FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship creates custom online marketplace to support student creators
Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship recently launched a partnership with Student-Made, a custom online marketplace where FSU student entrepreneurs can sell and promote products and services at scale.
Founded in 2019, Student-Made is a program made by students, run by students. The platform connects students, alumni and the local community while giving students real-life experiences and a chance to share passions, products and services with others. FSU is one of 14 campuses across the country that participates in the marketplace.
“Student-Made establishes a community of inventors and innovators, offers exposure to creator products, and provides growth in skill sets needed later to thrive as an entrepreneur,” said Kirsten Harrison, assistant dean of Academic and Student Services. “Student-Made is a safe space for starting a business with low risk but maximum support.”
The FSU program has 16 student entrepreneurs and 7 student managers who operate the Student-Made platform. Management staff positions are open to any FSU student who does not have a business or product, while the student creators are FSU student entrepreneurs who can sign up alone or with a group.
“We wanted to provide an e-commerce platform where all FSU student entrepreneurs could engage with customers,” Harrison said. “A place where students can gain real-world business experiences, either as a creator or student manager providing backend logistics support.”
All sellers have access to the Jim Moran College InNOLEvation® Center for Student Engagement which helps Florida State University students launch their own ventures, regardless of college or major. The center provides all FSU students with entrepreneurial opportunities to develop and showcase business ventures.
“My experience has been nothing but amazing,” said Student-Made manager, Alfredo Rosing, a retail entrepreneurship major. “Being in an environment where we all push ourselves to become better has been a great experience. This program has provided me with a valuable connection and a team of managers that are willing to give their all for creators. They have inspired me to be a better leader and entrepreneur every single day.”
The Blackstone LaunchPad, located in the InNOLEvation® Center, aims to help diverse and historically underserved students develop entrepreneurship and innovation skills. The LaunchPad has a business incubator and a mentor network, and it organizes events and competitions related to the InNOLEvation® Center.
“We want to inspire and support all FSU students with an entrepreneurial mindset,” said Morgan Rodgers, Blackstone LaunchPad program coordinator. “Through individual mentorships and workshops, we strive to turn ideas into established businesses. Student-Made will amplify this mission uniting alumni, faculty, students and members of the community to discover and support the entrepreneurial spirit of Florida State University.”
Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College, said, “We are proud of all that the JMC is doing to help support student entrepreneurs across campus to build and grow their businesses.”
For more information, visit studentmadefloridastate.com.
