For the ninth year in a row, the University of Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has been ranked in the Top 10 globally by Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine. For 2024, U-M’s undergraduate programs earned a #4 ranking globally. At the graduate level, U-M’s entrepreneurial programming ranked #2 in the world. For both graduate and undergraduate programs, U-M received a #1 ranking in the midwest region.
“The evolution of Entrepreneurship education at the University of Michigan has taken us from being a niche add-on to the academic experience, to a core offering that truly prepares the Leaders and Best for long-term success in industry, academia, government, and the startup world,” said Kurt Skifstad, Dixon and Carol Doll Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. “Our immersive, experiential programming leverages practitioners, industry experts, and the Maize and Blue’s passionate and accomplished alumni base to launch the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, practitioners, and game changers.”
Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs across the University of Michigan make up a collaborative and robust ecosystem that focuses on transformative experiences at both the curricular and co-curricular levels.
As student interest expands, U-M continues to broaden its offerings. Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs expose students to entrepreneurial principles and cultivate entrepreneurial mindset. Students engage in transdisciplinary teams, exploring dynamic and immersive experiences to develop and refine skills for leadership in creative, technical, and business collaborations, both as leaders and team members.
The impact of the entrepreneurial ecosystem can be seen campus-wide, with students from nearly all schools and colleges contributing. In fact, academic year 2023 saw 1 in 5 U-M undergrads, representing over 130 majors, enrolled in course offerings “surrounding the academic study or practical implementation of entrepreneurship.” These classes are led by over 205 faculty representing 54 departments across Michigan’s schools/colleges.
The knowledge gained by students makes a lasting impact – In the past 10 years, 675 companies have been started by undergraduate alumni, with $1.2B raised and 83% of these companies still in business.
Partners in U-M’s collaborative ecosystem include the Entrepreneurship Minor, a campus wide initiative from the Provost’s Office; Michigan Ross Zell Lurie Institute, Business+Impact, and Business+Tech; the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, optiMize, Barger Leadership Institute, and ResEd’s Innovation Theme Community; ArtsEngine; the College of Engineering’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Socially Engaged Design, Multidisciplinary Design Program, Wilson Student Team Project Center, Honors & Engagement Programs Office and Tauber Institute for Global Operations; the School of Music, Theatre and Dance & EXCEL Lab; Stamps School of Art & Design; the School of Education’s CEDER; School of Kinesiology; Ford School of Public Policy; School of Public Health; and School of Social Work.
Given the robust interdisciplinary environment at U-M, students are empowered to leverage their entrepreneurial mindsets to shape innovative and engaging paths, providing both economic stability and the chance to make positive contributions to society in the future.
Interested in learning more about what the University of Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has to offer? Visit entrepreneurship.umich.edu to explore.