Business schools across the country are increasingly integrating entrepreneurial support into their programs, providing students with the resources and mentorship needed to transform their ideas into viable startups. At the forefront of this movement, business schools like the University of Washington (UW) Foster School of Business and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management are developing competitions, incubators, and funding opportunities that help student entrepreneurs launch businesses while still in school.
The Foster School of Business Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship offers multiple competitions that encourage innovation across a variety of industries. Among them, the Dempsey Startup Competition (DSC), Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge (HIC), and Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC) provide platforms for students to develop, refine, and propose their business ideas to investors, industry leaders and fellow entrepreneurs.
“The goal is to give students real-world experience in pitching ideas, gaining mentorship and securing funding that can take their projects beyond the classroom,” said Amy Sallin, director of the center, in a statement.
These competitions attract students not only from UW but also from colleges across the Cascade Corridor, including Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska. Participants can apply to one, two, or all three challenges, depending on their area of interest.
The HIC fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among students seeking to address pressing healthcare challenges. Teams work to develop BUSINESS SCHOOLS improvements to patient care, create new treatment approaches, and introduce medical technologies.
Participants design solutions that tackle environmental issues such as clean energy, water conservation, and sustainability. Since its inception in 2009, the Buerk Center has awarded more than $416,000 in prototype funding and prize money.
Meanwhile, the DSC serves as the centerpiece of the center’s entrepreneurial efforts. First launched in 1998, more than 5,400 students have now participated, with 178 teams receiving over $1.61 million in seed funding. The competition provides mentorship from entrepreneurs and investors, as well as exposure to the Seattle startup community.
On the East Coast, MIT Sloan’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition has built a legacy of launching student businesses. The student-managed event includes the Pitch Contest and Accelerate Contest—leading to a final event where winning teams receive significant funding to bring their ventures to life. The competition has played a role in the success of numerous startups, providing not only financial support but also access to mentorship and MIT’s vast network of alumni and investors.
For MBA students, the Venture Capital Investment Competition offers a unique twist—they take on the role of venture capitalists, evaluating real startup pitches and making investment decisions. This global event attracts people from more than 70 business schools across 13 countries.
Beyond providing start-up equity, these programs offer essential team-building resources. For example, at UW, students looking for co-founders or team members can use StartupTree, an online platform connecting entrepreneurs within the UW ecosystem. Additionally, weekly Team Tuesday lunch meetups allow them to network, share ideas, and form teams for upcoming competitions.
“Our goal is to create an environment where students don’t just learn about entrepreneurship but actively engage in it,” Sallin said. “We want them to take risks, iterate on their ideas and build something meaningful.”
With an increasing number of business schools integrating entrepreneur-focused initiatives, students today have more opportunities than ever to turn their unique concepts into real world ventures.
