DURHAM, N.H. -- Jeff Hoffman, serial entrepreneur (Priceline, Ubid.com, ColorJar) will be the keynote speaker at the University of New Hampshire Peter T. Paul Entrepreneurship Center’s (ECenter) Idea and Innovation Passport (i2 Passport) kick-off event Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017.

The kick-off event in the Memorial Union Building Granite State Room is free and open to the public, but registration is required due to space limitations. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the event starts at 3 p.m.

The i2 Passport Program encourages undergraduate degree-seeking students—from all colleges on the Durham campus—to engage in various events and activities surrounding ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship on campus and rewards them with the chance to win prizes totaling $15,000 to help pay off student loans. This includes a FirstGen category specific for students who are the first in their family to attend college.

Hoffman practices what he preaches by following his creative and innovative passions. Outside of the world of technology, he has produced movies in Hollywood; produced musical events, including concerts, tours, and charity events with such artists as Elton John, Britney Spears, NSYNC, and others; and serves on numerous charity and nonprofit boards.

He received a lifetime achievement award and was inducted into the Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame for his contributions to the field of entrepreneurship.

“We are honored Jeff rearranged his schedule in order to speak at UNH for the launch of our new i2 Passport Program,” said Ian Grant, director of the ECenter. “His inspirational keynote talk will include his experiences as a student entrepreneur. There is no better person to help us start to think about what ideas and innovation really mean in this context of i2 Passport.”

The i2 Passport Program is sponsored by Harry Patten ’58 and the Wildcatalysts Network. Material of i2 Passport is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant number 1548011.

The ECenter at UNH is intentionally independent of any one college on campus. It supports students, faculty/staff, and alumni. The ECenter’s goal is to continue building the positive and supportive idea/innovation/entrepreneurial culture by creating various opportunities for engagement through new co-curricular programming, as well as supporting existing academic, student, university, and independent initiatives.