October 24th, 2013

Chris Mumford, founder of Joe Start up, an entrepreneurial education website, will serve as the Montana State University Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s fall Entrepreneur-In-Residence. Mumford will give a free public lecture at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, in Reid Hall 108.

“Design Thinking: Developing Fuzzy Ideas into Sustainable Enterprises,” will address how to generate numerous great ideas, as well as the steps to take to develop a sustainable enterprise.

Mumford will also lead a free “Design Thinking” workshop from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in Gaines 143. The workshop is limited to the first 40 people to sign up. Participants will be asked to complete the DREAM process on the Joe Start up website prior to attending the workshop.

As Entrepreneur-In-Residence for the week of Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Mumford will also visit MSU business classes and meet with students in the entrepreneurship program.

Over the last 15 years, Mumford has founded several businesses in the United States and Asia and served companies as CEO, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, vice president of sales and vice president of design. He has also raised more than $30 million from angel investors, venture capitalists and private equity firms for several projects. Mumford’s experience includes developing consumer products, technology, education and social networks. He was also an investment banker for seven years and is the co-founder of Launch Chapel Hill, a venture lab and co-working space. He is on the faculty of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mumford has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

For more information about the lecture or the Entrepreneur-In-Residence program, contact Scott Bryant at bryant@montana.edu or 994-6191