are then passed on to key decision makers in Idaho. He also speaks as a fill-in panelist to discuss entrepreneurship in the Treasure Valley. Livingston is an entrepreneur himself as the founder of R2EV, a startup providing lighter-weight, quick connecting batteries meant for applications like electric cars. Restructuring his company is earning him work-study credits through the college as well.

Julian assists Idaho startups with research, analysis, and strategy development. She is working to coordinate all of Idaho’s small business resources to minimize overlaps and gaps in services. She will then create a step-by-step guide to navigate those services. “This is not a lackey, gofer, stereotypical internship,” said Julian.

Boise State University has played a part in the successes of the WaterCooler since its conception—the idea for the business incubator came from a BSU classroom. The relationship continues to benefit innovative business in Idaho today. As an entrepreneur, Livingston explains, “Boise State professors are great resources for developing new ideas.”

Frazier remembers BSU professor Sandy Gough sending her to the WaterCooler. “BSU offers tons of opportunities for students to connect with local companies. I’ve been able to take skills from the classroom into the real-world. It’s been such a good experience.”

The WaterCooler and the businesses within it are always looking for new and talented interns and entrepreneurs as Boise’s entrepreneurial incubator-- a Petri-dish of creativity and innovation-- continues to evolve.


For more information including additional notes and contact information for each of the WaterCooler’s interns, please contact Aaron Olson at 208-908-0630 ext 1704 or email aolson@powercordz.com.

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Power Cordz™ synthetic fiber cable system was designed to address the problems of steel control cables currently used on the bicycle. Power Cordz™ are 75% lighter than steel, resist dirt, dust and corrosion, and never stretch or lose precision.