SJMC names Jeff Brown first Entrepreneur in Residence

Jeff Brown

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) at Florida International University has named Jeff Brown, an angel investor, serial entrepreneur and founder of Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corporation, its 2015-2016 Entrepreneur in Residence.

As the Entrepreneur in Residence, Brown will work with SJMC students and faculty to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as guide students through the process of honing their ideas into marketable proposals. Brown will mentor the student teams that enter the International Scripps Innovation Competition, which will begin with Start-up Weekend on Nov. 20 and culminate in PantherCage, a “Shark Tank” style competition held on March 23, 2016, during SJMC’s Communications Week.

“We couldn’t be happier or more excited about Jeff’s appointment to this position. The Entrepreneur in Residence reflects the SJMC’s commitment to providing students the leading-edge skills and expertise to succeed in this changing media environment. Jeff embodies the innovative, practical, and inspiring qualities that we were searching for when we created this position,” said Raul Reis, dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Over the years, Brown has been a key member of the South Florida investment community, mentoring and advising potential investors and innovators through Honey Tree Holdings, of which he is a founding member, as well as Startup Quest, Digital Venture Capital Association and Palm Beach Angels Inc.

Brown has founded various tech and media startups since 1988, and is a past director of Gold Coast Venture Capital Association. He is an organizer and founding trustee of Awesome Journalism, which funds innovative journalism projects around the world.

“I am very excited and honored to be selected to be the first entrepreneur in residence at the SJMC,” Brown said. “Thinking entrepreneurially and innovatively isn’t just for startups and business people, it serves journalists and professional communicators well too. The entrepreneur’s skill set of communication, branding, salesmanship, strategy and finance are core skills for 21st century employees, as well as leaders and innovators within an organization.”