Dr. Sarbjeet Singh Rayat, experienced in innovation management, entrepreneurship education, and startup ecosystem development, was 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 was established to help turn next-generation ideas into ventures that generate both economic and social value. CSREI fosters innovation across disciplines and supports inclusive economic development through accessible programs, entrepreneurship training, micro-credentials, and partnerships with industry and nonprofits.
“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.”
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 a software as a service platform that gamifies pitch competitions by enabling audiences to act as mock investors, and startup investment game show.
His work has helped early-stage founders secure mentorship, gain traction, and attract initial funding. Rayat has built strategic partnerships across higher education, financial institutions, libraries, service providers, and investors. As former executive director of the entrepreneurship organization 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.
Rayat, who holds multiple U.S. patents in the gamification of startup investing, has served as an assistant professor of management at Kean University’s School of Management, Marketing and International Business.
