Franklin CREATE! is no longer just an idea, it's officially taking flight. Through this startup initiative, arts and sciences students gain mentorship, tools, and resources to develop entrepreneurial confidence and turn big ideas into ventures that make a real-world impact. Momentum is building quickly, and the excitement across Franklin is unmistakable.

Since the start of spring semester, staff, faculty, and Franklin student ambassadors have interacted with more than 450 students to share information about Franklin CREATE! At information sessions, networking events, pop-ups on campus, and presentations to student organizations, students have explored how this initiative can spark their entrepreneurial journey. Many of these students have reimagined how entrepreneurial thinking can expand their academic pathways and strengthen their long-term professional success. To keep up with all Franklin CREATE! campus events please check our Involvement Network page.

Taking Franklin CREATE! on the road: The inaugural trek to Atlanta

The excitement didn’t stop on campus. On Thursday, March 19, a group of UGA and Franklin students took part in the inaugural Franklin CREATE! Trek, which included a trip to Atlanta to attend a panel featuring UGA startup alumni. The alumni shared insights about their entrepreneurial journeys and engaged students in an interactive Q&A session.

Students asked a variety of networking questions, including: “How do you build genuine relationships instead of just collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections?” and “What’s your go-to strategy for starting a conversation with someone you don’t know at an event?” 

The panelists offered practical advice: “Set a goal for every networking event, whether it’s connecting with a certain number of people or finding contacts in a particular field, and make it happen. Networking is crucial: rely on your community. Put yourself out there, find a mentor on LinkedIn or among alumni, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.” They also encouraged students to remain open to new opportunities: “Don’t get stuck on a single path. Sometimes better options appear-opportunities you didn’t know you needed or wanted.”

The students also attended Franklin Entrepreneurs’ Night at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). Co-hosted by ATDC, the Franklin Board of Advisors, and Franklin CREATE!, the event immersed students in one of Georgia’s most vibrant entrepreneurial hubs. They had the opportunity to meet founders, innovators, and UGA and Franklin alumni from across the state who are building companies, raising capital, and shaping the future.

Among the participants in the evening’s pitch session was Justice Carswell, a fourth-year UGA student double majoring in Sociology through the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and in Housing Management and Policy (Residential Property Management emphasis) through the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. In her ATDC application, she described her venture as a fitness-focused cookbook inspired by her personal journey. After nearly being diagnosed with diabetes at age 17, she lost 90 pounds, now teaches fitness at the Ramsey Student Center, and seeks to inspire others by sharing her story on platforms including TED Talks and social media.

Founded in 1980, ATDC has helped launch more than 190 companies, which have collectively raised over $1 billion in outside financing and generated millions in tax revenue. This event provided Franklin students with an inspiring glimpse of what’s possible in the entrepreneurial world.

This Summer: The first-ever Franklin CREATE! Summer Startup Academy 

The launch continues this summer with the debut of the Franklin CREATE! Summer Startup Academy, an 11‑week immersive experience that gives students dedicated time and know-how to turn their ideas and prototypes into real startups. Upon completion of four weeks in the Summer Startup Academy, students will join the UGA Entrepreneurship Program’s Summer Launch program for the remaining seven weeks. Participating teams will receive funding, mentorship from alumni and founders, and hands-on training. Applications for this program are open to first year undergraduates to PhDs with an April 7 deadline. Learn more here. 

The summer experience will culminate in the fall with a Startup Showcase, a campus-wide celebration where student founders and their teams present their ventures to investors, alumni, and the broader community.

Academic Year 2026-27: LEARN and MAKE Courses 

In fall 2026, Franklin CREATE! will offer the recently approved course LEARN: Entrepreneurial Thinking in Arts and Sciences. LEARN cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset characterized by staying curious, thinking creatively, identifying opportunities, and trying new approaches. Through hands-on, collaborative projects, students will test ideas, connect insights across arts and sciences, and develop adaptable skills for addressing real-world challenges in any field. The course will cover topics including ideation, customer discovery, community interview protocols, value propositions, pivots, and minimal viable products. Undergraduates who have taken one foundational general education course and one quantitative reasoning course may enroll. Graduate students also are eligible to enroll.  

Powered by a community of champions

Franklin CREATE! has recruited experienced leaders to help realize the initiative’s full potential. Led by Sr. Associate Dean Paula Lemons with ongoing advisory and strategic guidance from Dean Anna Stenport, Franklin CREATE! is housed in the College’s Office of Academic Innovation. On April 1, new program director Mike Lui will join the team bringing more than two decades of experience spanning every stage of the business lifecycle, from founding startups to leading strategic initiatives at Fortune 500 companies. As a startup founder, he has built and led companies from inception through commercialization, fundraising, and international expansion. Lui joins program manager Laura Williams, formerly director of undergraduate research at Georgia Tech, and program coordinator Deb Tonks, a UGA Double Dawg with decades of experience at the university.

A dedicated team of Faculty Ambassadors from across multiple disciplines has been selected through a competitive process. They engage in curricular innovation and design new courses, provide support and instructions to students, lead Study Away programs, and guide program development from their disciplinary perspectives. The first group of faculty ambassadors started in January 2026, representing all five divisions of the college (Fine and Performing Arts; Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Physical and Mathematical Sciences). 

Our eight Franklin CREATE! Summer 2026 Launch Ambassadors are:

• Toyin Alli: Department of Mathematics
• Marguerite Brickman: Department of Plant Biology
• Lindsey Harding: Department of English
• Brandon Quarles: Huge Hodgson School of Music
• Lakshmish Ramaswamy: School of Computing
• Danielle Riebe: Department of Anthropology
• Ash Eliza Smith: Lamar Dodd School of Art
• Katie Springthorpe: Department of Plant Biology

Extending the UGA entrepreneur ecosystem 

Working in close partnership with the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, the UGA Innovation District, and Georgia Tech’s CREATE-X, Franklin CREATE! extends the university’s startup infrastructure to Franklin, creating new pathways within the university’s vibrant innovation ecosystem for students to move from idea to launch. The effort is generously funded by a foundational pilot-project award from The Marcus Foundation as well as by individual donors and supporters. 

This is just the beginning

From virtual info sessions and team‑building, to the inaugural trek to Atlanta, and a summer of hands‑on venture building culminating with the fall Startup Showcase, Franklin CREATE! has officially launched, and it’salready transforming what’s possible for arts and sciences students. We can’t wait to see what our Franklin students will create next.

If you are interested in learning more, visit our website.If you are interested in becoming a mentor or supporter, please contact the Franklin CREATE! team directly at franklincreate@uga.edu.