What We Do

The Center for Nursing Entrepreneurship defined a completely new direction in nursing education, by providing nurses and other healthcare professionals with the training, advice, tools, and support they need to start and grow businesses.

The Center leverages the resources, knowledge, and experience of the University of Rochester School of Nursing in building businesses that meet the needs of the community, provide entrepreneurial opportunity and experience, and contribute financially to the school’s success. It cultivates health care business ideas from students, faculty, alumni, and others, under the direction of an experienced advisory board. “We work with entrepreneurs to identify a health care need they can fill, develop a business plan, and launch it,” says Pat Chiverton, Dean of the University of Rochester School of Nursing.

An advisory board of seasoned business executives reviews business proposals submitted to the Center. Successful proposals are seed-funded to assemble a team and develop a detailed business plan. The advisory board follows implementation of the plan, and provides further funding or helps the team to find additional investors. The entrepreneur launches the start-up company with the Center as a partner.