Contact CIE

Champlain College’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) program connects entrepreneurs like you with the resources, research, and contacts that can enhance or bring your business dream to life.

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Location

Basement, Ireland

Office Hours

Please email us to coordinate a date and time.

Contact Us

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Meet Our People

Parthiv Patel

Assistant Professor

Business Administration Major, Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Stiller School of Business

Parthiv Patel

Assistant Professor

Faculty Member	Business Administration Major Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Stiller School of Business
Pronouns	He/Him/His
Education	San Diego State University, Master of Science; University of Cincinnati, Master of Business Administration
Areas of Expertise	International Business Business Management & Entrepreneurship Quantitative Analysis, Business Strategy, Marketing, and Sales
Contact	Ireland Bldg. 212 D

Biography

Pat Patel has lived and worked in 3 different countries (India, the UK, and USA). He comes from a pioneering industrial family which started the Agricultural Tractors and Earthmoving Machinery Manufacturing industry in India. He worked in the family business for two years as a Management Trainee after graduating with his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Bombay. After successfully completing the Management Trainee program, he moved to London where he worked for an affiliated British company that provided crankshafts and related parts to his family’s tractor and earthmoving machinery company.

In 1980, he moved to the United States to begin his graduate education, and he earned his Master of Business Administration degree, double majoring in Finance and Marketing, from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Subsequent to getting his MBA, he moved to San Diego, California, where he earned a Master of Science degree in Information and Decision Sciences from San Diego State University.

After completing the two Master’s degree programs, he began his professional career in the Investment Software, Database, and Quantitative Modeling business with a leading Chicago based company called Zacks Investment Research, Inc. where he rose to become Vice President and Regional Manager for the company’s Los Angeles office. After working at Zacks Investment Research for 9 years, he worked directly in the Institutional Investment and Mutual Fund industry for 4 years as Vice President at Putnam Investments in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1998, he started his own business in the hospitality industry and he purchased two franchised hotels which he owned and managed for 9 years with his team of professional hotel managers and staff. He subsequently sold the properties and the business to a Houston,Texas, based hotel company.

He was hired by Champlain College in 2009 to teach in the business school, and he has been teaching a variety of business courses ever since at the Stiller School of Business. During his time at Champlain College, he also earned his Doctorate degree in Business Administration. In 2022, he was offered and he accepted the additional position of Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Distinctions & Awards

Distinguished Service Award for serving as President of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

Favorite Quote

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

—Mahatma Gandhi

FAQs About The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Below are some frequently asked questions about the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Feel free to contact us directly with any other questions.

Do you have to be a Business major in order to participate in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship program?

No. We realize entrepreneurs come with all different kinds of passions and interests, so the program is open to all majors. Whether your major is Business Administration, Marketing, Creative Media, Criminal Justice, Professional Writing, or something else entirely, you are welcome to apply to the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship program.
Do you have to have your own business already in order to apply to the CIE program?

Not at all! You might have an established business, a great concept, or even just an idea that you’re passionate about. Our goal is to help you realize your personal goals even if you haven’t taken that first step yet. All you need to be able to do is articulate your idea and convey your vision.
Will I receive any college credits for joining the CIE program?

While you don’t earn credits specifically for your participation in the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship program, you will have ample opportunities to earn credits as you pursue your business. Each participating major is handled differently, but by using your business for project coursework and/or internships, you can effectively accrue credits for establishing, running, and growing your business.
Do you have to be enrolled as a Champlain College student in order to participate in the CIE?

Yes—the first step to joining this unique program is to apply and be accepted to the academic program for your selected course of study.
Is the CIE program right for me?
The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship exists to help Champlain students explore entrepreneurship in a hands-on way. We will work with any student with an interest in entrepreneurship. Many students come to the CIE with a business that has already been operating at some level but, more often, students come with nothing more than an idea, an insight about something that interests them that could potentially become a “big” business—or maybe just a fun business that could make some money.

We will help you find answers to three important questions:
1. Is it a good business idea?
2. Is it a good business idea for you?
3. Is it a good business idea for you, right now?
If you find affirmative answers to these questions, you may want to move forward at a pace of your choosing to develop the business idea into a full-fledged business. Even if you decide not to pursue that particular idea, you will have gained important skills and insights that will serve you well when the next “big idea” comes along—and it will. We have had students who, over several years, evaluated a number of different ideas before moving forward with the right one.
I’ve got my business plan ready. Now, how do I get financing to launch the company?

We’ll help you plan for your company’s financial needs and do the early “bootstrapping.” When you’re ready, we’ll help you get in touch with potential investors. We’ll help you understand what they need for consideration and how the process works. When you’re ready, they may decide to take the leap and invest in your company.