W. David Tarver, founder and president of UEI (Photo credit -Kennette Lamar, Annistique Photo)
Since its inception in 2014, the Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative (UEI) has championed entrepreneurial efforts to uplift urban communities. In a bold relaunch, UEI is set to revolutionize its impact with a cutting-edge urban innovator platform, marking a new era of transformative action.
This relaunch will be accompanied by a member-driven model to inspire and mobilize a fresh generation of urban innovators to drive positive change within urban areas.
W. David Tarver, the founder, and president of UEI, a tech entrepreneur, investor, and long-time lecturer at the University of Michigan College of Engineering’s Center for Entrepreneurship, recently announced that the relaunch received seed funding from a $250,000 grant from the University of Michigan.
“Many people now recognize the role entrepreneurship plays in ensuring urban community vitality, but there remains a shortage of urban innovators capable of creating game-changing, scalable businesses that specifically target and address urban community needs,” Tarver said.
“That’s why UEI is moving from advocacy to action, with the online urban innovator platform serving as a home base where urban innovators can find vital business model information, inspiration, and a connection to like-minded individuals and groups.”
Initially, (UEI) focused on promoting entrepreneurship in urban areas through its annual Urban Entrepreneurship Symposiums. These symposiums were held in Flint, Detroit, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and served as a platform to bring together entrepreneurs, business leaders, academics, community organizations, and government representatives from both the regional and national levels.
The primary goals of the symposiums were to increase awareness about the importance of urban entrepreneurship, facilitate discussions on best practices and innovative solutions, and celebrate the achievements and contributions of urban entrepreneurs.
“Urban quality of life is subject to disruption by rapidly advancing technology, cultural conflict, and environmental crises,” Tarver said.
“Urban innovation – distinctly different from general business entrepreneurship – is the key to minimizing disruption and providing new wealth and opportunity for residents.”
The organization offered direct guidance and support to aspiring entrepreneurs and played a key role in creating a university-level course focusing on urban entrepreneurship. In addition, they organized an intensive eight-week “Urban Launchpad” boot camp at SpaceLab Detroit in 2018.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant upheaval in urban areas, Tarver recognized the need for UEI to be more proactive in driving innovation within these communities.
The three primary beneficiaries of UEI activities are the member entrepreneurs, who maximize their impact and financial success while boosting career satisfaction; the companies they work with who achieve economic success and positive community impact; and the urban communities that become more livable, productive, equitable, and resilient.
“So one of the things that I think we want to do as black entrepreneurs is that we help to solve problems that we can see and not just chase the shiny object because somebody else is doing it right,” Tarver said.
“I think that there are things that are right in front of us, problems that need to be solved that, you know, people can make a profitable business, you know, based on solving these problems, and where to balance that solving those problems, because we’re familiar with people, we’re familiar with communities.”
Tarver, who hails from Flint, Michigan, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Following his work on cutting-edge technologies at AT&T Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, he established Telecom Analysis Systems, Inc. in 1983 at the age of 30.
Originally a small-scale operation headquartered in a basement, the company developed, produced, and sold advanced test equipment for the telecommunications sector. By 1995, the business had expanded to achieve over $10 million in sales. That same year, Tarver sold the company to Bowthorpe plc., a London-based company (Spirent), and stayed on board for four years.
During this time, he played a pivotal role in identifying and brokering significant acquisitions that bolstered group sales from around $10 million to exceeding $250 million. He nearly tripled the parent company’s market value.
Tarver left Spirent in 1999 and founded the nonprofit Red Bank Education and Development Initiative to address the issue of low academic performance among local students. Under his leadership from 2000 to 2007, the organization significantly improved students’ performance, with the pass rate on the New Jersey state performance assessment increasing from 22% to over 60% in the first four years of the initiative.
Upon returning to Southeast Michigan in 2007, Tarver made significant contributions to the community. He notably published his memoir, “Proving Ground,” in 2012, sharing his personal journey and experiences. Additionally, in 2014, he founded the Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative to foster entrepreneurship in urban areas. This initiative gained recognition as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation 2015, solidifying its status as a valuable organization dedicated to supporting urban entrepreneurs.
Tarver has been a lecturer in U-M’s College of Engineering Center for Entrepreneurship since 2012, teaching students from various disciplines. In 2015, he created the Urban Entrepreneurship Practicum course, which introduces students to developing or enhancing businesses that aim to improve the quality of life in urban communities.
2016 Tarver received the University of Michigan College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award. He was surprised to hear he would receive the 2024 ECE Alumni Merit Award from the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering on September 13.
“I’m not doing what I’m doing for awards,” Tarver said.
“I’m going to be giving the alumni address at the College of Engineering through the department in September, and the focus of my address is going to be on the importance of community in terms of entrepreneurship, what the connection is between entrepreneurial activity, what it should be entrepreneurial activity and community serving a community, applying that, not just to urban communities, but across the board.”
For more information on joining UEI or supporting its work, visit urbanei.org.
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