About the organization

The Meszaros International Center of Entrepreneurship (MICE) is a not-for-profit foundation [501(c)] that develops and delivers entrepreneurship training products and programs. MICE has already successfully completed programs in Central Europe. MICE was founded and originally funded by Laszlo (Les) Meszaros, a former entrepreneur who successfully started companies, most notably Voice Technologies Group, which he sold to Intel Corporation. Initially, Les wanted to give something back to his birthplace, Hungary, where opportunities were much more limited than in the United States, so the initial focus of MICE was in Central Europe. For three years, MICE has been running quite successfully in Hungary. (Please click on Video to see the benefits of the MICE program as expressed by Hungarian students).

We have had great success in achieving our goals which called for implementation for a selected group of schools in the immediate Buffalo area, during the 2007-2008 school year. We are in our second year of operation (2008-09) with a minimal expansion of our recruiting base and we are in the process of recruiting for the 2009-2010 year from all city, suburban schools, public, private ofr independent

Our Mission,

The mission of MICE is to provide high-quality entrepreneurial guidance and information to students and business practitioners. More specifically, MICE:

• Provides high-level ethical, entrepreneurial, and leadership training and education
• Assists individuals in realizing their potential and goals
• Develops future visionary, inspirational, and ethical business leaders
• Reestablishes tolerance and encourages individuality, self-determination, risk-taking, and innovation
• Provides opportunities for economic and personal growth, a better quality of life, and the right to choose
• Assists, trains, and supports prospective and practicing entrepreneurs
• Extends its offerings to provide an impetus for economic revitalization
• Designs and awards international study scholarships

Our Vision,

MICE envision itself becoming the premier provider of entrepreneurial training in Western New York and other parts of the United States. To reach this lofty goal, the Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP) intends to create a critical mass of entrepreneurial advocates, a growth in enterprise start-ups, increased domestic and foreign visibility, and government recognition of the value of ethical, moral, and socially responsible business practices.

As ETP program sites stabilize, our interim goals are to:
• Develop broadly scoped affiliate groups (businesses, corporations, consultants, universities, religious organizations, non-profits, philanthropists, employers, and so on) who contribute to and benefit from the competencies of MICE
• Develop additional products, materials, and courses that address the needs of current business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and university audiences
• Broaden the reach of our program to include sites beyond Western New York.

For MICE, results at that scale are a relative concept that is governed by available resources. For example, in the three years that ETP has been offered, the program has tripled and now offers programs in three cities. While overall expenditures for MICE have risen, the cost per student has remained stable. Extending this experience to the interim goals means that as MICE expands its programs and reach, each initiative must perform within resource parameters. We feel that doing so is attainable and supports the pursuit of forming area-specific affiliate groups that become partners in MICE activities. Within three to five years, we envision offering ETP programs in most of the schools in WNY and several other cities beyond Buffalo and its immediate surroundings. We also foresee the creation of instructional materials that might generate revenue and a formal training program that assures competent delivery of program content.

Classes will begin in Western New York in October at the University of Buffalo North Campus. Classes will be held on Saturday mornings from 9AM- noon. Depending on interest, a Thursday evening class may also be added.