Business meets belonging in new Entrepreneurship Innovation Community

Students in the Entrepreneurship Innovation Community will have a built-in entrepreneurial support system: a team of roommates, collaborators and future co-founders learning and building together.

The new College of Business and Economics Entrepreneurship Innovation Community (EIC) opens fall 2026, creating a home for future Boise State student entrepreneurs. Its purpose is simple but ambitious: build connections, mentor aspiring founders and create a shared experience where innovation and belonging go hand in hand.

Entrepreneurship can be intimidating. It requires creativity, resilience and a willingness to take risks. But within the EIC, students will have a built-in support system: a team of roommates, collaborators and future co-founders learning and building together. Students will be housed in the Selway Suites, situated directly across the street from the Micron Business and Economics Building.

The EIC will consist of a cohort of around 30 sophomores, juniors and seniors. Designed specifically for upper-division students, the EIC creates an environment where aspiring entrepreneurs can pursue their goals, whether they already have a concept in motion or are simply curious about where entrepreneurship could take them. They will participate in campus entrepreneurship programs, including the CEO Club, Entrepreneur Connect lectures, the Bronco Entrepreneur Challenge and other pitch competitions and innovation events throughout the year.

Students involved with the Entrepreneur Innovation Community will take part in community and campus events like the Bronco Entrepreneur Challenge.

From day one, the atmosphere will feel different. For Chad Coffman, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and faculty lead for the EIC, that difference is intentional.

"One of the biggest barriers to students trying new programs or events is simply not knowing anyone there," Coffman said. "This community removes that barrier by creating a group that attends things together. If everybody's doing it, there's a sense of, 'I can do that too.'"

Students will practice entrepreneurship together, learning through shared experiences inside and outside the classroom.

"There's a clear entrepreneurial pathway where students could start with a simple elevator pitch in the fall and eventually compete in major competitions across the region or even nationally come spring," Coffman explained.

Whether students are attending Boise Entrepreneur Week, participating in pitch competitions or preparing for Trailhead events, the built-in network ensures they won't have to do it alone.

Students in the Entrepreneur Innovation Community will have the chance to practice entrepreneurship together.

For Riley Schostak, a sophomore studying finance and accounting, joining a Boise State living community was one of the best decisions he made, even if it wasn't quite what he expected.

"It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, but in a good way," Schostak said. "There's a lot of community building, fun events and people who really want to be involved. It gives you more support than a normal student and there are greater opportunities to succeed. You have your roommates and floor mates going through the same experience, and that makes everything easier."

What will make the EIC truly stand out is its flexibility and ownership model. Rather than a weekly EIC class, the students will help determine when and how they meet based on upcoming opportunities.

"Students take ownership of their own involvement. Meetings will depend on upcoming competitions or events," Coffman said. "Participation in competitions, pitch nights and entrepreneurial events are the real deliverables, and it's up to them on how they prepare."

The EIC is designed for students ready to take initiative by testing ideas, building ventures and growing alongside peers who share that same drive. For Schostak and countless others, these on-campus communities are a place to learn, to grow and, most importantly, to belong. The Entrepreneurship Innovation Community aims to carry that legacy forward, while empowering students to build something of their own.

For more information on how to apply, visit the Entrepreneurial Innovation Community web page.

By Morgan Reah

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