Undergraduate Academics

Entrepreneurship in Action offers an unparalleled opportunity for you to experience the thrill of launching your own startup! You’ll dive into every aspect of building a business, from brainstorming bold ideas to creating high-performing teams, with the freedom to take risks, learn from mistakes, and innovate. In the fall semester, you’ll ideate, develop and test potential business ideas, build a launch plan, and secure resources to bring your vision to life. If you choose to continue in the spring, you’ll launch your business, sell your first products, test key assumptions, and create a roadmap for future success. With up to $15,000 in funding, mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, and access to dedicated on-campus workspaces, this is your chance to bring your ideas to reality! Open to all U of M undergraduate students. Learn more and apply today.

Students interested in pursuing their own entrepreneurial ventures are encouraged to apply for this applied course offering based on lean startup principles and tools. STARTUP is an intensive 2-credit course in which students test business model assumptions for a specific new venture concept. Students receive recurring feedback from instructors and mentors, and are eligible for micro-grants of up to $3,000 to fund approved prototyping and customer development expenses.

The Carlson Ventures Enterprise (CVE) is one of four signature enterprises available to students in the Full-Time MBA program at Carlson and accepts a small number of exceptional undergraduate students each semester. CVE is an experiential program that combines innovative theory with applied projects sponsored by local companies and organizations. Students learn both about the creation of new high potential ventures and about new business development in corporate settings.

This course explores the dynamic field of social impact in business, uncovering how organizations can drive positive social and environmental change while still achieving financial sustainability. Concluding with a 2-week experience in South Africa, you’ll dive into the country’s vibrant social entrepreneurship ecosystem. Through meeting inspiring local entrepreneurs and impact investors, visiting innovative social enterprises and incubators, and engaging with policymakers, you’ll critically examine the powerful intersection of business and social impact. By the end of the course, you will understand how social entrepreneurship is transforming South Africa and beyond, while having gained the tools and insights to lead with purpose in a business world that increasingly demands innovative, impactful solutions to stay competitive.

This course is your gateway to understanding the game-changing business trends that are reshaping today's economy and how they open doors for new ventures. Through engaging with industry experts, analyzing real-world case studies, and discussing current events, you'll gain valuable insights into today’s trends. Plus, you’ll learn how to spot emerging trends, evaluate their potential impact, and craft innovative strategies to harness the trends for success at every stage of the business lifecycle.

Social Venturing in Action focuses on learning a multitude of entrepreneurial frameworks while directly applying learning to the non-profit sector and the impact-related for-profit sector. Impact organizations are a growing and increasingly entrepreneurial part of our economy. Students will complete a semester-long experiential project, working directly with a social enterprise.

Students across the University of Minnesota independently own and operate two $1+ million venture capital funds that invest in a wide range of startup companies. Participation is by application only at the Atland Ventures website, with approximately 5 new students added each semester - ideally during their Freshman or Sophomore years. Participating students receive credit during their initial 2 semesters.