Ben Laitner

What attracted you to the Keller Center?

I was blind to the reality of entrepreneurship before I came to the Keller Center. I was brought on to help the E-lab 2019 company Invictis Technologies develop their product, but being part of the E-lab introduced me to the concept that anyone can be an entrepreneur. Since then, I've been back to continue learning how to start a company.

What do you appreciate most about the Keller Center?

Before my time with the Keller Center, I had no idea that starting or running a company was a realizable task. I had heard of people doing it, but I had only heard the best and worst outcomes: either you are a genius and make billions or you're not and fail miserably. The in-between was essentially non-existent in my mind. After working with the Keller Center, I realized you don't have to be Peter Thiel to run a successful start up. You just need to be willing to learn as you go. I remember listening to Ed Zschau talking about entrepreneurship and thinking for the first time in my life that "I could do that."

What are your academic or career goals?

I am an electrical engineer focusing on robotics and intelligent systems. Upon graduation, it is my goal to work for a start up focused on implementing such systems in every day life to the benefit of mankind. If I cannot find one, then I plan to start one.