If you think only business students can start their own ventures, think again. Heller offers a variety of competitions, workshops and classes to give every student the opportunity to pursue a social venture, develop a plan and get feedback from professionals. Whether you’re pursuing an MBA or not, you’ll learn how to bring a business idea to life.
At Heller, we don’t believe in silos. Students always have the support of their own cohorts—but are encouraged to step beyond those boundaries to engage with students in every program. They mingle and make friends, and even form teams to share expertise and deliver a successful program or product that can help solve some of the world’s most pressing social challenges.
Here are just a few examples of how Heller students can flex their entrepreneurial muscles:
The Heller Startup Challenge
60 hours. Dozens of students. $1,000 prize. This intensive, three-day social enterprise initiative, open to Heller students as well as undergraduates and alumni, gives students who aren’t in the Heller MBA program or the International Business School an opportunity to put their ideas to the test. Participants form or join teams around an idea to solve a pressing social issue, develop a business plan with the help of a mentor, learn from peers with different skill sets and pitch their plan at the end of the weekend. Read about the Heller Startup Challenge 2022 winners.
The Hult Prize at Brandeis
This year-long international student competition to sustainably solve the world’s most pressing social challenges offers a $1 million prize—but first, students have to win at their local college competition. The Hult Prize at Brandeis is the culmination of a semester full of entrepreneurship, offering students a chance to pitch ideas refined through feedback at previous events. To meet the requirements of the Hult Prize, students are challenged to scale up their ideas to maximize global impact.
SPARKTank by Brandeis Innovation
Each year, Brandeis students, faculty and staff face off to win grants from a pool of $50,000 in funding, as well as the mentorship, support and training they need to grow their ideas from concept to potentially successful enterprises. Heller teams frequently do well in this competition, including winning more than $22,000 in combined prize money in 2018 and taking four of the top spots in 2020.
Net Impact – Heller Chapter
Net Impact is an international network of professional and student networks focused on using business for environmental sustainability and social impact through topics such as corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship. It serves as one of the largest MBA organizations in the world. Net Impact Heller partners with the Brandeis International Business School and Boston Net Impact chapters to host a variety of professional and networking events such as the Impact Summit in Boston and the Triple Bottom Line speaker series.
Social Entrepreneurship Courses
MBA Program Director Carole Carlson teaches two courses each year: