The Larry Friedman Center for Entrepreneurship, known as the Launch Pad, is the hub for entrepreneurial activity at JWU Providence. Located in the Xavier Academic Complex, the Center serves the Downcity, Harborside and online campuses.
Experience is Your Guide
The Launch Pad brings together entrepreneurial studies, experiential opportunities, mentors and small business support services to transform students into entrepreneurs — and their ideas into commercial or social enterprises. The Launch Pad is under the guidance of Jeff Binczyk ’23 DBA, whose long corporate career has included working for food companies such as Kellogg’s and Shearer’s Snacks as well as leading startup teams at Flavorseal.
Do you have an idea for a product, business or side hustle but don’t know where to go from there? The Launch Pad is a place where students can share their dreams and discuss their ideas.
The Launch Pad provides all students with 1-on-1 mentoring, coaching and workshops, such as:
Using Social Media To Promote Your Brand
Developing Your Brand
Creating Financials for Your Product or Service
Spring and Fall Speaker Series with Prominent Entrepreneurs
The Launch Pad is commitment to supporting student entrepreneurship and creating collaborative spaces for bringing ideas to life.
Have you ever watched a competitive show such as Shark Tank and thought, “I could do that?”
JWU Sharkfest is the university’s annual business pitch competition that tests the business acumen, creativity and ambition of JWU student entrepreneurs.
The JWU campus community cheers on JWU Providence, JWU Charlotte and JWU Online students as they pitch their innovative business ideas, while SharkFest’s winners receive grants that allow them to bring their ideas to life.
Stay tuned for Sharkfest in Spring 2027!
“Sharing the work I’ve been passionate about with my peers and professors was incredibly fulfilling.”
“My company, The Visibility Project, educates and raises awareness for Type 1 diabetes.”
Parker Legreid ’29, Business Administration
Recap: Sharkfest 2026
At Sharkfest, student entrepreneurs pitch business ideas they’ve developed and tested through months of mentorship. In the trade show-style format, attendees move between tables, hear the pitches and vote for their favorites by QR code. Recent winners included Parker Legreid ’29, who is building learning experiences that help kids recognize the early warning signs of Type 1 diabetes; Madeline Stange ’26, who is growing her business, Maddy Cakes, from a farmers market table to a dessert truck; and Isabella Mock ’27, who created a food subscription box with recipe cards and math worksheets so families can bake and practice math together.
Faculty members keep scheduled hours in the Launch Pad, so you can drop in for advice as you build your business. They’ll help you connect what you’re learning in class to the decisions you’re making right now — pricing, customers, funding, next steps and more. Coaching is one-on-one and shaped around whatever stage your venture is in.
Larry Friedman Center for Entrepreneurship
Xavier Academic Complex, Room 402 259 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903
Jeff Binczyk ’23 DBA Director, Larry Friedman Center for Entrepreneurship Jeffrey.Binczyk@jwu.edu
