IN CENTRAL NEW YORK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO ASSISTING ENTREPRENEURS IN ACHIEVING THEIR ASPIRATIONS.

AMONG THEM IS THE KEENAN CENTER AT LE MOYNE COLLEGE.

THEY LEVERAGE REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES AND HIGH-POWERED TOOLS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO ATTAIN ECONOMIC SUCCESS.

WE MET WITH THE KEENAN CENTER DIRECTOR TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR APPROACH IN SUPPORTING ANYONE STRIVING TO TRANSFORM THEIR IDEAS INTO REALITY.

>> SO THE KEENAN CENTER IS DIRECTLY FOCUSED ON INCREASING THE DENSITY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE TALENT IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF DENSITY IS TO CREATE WHAT YOU CALL SECOND AND THIRD ORDER EFFECTS, MEANING PEOPLE MEETING OTHER PEOPLE.

AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE THINK THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF THE CENTER IS THAT WE HAVE THE MAKER SIDE OF THE CENTER.

YOU ALSO HAVE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SIDE OF THE CENTER.

IT SPANS THE ENTREPRENEURS, INNOVATORS AND CREATORS.

THEY ALL OVERLAP IN THE SPACE.

>> ESPECIALLY ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS IS YOU TEND TO GET A GROUP OF FRIENDS, THEY TEND TO BE IN YOUR MAJOR, YOU TEND TO TRAVEL IN THE SAME WAY.

BUT IN A SPACE LIKE THIS BECAUSE ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, YOU GET MAYBE THE ACCOUNTING STUDENT WORKING WITH THE ART MAJOR, WORKING WITH THE NURSING STUDENTS.

THE CROSS POLLINATION OF THEIR IDEAS AND THEIR DISCIPLINES IS REALLY WHERE THE CREATIVE ENERGY TAKES PLACE.

>> THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GONE INTO THE KEENAN CENTER IS IN THE MILLIONS AT THIS POINT.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS MONEY THAT IS DIRECTLY DONATED.

IT'S RAISED.

BUT IT'S ALSO ON A MATCH BASIS AS WELL.

SO OUR CHALLENGE IS THE SAME AS CENTRAL NEW YORK'S ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM AND THAT IS THE ANGEL MONEY OR EARLY SEED TYPE MONEY THAT A NEW VENTURE NEEDS.

>> WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM CALLED THE DOLPHIN TANK WHICH IS A PITCH CONTEST.

OVER LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE GOT ABOUT $150,000 IN PRIZE MONEY.

THOSE STUDENTS HAVE RETURNED $1.6 MILLION IN REVENUE FROM THAT INITIAL INVESTMENT.

>> HE WAS ABLE TO WIN MONEY THROUGH THE BUSINESS COMPETITION AND HE WAS ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY AND LEVERAGE THAT MONEY TO GET HIM TO WHERE HE IS TODAY.

AND NOW HE IS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN THE SURGE ACCELERATOR AND ACCELERATE TO THE NEXT STEPS.

>> AT HEART, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A ENTREPRENEUR.

MY FAMILY ARE IMMIGRANTS FROM THE CONGO.

WE LIVED IN KENYA FOR FIVE YEARS.

KENYA WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WORK OPPORTUNITIES.

I REMEMBER EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL I WOULD CARRY MY LITTLE BENCH AND PUT IT ON THE SIDE 69 ROAD AND SELL CANDIES AND FRIED PEANUTS.

THAT SPIRIT HAS BEEN A PART OF ME BUT I LIKE BUILDING THINGS FROM THE BOTTOM AND SOLVING DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT I LIKE TO GIVE.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THE FIRST SEA PLANE AND BI PLANES WERE ALL DONE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK THERE.

USED TO BE AN AIRCRAFT MOTOR COMPANY DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE.

WE ARE EXCITED TO WORK WITH NEWAIR TO PROVIDE BOTH TRAINING FOR PILOTS AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO ENHANCE THE REGION AND BRING AVIATION BACK TO CREATIVITY.

WE ARE HAVING OUR STUDENTS BUILD DRONES FROM INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT PIECES SO THEN THEY BECOME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE DRONE TECHNOLOGY.

THERE IS SO MUCH EXCITEMENT AND SO MUCH ENERGY IN THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE NEW SECTORS COMING TO CENTRAL NEW YORK, THAT THE STUDENTS JUST NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT THERE ARE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE WELCOMING TO THE ENTREPRENEURS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IDEAS THAT COULD HELP THEM NOT ONLY INVIGORATE THEIR OWN BUSINESS, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO EXTEND THEIR BUSINESSES IN NEW DIRECTIONS.