The Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program is the hub for cross-campus entrepreneurship education at Purdue University. Launched in 2005, it is one of the largest multidisciplinary entrepreneurship programs in the United States, enrolling approximately 2200 students, from over 200 majors, in over 60 classes per year. Housed in Purdue’s Burton Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship and administered through Purdue's Office of the Provost, the program offers undergraduate students in all majors an academic credential that is equivalent to a minor.
The program is designed to empower students to turn their innovative ideas into action, whether they choose careers in start-ups, industry, or non-profit organizations. This experiential, cross-discipline program is designed to complement a student’s primary area of study by providing them with skills, knowledge, and experiences related to new venture creation. Students from all of Purdue’s colleges – including engineering, business, science, agriculture, health and human sciences, technology, pharmacy, education, and liberal arts – work collaboratively on making their innovative ideas a reality.
A unique aspect of the program is modularity at scale. We have created curriculum to align with participant characteristics, interests, and entrepreneurial career goals. Students have many reasons for studying entrepreneurship –- some have a product they want to get to market, some come from entrepreneurial families, and some want to become entrepreneurs after gaining experience in established organizations. Modularity is necessary to meet the diverse entrepreneurial interests of students, rigorous academic schedules, and other practical constraints.
To date over 14,000 Purdue students have participated in the program. Exit survey indicates that at graduation, 4 out of 5 graduates expect to work in a startup. To date, 750+ startups have been launched by alumni. These ventures have raised over $600M in funding.
