Ole Miss to Host 2026 Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum April 9-10

The University of Mississippi will host the 11th annual Mississippi Entrepreneurship Forum on April 9-10, 2026, at Insight Park, the university's research and business park in Oxford.

The two-day event brings together leaders from public and private institutions of higher education across Mississippi to share campus-based entrepreneurship efforts. Opening activities take place in the Johnson Commons ballroom before the program moves to Insight Park on the second day. The forum functions as a convention for higher education leaders working in entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development.

J.R. Love, assistant director of economic development and Insight Park, framed the event as a working session rather than a showcase.

"MEF is intentionally designed as a working forum," Love said. "It gives colleagues from across Mississippi's colleges and universities the opportunity to step away from their campuses, reflect on what's working and learn from one another in a setting that encourages collaboration and honest dialogue."

The opening session on April 9 features a conversation between Lisa Cooley, assistant professor of marketing at Delta State University, and John T. Edge, director of the Mississippi Lab and Greenfield Farm Writers Residency. Their discussion will focus on the economic and community impact of place-based creative and entrepreneurial initiatives.

That evening's dinner includes remarks from Saundra Thompson McFarland, chair of the Department of Business Administration and associate professor of business law at Jackson State University.

Activities continue April 10 at Insight Park with breakfast and a guided tour of the park. Allen Kurr of Oxford Lafayette Inc. will then lead a business and entrepreneur roundtable. The program also features a planning team meeting and lunch remarks from Lucy Schultze, CEO of Red Window Communications.

The Office of Economic Development and the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement organize the annual event as part of the Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development initiative. A committee of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning schools and statewide organizations also supports the forum.

For business operators and campus innovation leaders, the forum offers networking opportunities, resources and lectures on creating and maintaining a business in the state. Interested participants can contact J.R. Love at [email protected] for more information.