In an unlikely pairing of two worlds, a new business recently started by three Baylor students aims to combine the selling of luxurious, high-fashion products with the humanitarianism of fighting third-world poverty.

Kith + Kin, whose name is derived from the word kinfolk or community of people, was founded earlier this semester by Waco senior Christen Batson, Fort Worth senior Meredith Noles and Dallas senior Jeffrey Sholden. The company was created as part of Baylor’s Accelerated Ventures program, a course that funds students for the opportunity to create real businesses and make real profits over a two-semester period. Kith + Kin utilizes a unique business model to sell high-quality leather bags, which are designed by Noles here in Waco, but manufactured by former prostitutes in Rwanda.

Three Baylor entrepreneurs have decided to change the way college students study. Adanote.com, created by three Baylor students, is an online collaborative platform that allows students to upload, share and study notes together online in a unique, social interface.

Baylor students can log on, create an account for free. They can find other students taking the same classes as them and view notes created by them online.
The website is using Baylor for its beta testing, but the goal of the website is to be available for all universities.

The application process has begun for Accelerated Ventures. Through this program, students from any major can get six hours of class credit and $5,000 to start a business.

Accelerated Ventures gives juniors and seniors of any major the opportunity to start a business in two consecutive semesters. The deadline to apply for fall 2013 is March 19.

Baylor’s Accelerated Ventures program and the city of Addison announced Tuesday that they are partnering to bring office incubator space for student-led businesses.

Accelerated Ventures was launched in 2011, to assists Baylor entrepreneur students in creating their own profitable companies. The program was founded by David Grubbs, part-time lecturer; Leslie Palich, assistant director of the entrepreneurial studies program; and Dr. Kendall Artz, the director of the Baylor entrepreneurship program and chairman of the management and entrepreneurship department.