Liu Idea Lab (Lilie)

The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) is the on-campus home for entrepreneurship and innovation at Rice University. Our mission is to equip the Rice community with both the entrepreneurial skills and mindset to prepare them to be innovators in whatever industry they choose, be it a technology startup, government, civic group, non-profit, small business, or large corporation. 

About Lilie

Founded in 2015 through a generous gift from Houston entrepreneur and alumnus Frank Liu and his family, via their private foundation, Lilie programming consists of experiential courses, co-curricular opportunities, a state-of-the-art on-campus space, and an array of resources to support student learning. 

Lilie’s offerings are complemented by our university partners such as Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship which hosts the annual Rice Business Plan Competition and other exceptional startup events in the Houston community.

Lilie Courses

At the curricular level, Lilie offers undergraduate and graduate courses in innovation, entrepreneurship, and design that are in high demand each semester. Lilie also administers a minor in entrepreneurship designed and executed in collaboration with Rice Business and the George R. Brown School of Engineering.

Lilie Programs & Events

In addition to its curricular offerings, Lilie has developed robust co-curricular offerings and special events that foster a growing university wide entrepreneurship community. Check out just a few below!

• Change Maker Summit
• Launchpad
• Venture Development Workshops
• FIESTA: Festival of Innovation Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, & Art
• Ignition Hub Startup Job Internship Fair

Alumni Program

To continue to serve our talented students post-graduation and foster a Rice entrepreneurial ecosystem that spans beyond the borders of Houston, Lilie launched the Rice Alumni | Entrepreneurs + Innovators (RAEI) network. The network operates through a regional hub model. RAEI offers facilitated workshops, networking events, lecture series, digital educational content, and other resources that engage our exceptional Rice talent after they depart campus.
 

Lilie Space

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Lilie is housed in a beautiful 5,000 square foot flexible coworking space in the Cambridge Office Building, but our programming spans beyond those walls, bringing together all disciplines at Rice.

Learn more about Lilie on our website or just stop by anytime!