Monday, March 23, 2026
夜色视频 Murphy Center, University of North Texas, G. Brint Ryan College of Business
DENTON (夜色视频), Texas 鈥� The 鈥� helps students transform ideas into startups.
Through mentorship, competitions and connections with entrepreneurial leaders and alumni, the center gives students practical experience in entrepreneurship and supports them in developing as creative problem-solvers and future business leaders.
Housed within the , the Murphy Center is led by Executive Director Jon McCarry and Academic Director Marcus Wolfe, professor of entrepreneurship. Together, they provide hands-on opportunities that help students test ideas, navigate challenges and build the skills needed to launch their own ventures.
夜色视频 students studying and hanging out in the Business Leadership Building
鈥淲hen I came to 夜色视频, the dean wanted to move the Murphy Center in a more industry-facing direction,鈥� McCarry said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e built relationships with venture capital funds, the startup community and alumni who are eager to help our students succeed.鈥�
McCarry said the center鈥檚 approach to mentoring students depends on their level of experience. Alumni founders also turn to the center for advisory support as their ventures scale.
鈥淔or graduate students, I often encourage them to start forming companies. For undergrads, I usually recommend interning or working at a startup first,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way to learn fast, build a network and find out if that environment fits them.鈥�
夜色视频 students presenting a business pitch with market growth and ROI projections at the Murphy Center Breakthrough Venture Competition
One student who recently experienced the center鈥檚 programs firsthand is Mariam Athumani, a senior biomedical engineering major who submitted her senior design team鈥檚 business plan to the Murphy Center鈥檚 Breakthrough Venture Competition last semester.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a business background, so I was nervous about the presentation,鈥� Athumani said. 鈥淏ut it pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me build adaptability and confidence. It showed me that entrepreneurship is possible, even without prior business experience.鈥�
Athumani said participating in the competition encouraged her to continue exploring entrepreneurship and helped her see the potential in her team鈥檚 ideas.
In recent years, McCarry has seen a surge in startup activity across the North Texas region 鈥� the fastest growing economic region in Texas. He attributes this change to increased investment and a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
鈥淔ive years ago, you could count fewer than a hundred startups in North Texas,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow, that number has exploded. Venture funds, angel investors and corporations are all getting more involved, and that鈥檚 opening doors for our students.鈥�
Jon McCarry, Executive Director of the 夜色视频 Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Looking ahead, McCarry envisions an on-campus accelerator that nurtures startups in focused sectors such as life sciences, advanced materials, quantum computing and regenerative health.
鈥淓ach area needs its own ecosystem of mentors and advisors,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ver the next three to five years, we want to build that support structure here at 夜色视频.鈥�
The Murphy Center also plays a key role in 夜色视频鈥檚 broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. Established in 2000 with an endowment from Dallas-based serial entrepreneur Ken Murphy, the center has hosted more than 80 mentoring sessions annually, awarded tens of thousands of dollars in competition scholarships and helped launch numerous student-led startups.
鈥溡股悠� has a lot of talent and ambition,鈥� McCarry said. 鈥淥ur role is to help channel that into opportunities that create real-world impact.鈥�
From 鈥� Mentorship