In the Poets&Quants 2025 Best MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship ranking released today, the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University was named No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the world, ahead of the University of Michigan, Duke University and UCLA. This is a four-place jump from the school’s No. 6 ranking the previous year.
“This top ranking is incredibly gratifying for the school,” said Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business. “ASU is known for being No. 1 in innovation, and it follows that our business school should be deeply committed to entrepreneurship. The Poets&Quants ranking is an external marker of our ongoing commitment to developing an entrepreneurial mindset throughout our programs and operations.”
Poets&Quants' methodology uses 16 data points collected via school surveys, including factors such as the percentage of MBA elective courses that are 100% focused on entrepreneurship and/or innovation; data looking at the number of members of the school’s main entrepreneurship club; incubator or accelerator space available to MBAs; entrepreneurs in residence available to MBAs; the average percentage of MBAs launching businesses during business school or immediately after; and startup award money available to MBAs.
The W. P. Carey full-time MBA offers extensive support to students interested in starting a business. The entrepreneurship concentration includes a core course in entrepreneurship, combined with five required specialization courses and related electives. The curriculum helps students develop skills in idea generation, opportunity assessment, concept development, resource determination and acquisition, funding opportunities, managing growth and harvesting the business.
“Our entrepreneurship courses put students in the shoes of an entrepreneur, helping them develop critical thinking to make business decisions in real time with limited information,” said Kate Eaton, associate dean for graduate programs at W. P. Carey. “From sponsored opportunities to access venture funding to mentorship from experienced business leaders and entrepreneurs, W. P. Carey MBA students are supported in pursuing their big ideas and turning them into successful businesses.”
Mike Shufeldt (MBA '23) is founder of Ignite Healthcare Solutions, a health care consulting company, and Xcellerant Ventures, a venture capital firm. Shufeldt cites the Executive Connections mentorship program, a unique opportunity available in ASU's full-time MBA, as a life-changing experience.
“I meet and talk to my mentor, a lifelong entrepreneur, to this day,” he said. “He's been there for me to bounce ideas off and talk about business growth. ... I'm thankful for the lasting connections I made in the program.”
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