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By Stephen Stone and Olivia Sanchez

Established as a key center for innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the Liguori Entrepreneurship Analysis & Development (LEAD) Lab illustrates how Florida State University is emerging as a global frontrunner in entrepreneurship studies.

Directed by Eric Liguori, a faculty member and associate dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, the LEAD Lab has a dual-purpose mission that focuses on conducting academically rigorous research while developing meaningful programs that directly serve the community and society as a whole.

This concept originated from the necessity for a collaborative framework within the domain of entrepreneurship.

“The inception was aimed at constructing something applicable to entrepreneurship, enabling us to connect across disciplines, and taking inspiration from structures and ideas present in other areas of the campus,” Liguori remarked.

“The inception was aimed at constructing something applicable to entrepreneurship, enabling us to connect across disciplines, and taking inspiration from structures and ideas present in other areas of the campus.”

– Eric Liguori, faculty member and associate dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship

Liguori’s aspiration for the LEAD Lab is explicit: involve students, educate the forthcoming generation of researchers, and concentrate on projects that yield tangible real-world effects.

Student involvement highlights the necessity of generating significant research utilizing practical applications and fostering collaboration among students from various academic disciplines. This experiential method empowers students to acquire real-world experience, urging them beyond their comfort zones and enhancing their interpersonal skills and research proficiencies.

A notable initiative undertaken by the LEAD Lab involved interviewing Ukrainian entrepreneurs to gain insights into their adaptation and perseverance in the face of conflict. The findings were showcased at the Morehouse Symposium in April, underlining the lab’s expanding influence.

“I began encouraging our students to participate in various events and engage in networking within those spaces, conversing with other entrepreneurs,” Liguori continued. “They would wake up at 6 a.m. to conduct Zoom interviews with Ukrainian entrepreneurs, and while we initially did them together, they eventually adapted and carried them out independently. We genuinely pushed them beyond their limits, and they rose to the challenge.”

The LEAD Lab students gained valuable insights into the entrepreneurial landscape in other regions of the world and found motivation in the candidness of their Ukrainian interviewees.

“When speaking with entrepreneurs operating in Ukraine, we sought to comprehend the impact of this conflict on their businesses and lives,” Liguori explained. “As we conversed with them, it became evident that they were truly eager to illuminate their lived experiences in this unusual context.”

The lab’s research endeavors are extensive and significant. Another prominent project focuses on assessing the economic influence of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship and broadening its international scope in Mumbai, India, through a new artificial intelligence-based partnership with Universal AI University.

“We are merely beginning to explore the possibilities of what we can achieve,” Liguori noted. “Universal AI University is a unique institution focused exclusively on AI. They aspire to integrate entrepreneurship into every facet of their operations. During our discussions with them, we pondered, ‘Could this be a pathway for us?’ We perceive a vast opportunity to study family businesses in that region and extend the reach of the Jim Moran College.”

Adopting an ethical approach is a core principle of the LEAD Lab. Collaborating with various populations, the lab ensures transparency and justice, emphasizing the significance of handling data with honesty, especially when collecting sensitive background information from individuals.

“Ethics is the cornerstone of our operations,” Liguori stated. “All our work aligns with ethical guidelines and university policies.”

The LEAD Lab exemplifies how interdisciplinary collaboration, student involvement, and research can unite to forge a formidable force for innovation and entrepreneurship, influencing communities around the globe.

For further details, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu/research/labs/lead-lab.

The article The LEAD Lab: Pioneering entrepreneurship research and education first appeared on Florida State University News.

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