Students to experience entrepreneurialism at ideablob University

New Web site unveiled at USASBE Conference revolutionizes the way students dream-up and breathe life into new business ideas.

Key Takeaways

• Students now have an easy way to share and evaluate ideas.
  
• Unique platform gives professors a tool for experiential learning.
• This no-cost, interactive free market of ideas is easy to set up for classrooms.

San Antonio, TX and Spring House, PA (January 11, 2008) – Advanta Corp. (NASDAQ: ADVNB; ADVNA) today introduced ideablob University www.ideablob.com/university, an extension of ideablob.com and a first-of-its-kind tool that empowers professors and students to create, share and evolve business ideas online. Advanta made the announcement at the 2008 United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Conference in San Antonio, of which it is a sponsor. 

“Through ideablob, our students are able to explore opportunity recognition, creativity and networking,” said Dr. Jeffrey Cornwall, a USASBE Fellow who is also The Jack C. Massey Chair in Entrepreneurship and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. “It’s the ultimate experiential tool that links students with aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship experts all joined together through a Web 2.0 forum.” 

Ideablob is a vibrant and active online community where small business owners and entrepreneurs share business ideas in exchange for feedback, advice and votes from the community. Advanta, one of the nation’s largest credit card issuers (through Advanta Bank Corp.) in the small business market, awards a $10,000 monthly prize to the best idea, as determined by the voting. To date, Advanta has paid out prize money to a Chicago-based software developer and a Philadelphia-based non-profit founder. 

“The USASBE Conference is the perfect place for us to introduce ideablob University,” said Ami Kassar, Advanta’s Chief Innovation Officer. “The entrepreneurship scholars and educators at the conference will have a great impact on many of America’s future small business owners and innovators.” 

A 2006 study by the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Indiana University found a 533% growth in the number of schools offering courses and programs in entrepreneurship since the 1980s. During the early 1980s, more than 300 universities reported courses in small business and entrepreneurship. Today, entrepreneurial education includes more than 2,200 courses at more than 1,600 schools, 277 endowed faculty positions, 44 academic journals and nearly 150 research centers. 

Ideablob University incorporates innovative social networking functionality to help students connect in new ways. Entrepreneurial professors can create virtual classrooms, where students submit, vote and comment on new business ideas. Ideablob University is free and virtual classrooms only take a few minutes to set up. 

For more information, please visit www.ideablob.com/university 

About Advanta

Advanta is one of the nation’s largest credit card issuers (through Advanta Bank Corp.) in the small business market today. Advanta’s exclusive focus on this market, as well as its size, experience and commitment to developing meaningful product offerings and a high level of service tailored to the needs of small businesses, differentiate the company from other issuers. Founded in 1951, Advanta has long been an innovator in developing and introducing many of the marketing techniques that are common in the financial services industry today. Learn more about Advanta at www.advanta.com

There is no purchase necessary to enter the ideablob.com contest. Contest began on 9/24/07 at 12:00:00 am CT and ends on 9/30/08 at 11:59:59 pm CT. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. who are of the legal age of majority in their state of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. Official Rules are available online at www.ideablob.com. Sponsored by Advanta Bank Corp., PO Box 30715, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0715.

* ideablob University, ideablob.com and ideablob are service marks owned by Advanta Bank Corp.