Joseph Piper, president of Integra Bio-Health in Boulder, and his wife, Lisa, are thanking CU-Boulder聮s Center for Entrepreneurship by giving it a 5 percent interest in the future earnings of the new venture funds general partner interest.
Piper, who will finish the MBA program in entrepreneurship and finance at the College of Business in May, recently started the company with his partners and classmates Thomas Bleyer, Theresa Jamerson and Hans Lundin.
IBH is a venture capital organization for emerging small health care companies. The IBH team won first place in the BankOne Business Plan Competition in December and will compete in a national contest this month at San Diego State University.
聯The College of Business is actively promoting new business creation by blending ample proportions of academic support and active mentoring from business leaders in the community,聰 Piper said. 聯We聮ve benefited from this progressive approach, and we hope that CU will become a recognized force in entrepreneurial circles for launching many successful businesses.聰
Denis Nock, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, said he is thrilled to receive the gift. 聯It聮s a first for us. Let聮s hope that future graduates think as highly of us and want to support the work we do at the college.聰
Piper echoed that sentiment. 聯We hope that other students and professionals who pursue their entrepreneurial dreams at CU will not forget the source of their inspiration and training and will likewise give back a portion of their future success,聰 Piper said.
Piper said the monetary value of the gift is presently uncertain because of the newness of the fund.