Lilie Lab

The Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) is the student home for entrepreneurship and innovation at Rice University. Our mission is to equip Rice students 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 lab space, and an array of resources to support student learning. Lilie’s offerings are complemented by our university partners, including OwlSpark, the student startup accelerator, and Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, hosts of the annual Rice Business Plan Competition and other exceptional startup events in the Houston community.

Lilie Courses

At the curricular level, Lilie has launched eight interdisciplinary undergraduate courses and as well as a suite of graduate courses in high demand each semester. Lilie also administers a minor in entrepreneurship designed and executed in collaboration with Rice Business, George R. Brown School of Engineering, and the School of Social Sciences.

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
• Startup Job Internship Fair

Lilie 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 in coordination with Rice’s Alumni office. The network operates through a regional hub model, and launched in Houston in and the Bay Area in May 2020. We anticipate expanding into other cities as the program grows. RAEI offers facilitated workshops, networking events, lecture series, digital educational content, and other resources that continues to engage our exceptional Rice talent after they depart campus.

Lilie Space

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We are 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!