For Students
Innovation for All
It’s not just business or technology students who become entrepreneurs. Big ideas come from all majors, at all levels—that’s why LaunchPad programs are open to any UB student ready for a challenge.
Set yourself apart
People who build meaningful careers as entrepreneurs and innovators are defined by a distinct set of skills, mindsets and competencies that Startup & Innovation CoLab powered by Blackstone LaunchPad can help develop, including:
- Learning – Curiosity, coachability, openness
- Creative thinking – Problem finding, opportunity recognition, agility, resourcefulness
- Critical thinking – Research ability, bias awareness, future focus
- Engaging – Personal initiative, passion, self-efficacy
- Investigating – Problem and market analysis, network building
- Designing and storytelling – Solutions, business models, plans and pitches
- Experimenting – Customer discovery, testing, presentations
- Organizing and launching – Business formation, production, sales
- Master Classes: Collaborate, engage and learn from like-minded people in workshops that focus on important skills like creative problem-solving, building revenue models, understanding market segmentation, learning how to start a startup and more. Explore classes & workshops
- Competitions & Challenges: Working hard and taking risks are what entrepreneurship is all about. Student teams go head-to-head to solve challenges in different arenas like design and technology in a variety of events that promise mentoring, experience, excitement (and prizes). Find a challenge
- Venture Coaching: Free, confidential, one-on-one support from experienced student coaches and mentors from the professional community can help develop your specific innovation from idea to reality. Find a coach
- Networking: At UB, entrepreneurs have access to a vast community of resources to develop and accelerate innovation. The LaunchPad network includes on-campus partners offering research, guidance, space and collaboration, and off-campus connections to mentoring, funding, exposure, and so much more. Connect with us.
- Internship & Leadership Development: Blackstone LaunchPad Ambassadors for Student Engagement and Recruitment (BLASER) are an elite group of students who forge new paths for entrepreneurship while earning important career-building skills, opportunities for campus and community involvement, and internship credit.
- Be a BLASER: Entrepreneurship in the Classroom. UB offers several courses focused on entrepreneurship. While not all classes listed below are open to all majors, chances are there are a few options there that will work for you. Check the HUB for up-to-date listings and course availability.
- Design and Entrepreneurship, ART 422
- Intro to Entrepreneurship, MGO 660
- Design Process and Methods, MAE 451
- Persuasion, CL 199
- Entrepreneurship Academy, UE 149
- Product Design, CE 404
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business, MGO 330
- Improve the World, MGO 199
- Entrepreneurship Marketing Strategies, MFC 338
- Small Business Entrepreneurship
- Technological Entrepreneurship, MGO 365/665 and Innovation, GEO 503
- The Entrepreneurship Lab (eLab), MGO 493/695*
* The Entrepreneurship Lab is a hands-on, 3-credit course that equips you with the skills to develop, launch and manage a successful new venture. eLab is for students who have entrepreneurial ideas but need help developing them prior to venture creation. If you need to work in a team, you should have yours formed before taking the course. Open to students from all disciplines and degree programs.
Ready to take the jump? Stop in to say hello and follow us for details on upcoming events, opportunities, and more.