Graduate Students

The Sands Fellowship offers Carlson MBA students $5,000 grants to develop innovative social ventures that will create a lasting impact on the local community. This opportunity empowers students to apply their business skills toward meaningful community impact while gaining hands-on entrepreneurial experience. 

Ascend supports high-potential businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color that are preparing to scale for long-term success. Ascend provides access to capital, market opportunities, and business education through local programs within a national network. MBA fellows work directly with founders participating in the Ascend program. 

The MIN-Corps Fellowship provides MBA students the opportunity to partner with University researchers to support them in getting their technology commercialized. 

The Carlson Ventures Enterprise (CVE) is one of four signature enterprises available to students in the Full-Time MBA program at Carlson. CVE is a two semester program that combines innovative theory with practice. Students learn both about the creation of new high potential ventures and about new business development in corporate settings through client projects.

The New Product Design and Business Development Program (NPDBD) is a university-industry partnership, offered jointly by the University’s College of Science & Engineering and Carlson School of Management. The program provides hand-on experience on all issues related to the development and implementation of the design of new products. Organized as a technology consulting operation, NPDBD students act as members of cross-functional consulting teams. 

Students interested in pursuing their own entrepreneurial ventures are encouraged to apply for STARTUP, a course offering based on lean startup principles and tools. STARTUP: Customer Development & Testing (MGMT 5102) is an intensive 2-credit course in which students test business model assumptions and receive recurring feedback from instructors and mentors.

Grant funding of $100-$5,000 is awarded to students to develop a prototype or pilot and showcase their innovation's impact. The MVP Challenge provides an opportunity to demonstrate ideas, gather feedback, and move  concepts closer to reality culminating with a showcase presentation at Founder’s Day. 

Join a powerhouse community dedicated to luanching and scaling women-led startups in Minnesota. Connect with founders, mentors, and resources ot turn your venture into reality.

Minnesota Cup is the largest statewide startup competition in the nation. This FREE program offers entrepreneurs feedback from industry experts, mentorship and networking opportunities, education sessions, and a chance at $400,000 in non-dilutive capital. Open to any Minnesota-based business or idea with less than $1 million in annual revenue, MN Cup also has a dedicated student division.

MIN-Corps develops talent and catalyzes technology commercialization across the University of Minnesota through a series of courses, workshops, and bootcamps.