News Summary
Brown University is witnessing a significant increase in student interest in entrepreneurship, with course enrollments rising by 20%. Key developments include the acceptance of four students into the prestigious Y Combinator program and a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem supported by the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship. Co-curricular activities, such as the Innovation Dojo and various competitions, are enhancing students’ skills. Additionally, organizations like Emergent are fostering a startup culture at Brown, signaling a promising future for entrepreneurship within the university.
Providence, Rhode Island – Brown University is experiencing a surge in student interest in entrepreneurship, with enrollment in related courses rising by 20% last year, reaching over 1,664 students. This growth reflects a broader cultural shift at the university, where resources and support systems for aspiring entrepreneurs continue to expand.
Notably, four Brown students have been accepted into the prestigious Y Combinator program, a leading Silicon Valley accelerator known for its highly competitive acceptance rate of approximately 1%. Among these students are Sai Mandhan and Vishnu Sreenivasan, who gained acceptance into Y Combinator after initially being rejected. Their journey began last spring when they pulled an all-nighter brainstorming startup ideas before submitting a last-minute application for the summer accelerator. Following their acceptance into the fall cohort, Mandhan and Sreenivasan secured $500,000 in funding for their artificial intelligence startup. Alongside them, Erik Vank and Aryan Sawhney, who are taking this semester off, are also part of the Fall 2025 batch at Y Combinator.
The increased interest in entrepreneurship at Brown is largely attributed to the efforts of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, which was established in 2016. Katie Calabro, the program coordinator, highlighted that the robust enrollment in entrepreneurship courses has spurred a range of co-curricular activities, including venture prize competitions and conferences. In the previous academic year, 53 students with diverse concentrations completed the entrepreneurship certificate program.
Brown’s entrepreneurship offerings blend theoretical education with practical experience. One flagship course, ENGN 1931T: “Entrepreneurship Practicum: Starting, Running and Scaling Ventures,” has over 100 students enrolled. This course aims to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in developing their ideas into feasible business ventures. The Nelson Center, alongside student organizations like Van Wickle Ventures and the Brown Entrepreneurship Program (Brown EP), organizes numerous workshops, events, and competitions to foster entrepreneurial skills among students.
Another pivotal initiative at Brown is the Innovation Dojo, a semester-long incubator workshop run by Brown EP. This program selects about 20 students each term and culminates in a final pitch competition. Participants, such as Debra Cheng, reported transformative experiences, allowing them to bring their ideas to life while networking with other talented founders.
Founded in 1998, Brown EP serves as a central hub for student entrepreneurs, hosting a diverse array of events and workshops aimed at cultivating a vibrant entrepreneurial community. Last year, Brown EP organized a multi-day, all-expenses-paid trip to San Francisco for students, providing opportunities to meet startups and investors, thereby enhancing their exposure to the entrepreneurial landscape.
Additionally, the emergence of organizations like Emergent, founded by Samantha Shulman ’25, aims to create a startup culture at Brown akin to that of Stanford University. The inaugural AI Venture Conference attracted over 300 attendees and featured around 20 guest speakers, coupled with a $10,000 pitch competition. Emergent’s vision inspires students to pursue entrepreneurial careers, despite the inherent risks that may come with them, emphasizing the potential for greater personal fulfillment.
With the changing landscape at Brown University and the growing student interest in entrepreneurship, it is evident that the institution is becoming a significant player in the startup ecosystem. As resources and support systems continue to flourish, the future of entrepreneurship at Brown appears promising.
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