Transformational $20 million gift elevates Center for Entrepreneurship

A transformational $20 million gift will elevate Vanderbilt University's Center for Entrepreneurship into a best-in-class hub for entrepreneurial excellence that will serve as a beacon for aspiring founders and global business leaders alike. The gift underscores the tremendous generosity of the Vanderbilt community and the momentum of the university's historic Dare to Grow campaign.

The anonymous investment, from parents of current students, builds on the university's strengths in entrepreneurship to provide support for the center as the driving force behind business creation. The center will support undergraduate and graduate students as they become founders, create teams to scale, raise capital and generate revenue. It will also enhance opportunities for the development of faculty talent, curriculum and programmatic infrastructure, creating an interconnected framework for entrepreneurial success.

"Supporting entrepreneurship at Vanderbilt empowers students to think boldly, take risks and turn ideas into thriving companies," Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. "This extraordinarily generous gift will expand Vanderbilt's role as a catalyst for entrepreneurial ambition and business creation, strengthening Nashville's growing startup ecosystem and fueling economic growth. We are profoundly grateful for this investment in Vanderbilt's vision to develop future founders and global business leaders."

Located within the Owen Graduate School of Management, the enhanced Center for Entrepreneurship will serve as the university's primary hub for business creation. It will foster collaboration among internal and external partners, engaging alumni, venture capitalists and investors to generate, support and commercialize new ventures-all essential elements of Vanderbilt's vision for business education.

"This investment will transform Vanderbilt's entrepreneurial ecosystem by giving the next generation of founders the resources, mentorship and opportunities they need to succeed," said Thomas Steenburgh, dean of the Owen Graduate School of Management. "Through the Center for Entrepreneurship, we will leverage Vanderbilt's extensive alumni and parent network and faculty expertise to guide students as they launch and scale new ventures. Our goal is to inspire students to dream big and build 'unicorn' companies-startups valued at $1 billion or more-while creating jobs, attracting investment and driving economic prosperity."

"This investment will transform Vanderbilt's entrepreneurial ecosystem by giving the next generation of founders the resources, mentorship and opportunities they need to succeed."

To further embed support for entrepreneurial students, Owen will launch an expanded curriculum that integrates cutting-edge research on business development, venture capital and private equity with hands-on venture-building experience.

These new courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels will draw on cutting-edge research on best practices in entrepreneurship, business development, venture capital and private equity to provide students with analytical insights on how best to bring their new ideas to the marketplace. The courses will address the practical needs associated with cultivating a specific market niche, securing viable long-term financing and structuring an organization to ensure that it will grow.

The center will deepen ties across the Nashville community and expand its network with incubators, accelerators, venture studios and venture capital firms. By prioritizing high-growth sectors such as health care, real estate and the creative economy, the center will help build a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that attracts startups and capital to the region.

This visionary investment fuels the extraordinary momentum of Vanderbilt's Dare to Grow campaign, which continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. The gift represents a major step toward achieving the university's ambitious goals and making an impact that resonates across campus and around the world. Throughout the Dare to Grow campaign, the parent community has played an invaluable role with their engagement and giving, with 78,289 gifts to areas across the university.

Dare to Grow

Support for the Dare to Grow campaign catalyzes some of the university's most groundbreaking initiatives, including the Institute of National Security, Vandy United, Vanderbilt's enhanced presence in New York City and West Palm Beach, signature programs like Opportunity Vanderbilt, residential colleges and many more.