Background and Mission

The Laboratory for IT Entrepreneurship (LITE), launched in August 2013, blends the entrepreneurial spirit of George Mason University with the applicative focus of the Department of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) — formerly the Department of Applied Information Technology (AIT) — in order to provide students, faculty, and staff with all the tools needed to convert bright business ideas into successful IT ventures.

To achieve this goal, the laboratory leverages a unique mix of elements, including the Department's existing relationships with IT companies and entrepreneurs in the Greater Washington Area.

The ultimate goal of the Laboratory for IT Entrepreneurship is to boost the Department's mission to encourage innovation in IT and application of IT to a wide range of domains.

Mission

The mission of the Laboratory for IT Entrepreneurship (LITE) is to promote entrepreneurship in Information Technology across the Mason community and guide IT ventures from idea to launch.

In order to achieve its mission, the Laboratory administers a portfolio of programs aimed at:

• Encouraging and leveraging promising business ideas
• Providing professional counseling and guidance for the successful development and creation of new, innovative ventures in the IT field
• Providing appropriate education, information and tools
• Promoting competitiveness
• Establishing collaborations and/or partnerships between enterprises in Virginia and faculty at George Mason in order to develop or enhance innovative technologies, products, or services
• Connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with individuals with the technical skills necessary to materialize their ideas