Ron and Rachel Antevy
A degree in engineering is the ideal training for an aspiring entrepreneur, and Ron and Rachel Antevy have established an important new fund created specifically for civil and environmental engineers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
“There’s a common misconception that entrepreneurial opportunities can only be found in AI or related areas of technology,” reflected Professor Burçin Becerik-Gerber, chair of the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). “However, many of the greatest problems facing humanity and our planet are being addressed within the disciplines of civil and environmental engineering, and it’s vital that our students and faculty feel empowered to innovate and transform their ideas into on-the-ground solutions.”
CEE initiatives such as the Innovation in Engineering and Design for Global Crises class (also generously funded by the Antevy family) have set a precedent for the CEE culture of entrepreneurship.
“Having an entrepreneurial mindset doesn’t only relate to starting a new company,” said Becerik-Gerber. “Our students can be social entrepreneurs, solving environmental, social and cultural issues. They can be ‘intrapreneurs’ operating within existing companies to innovate and develop new projects, products or ideas.”
For Becerik-Gerber, that can-do attitude is an ethos she’s determined to recreate for her own students and colleagues.
Ron Antevy first encountered Becerik-Gerber two decades ago, when she was a graduate student organizing a conference around the topic of her doctoral dissertation: online collaboration and project management software for the construction industry. As a civil engineer, Antevy co-founded the project management software company, e-Builder, in collaboration with his brother, Jon Antevy, who had trained as an architect.
Those were the early days of e-Builder – which quickly became the online project management go-to for the construction industry. Soon, Antevy was in a position to invest in other companies within construction technology, and he witnessed some of the most successful startups and growing companies being led by engineers.
“I was lucky enough to meet a few people along the way who inspired and motivated me to build a successful technology business,” said Antevy. “You could say, I always had the entrepreneurial spirit. But that spirit needs to be supported and developed in the right environment of opportunity.”
Antevy discovered that he didn’t need to go to business school. His degree in civil engineering was the foundation he needed to innovate and be a problem solver – skills that enabled e-Builder to be a breakaway success. As a member of the USC Viterbi Board of Councilors, he advises Dean Yannis Yortsos and his staff on themes related to innovation.
In fact, the CEE strategic vision could be read as a cue for brainstorming business solutions to attract savvy venture capitalists. The goal of engineering for disaster resilience, extreme habitats, urban livability, environmental stewardship and transport service systems are all ripe for innovation – and the Antevy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund will play an important role in boosting the CEE entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“I know there are plenty of engineers at USC who would thrive in business – the idea is to provide a strong curriculum, talks, competitions and mentorship to give them the confidence and the skills they need to leverage their ideas,” said Antevy.
For Dean Yortsos, the fund is indicative of the USC Viterbi drive towards innovation, and in line with the school’s leadership of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Western United States Innovation Hub. “This significant vote of confidence from the NSF allows us to launch a multitude of programs, following the I-Corps lean entrepreneurship mindset,” said Yortsos. “Such programs help us with our mission to engineer a better world for all humanity, a goal more important than ever before.”
Becerik-Gerber agrees. As she sees it, investing in civil and environmental engineering solutions is a way of investing in humanity and the future of the planet; far more impactful than chasing after the next tech trend.
“Our students and faculty are engaged in research that is directly relevant to the way we live now – and quality of life for future generations,” said Becerik-Gerber. “Dean Yortsos and I are deeply grateful for the generosity of the Antevy family, and their role as partners in shaping the vision for our department and USC Viterbi as a whole.”
Published on November 13th, 2024
Last updated on November 13th, 2024
