U-M Archives - Page 2 of 7 - DavidTarver.com

June 29, 2024July 1, 2024community, family, health, people, U-M

Honoring Nick Harris, U-M Class of 1975

Today I’ll be attending the memorial service in Austin, Texas, for my friend and U-M classmate Nick Harris. Nick was from Detroit, a proud graduate of Cass Technical High School.

April 25, 2024April 25, 2024business, community, education, entrepreneurship, U-M

U-M Urban Entrepreneurship, Winter 2024 Edition – It’s a Wrap!

Well, its that time again – another season of the University of Michigan Urban Entrepreneurship Practicum is now “in the can.” We had a small but mighty class this semester, and the students broke new ground.

November 21, 2023November 21, 2023business, community, education, entrepreneurship, technology, U-M

Building the Urban Future – Fall 2023

We are nearing completion of the Fall 2023 edition of the Urban Entrepreneurship Practicum. We are fortunate to be working with three businesses that are outstanding examples of urban entrepreneurship at its best. While it may not be immediately obvious to the casual observer, each of these businesses addresses an important need, and each has the potential to bring about transformative positive change.

June 29, 2023June 29, 2023business, community, education, entrepreneurship, U-M, Uncategorized

Huge thanks to Winter 2023 Urban Entrepreneur Partners!

The course I teach at University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Urban Entrepreneurship Practicum, relies heavily on our “Urban Entrepreneur Partners.” Each of these entrepreneurs is operating a business that aims to improve the quality of life in an urban community.

October 20, 2022June 27, 2023community, education, entrepreneurship, technology, U-M, Uncategorized

Game-Changing Urban Entrepreneurship, Fall 2022

The air is cool, the leaves are changing color, and the buzz is back in Ann Arbor. It’s that time again – time for the Fall 2022 edition of the Urban Entrepreneurship Practicum course at University of Michigan Ann Arbor. I’ve been teaching in the U-M College of Engineering/Center for Entrepreneurship since 2012, and I must say I’ve never been more excited about teaching than I am right now.

October 20, 2022October 20, 2022business, entrepreneurship, people, technology, U-M

Major Movellus Milestone

Big congratulations to Mo Faisal, Jeff Fredenburg, and the team at Movellus for closing a $23 million Series B funding round. Mo and Jeff are both Ph.D. graduates of the U-M College of Engineering, which is where they began development of the core technology and business concepts for Movellus. The company has developed and patented novel timing generation technology for next generation complex integrated circuits. Their technology provides a potential competitive advantage for semiconductor industry companies. I invested in Movellus’ initial seed round and each subsequent round, so needless to say I’m happy and proud about the company’s achievements to date.

October 20, 2022October 20, 2022business, community, education, entrepreneurship, technology, U-M

STEAM (Success) Generator

The Lab Drawer® founders Alecia Gabriel and Deirdre Roberson started their company because, as black STEM professionals and artists, they envision a world in which black and brown excellence in STEAM fields is commonplace. I first met Alecia and Deirdre when I served as their coach for Detroit Demo Day 2021. I was immediately drawn to their expertise, energy, and dedication.

December 23, 2021December 23, 2021business, community, education, entrepreneurship, U-M

Change the (urban) World – Fall 2021 Edition

“Can we all just get along?” That question is part of what fueled the creation of my U-M Urban Entrepreneurship course.

February 17, 2021February 18, 2021community, education, people, technology, U-M

A Hidden Giant

Though I lived and worked just a few miles from where this hidden giant of science lived and worked; though his nephew was my professor and thesis advisor at University of Michigan; though we frequented the same barbershop, for Christ’s sake; I never met Walter S. McAfee. I didn’t even know who he was until after he died. I now know that he could have, as much as anyone, claimed to be a founder of The Space Age.

December 21, 2020January 20, 2021education, entrepreneurship, U-M

Change the (urban) World – Fall 2020 Edition

The Fall 2020 edition of the Urban Entrepreneurship course is a wrap! In the course, students learn what it takes to build an “urban-focused” business, i.e., an enterprise that addresses an important urban community need. The Covid-19 pandemic presented unique challenges, but thanks to great entrepreneur partners and hard-working students, we turned those challenges into opportunities.