2009 Headlines
Johnson School Welcomes Charles Hamilton as Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Serial Entrepreneur returns to Johnson School to help students develop business ideas
March 5, 2009 | Ithaca, NY | The Johnson School at Cornell University is pleased to welcome Charles Hamilton (MBA '04) as Entrepreneur-in-Residence. With an office in Sage Hall, Hamilton will provide ready access to entrepreneurially-minded students looking to discuss start-up issues, business ideas and plans. Hamilton joins California-based Steve Benjamin as a second Entrepreneur-in-Residence.
Hamilton earned his MBA from the Johnson School in 2004 and has since focused on leading high technology start-ups based on university technology. He was most recently the President of Novomer, a company based on Cornell technology that makes plastic from carbon dioxide. While at Novomer he grew the company from 2 to 25 employees, managed over $1.4 million in grants, and closed $6.6 million in equity investment from multiple venture capitalists. He also co-founded Cornell start-up Distributed Generation Technologies during his second year of the MBA program. His expertise includes non-profit, IT, and social return on investment consulting with SVT in San Francisco.
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence works with the Cornell community to develop and refine new business ideas including: reviewing business plans, solidifying business strategies and market positions, strategizing intellectual property issues, and developing fundraising plans. The EIR helps entrepreneurs move potential ventures from the idea phase to startup, as well as assists Cornell inventors, including professors and PhD students, to create businesses around technologies developed at Cornell and independently.
"Cornell University is rich with opportunity for entrepreneurs," commented Hamilton. "After working to grow two different high-tech businesses based on Cornell technology, I'm thrilled to share my experience with Johnson School students and help them navigate the exciting opportunities available as an entrepreneur."
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program began in 2006 with Brad Treat (MBA '02), whose new business venture Mezmeriz won first place and $100,000 in New York's Creative Core Emerging Business Competition held in April 2008. In 2007, Cliff Lardin (MBA '07) held the post while also working as a principal at Cayuga Venture Fund, an early-stage technology fund based in Ithaca, NY.
