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Dr. Sarbjeet Singh Rayat, who has more than a decade of experience in innovation management, entrepreneurship education, and startup ecosystem development, has been named director of the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CSREI) in the Cotsakos College of Business at William Paterson University in Wayne.
The Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CSREI) at William Paterson University was established to help turn next-generation ideas into ventures that generate both economic and social value. Through accessible programs, entrepreneurship training, micro-credentials, and partnerships with industry and nonprofits, CSREI fosters innovation across disciplines and supports inclusive economic development.
“Dr. Rayat brings a rare blend of academic insight and hands-on entrepreneurial expertise to this role,” says Anthony Bowrin, dean of the University’s Cotsakos College of Business. “He is driven by a mission to level the playing field for early-stage startups by expanding access to markets, talent, and funding, while designing learning experiences to equip the next generation of entrepreneurs. I am confident that the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation is poised for continued success under his leadership.”
Dr. Rayat has founded multiple technology ventures, designing and launching pioneering products and platforms that reshape how institutions engage and support early-stage entrepreneurs. He is the creator of Pre®, a software as a service (SaaS) platform that gamifies pitch competitions by enabling audiences to act as mock investors, and PreRound®, a first- of-its-kind startup investment game show. These innovations have redefined experiential learning in entrepreneurship and are widely used by universities, accelerators, and pitch events.
His work has helped early-stage founders secure mentorship, gain traction, and attract initial funding. He has built strategic partnerships across higher education, financial institutions, libraries, service providers, and investors. As former executive director of TiE New York, he led efforts to support entrepreneurs across the New York City region by expanding programming, strengthening mentorship networks, and deepening community engagement.
A holder of multiple U.S. patents in the gamification of startup investing, Dr. Rayat has served as an assistant professor of management at Kean University’s School of Management, Marketing and International Business. He holds a BTech in civil engineering from National Institute of Technology Warangal and an MBA in marketing from the University of Pune, both in India, and a PhD in management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
