Glacier Country News

University of Montana students are working on entrepreneurship and business ventures in a collaborative space called the Startup Studio. Held weekly each Tuesday afternoon on the third floor of the University Center, the studio is open to students of all majors looking to develop business ideas and receive peer feedback.

Some, like MBA student Stephen McLaughlin, are working on existing businesses. McLaughlin co-founded Remsight, an irrigation intelligence platform, and uses the studio to refine his business plan for potential investor engagement. "The thing that has been most valuable is meeting other entrepreneurial-minded students and people who are passionate about solving a problem with a business as the tool," McLaughlin said.

The Startup Studio was initiated by Erik Guzik, an assistant clinical professor at UM, and is funded by the Folley Foundation, led by UM alumnus Conner Folley. It supports events like the UM Innovation and Entrepreneurship Symposium, which connects students with researchers and faculty.

According to Guzik, the studio prepares students for the John Ruffatto Startup Challenge, a competition for over $50,000 in prize money. "We are seeing more students interested in actually launching a company," Guzik noted. "That's a vision we have with the Startup Studio."

Business management student Camden Capser launched his company, Hustle Fundraise, through the studio. "The Startup Studio is really cool because it gives hands-on experience refining business ideas, validating markets and practicing pitch concepts," said Capser. He plans to pitch his business at the Ruffatto Challenge, having gained confidence through the studio's resources.

The supportive environment of the Startup Studio is seen as a potential differentiator for UM, giving students a platform to work on startups throughout their college years. Guzik noted, "If we have an incoming freshman class and they have four years to work on startup ideas, we might imagine a good number of them will be successful before they graduate."

McLaughlin credits the Startup Studio with providing practical experience and a collaborative atmosphere. His company, Remsight, has launched a pilot project with a large irrigation district in Ravalli County, Montana. "Solving [water scarcity] starts with having high-quality data and that's what our system provides," he said.