New course combines cybersecurity, entrepreneurship

We are leveraging the world-class resources that we have right here in St. Louis with the NGA, CORTEX, and our strong corporate cybersecurity community.

—Cliff Holekamp, Senior Lecturer and Academic Director for Entrepreneurship

Starting in the Spring, WashU undergraduate students will be able to take an exciting course combining entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and national defense.

“Laboratory for Defense and Corporate Cybersecurity Innovation” is a joint entrepreneurial lab between WashU, Saint Louis University, CORTEX, and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, where students will solve real-world problems facing the Department of Defense and corporate America in the realm of cybersecurity.

The course is coordinated by Olin’s Academic Director for Entrepreneurship, Cliff Holekamp, and will be co-taught by Adam Timm, EMBA 47 and the Digital Transformation Chief at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

“We are leveraging the world-class resources that we have right here in St. Louis with the NGA, CORTEX, and our strong corporate cybersecurity community,” says Cliff Holekamp, Senior Lecturer and Academic Director for Entrepreneurship. Classes will be held at CORTEX, and student-developed solutions could evolve into startups or be adopted by industry leaders. The course is open to all undergraduates at WashU.

Students will not only develop prototypes to address some of the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing clients, but will also hone strategies for selling the concept to the Department of Defense and Fortune 500 companies.

“This course is the embodiment of the collaborative spirit that we have been developing in the St. Louis entrepreneurial community,” says Holekamp. “I have also been delighted by the continued spirit of collaboration between Olin and the School of Engineering, with whom we developed this course.”

Enrollment for MGT 460N – Laboratory for Defense and Corporate Cybersecurity Innovation is happening NOW! Sign up via WebSTAC to be part of the lab’s inaugural class in Spring 2018.