UnGala Experience to Celebrate 10 Years of Supporting, Mentoring, & Educating Urban Entrepreneurs

The Center for Urban and Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CUEED), a research and practitioner-oriented organization at Rutgers Business School that strengthens small business owners who contribute to community revitalization, will present its UnGala Experience at the Express Newark event space on Thursday, October 10 from 6 to 9PM.  The UnGala Experience will feature gourmet cuisine, artisan products, and professional services from the businesses of CUEED’s graduates and moderated discussions of topics relating to urban entrepreneurship.

“Since 2008, CUEED has provided education, mentorship, networking, and investment opportunities for over 400 entrepreneurs whose businesses have created over 580 jobs and generated over $167MM in annual revenue,” says Lyneir Richardson, Executive Director of CUEED.  “In the same way that our entrepreneurs have found original ways to revitalize their communities and build their companies, the UnGala Experience will flip the script on typical gala events by presenting an evening that’s fresh, dynamic, and innovative.”

CUEED is one of the first and only entities in the country to integrate academia, private capital, government organizations, and non-profit partners with the goal of stimulating economic growth through urban entrepreneurship.  Through CUEED, Rutgers makes working space, equipment, faculty, staff, and student resources available to its participating local entrepreneurs, 70% of which are minority and over 60% female.

The UnGala Experience will include a variety of novel experiential components, including:

• A welcome address by CNBC’s David Spiegel (Rutgers MBA ‘14).
• Moderated discussions hats about timely tech and business topics between noteworthy business leaders and CUEED’s entrepreneurs.
• A CUEED Marketplace, featuring artisan products and business services that are created and sold by the companies of CUEED graduates.
• Cuisine by chefs/restaurateurs who have graduated from CUEED’s education programs, including naked tamales from Chilangos (Highlands), empanadas/sliders from Casa Cubano (Jersey City), soul food from Delta’s (New Brunswick), mediterranean dishes from Green Chic Pea (Newark), “Ricosoul” dishes from The Weekend Spot (Newark), coffee/tea from Black Swan Espresso (Newark), and a dessert bar from The Dessert Ladies (Stirling).
• Wine courtesy of Hampton Water Wine.
• Beer from Montclair Brewery.
• Entertainment from artists with Express Newark.
• Complimentary professional headshots from photographers who have graduated from CUEED’s education programs.

Corporate sponsors of the UnGala Experience include Santander Bank, PNC Bank, Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Columbia Bank, and Hampton Water Wine.

The CUEED UnGala Experience will be presented at Rutgers Express Newark at 54 Halsey Street in Newark on Thursday, October 10 from 6:00 to 9:00PM.  For more information and tickets, visit the UnGala Experience Eventbrite page.