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Welcome to the Center for Entrepreneurship
Center for Entrepreneurship
Welcome to the MSU Denver Center for Entrepreneurship!
The Center’s primary goal is to provide our MSU Denver students with an outstanding education that fosters an entrepreneurial mindset and prepares students to solve problems and launch successful ventures through our Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship Degree Program. We also support our student entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community through our programmatic activities and help our colleagues across campus incorporate entrepreneurship into their own curricula.
Entrepreneurial Mindset
An entrepreneurial mindset helps individuals see problems as opportunities, engenders creativity and a growth mindset, and increases one’s ability to be adaptable and flexible in the face of uncertain and changing circumstances. This mindset sets people up to be entrepreneurial: to start or lead a business, and to be intrapreneurial: to bring these much sought after skills to bear within a corporate setting. It promotes confidence, self-efficacy, proactivity, and personal responsibility, lifelong learning, an understanding of how to build and maintain professional relationships and connections within your community.
Whether students are looking to set themselves up to tackle the world’s biggest problems or create their own economic engine and change their economic trajectory, look no further. A major in Entrepreneurship can do just that.
Building skills to launch and lead your own enterprise
In addition to acquiring a strong foundation in general business classes such as accounting, management, marketing, and finance, you will also hone knowledge and skills specifically related to launching and leading your own enterprise. The entrepreneurship program focuses on experiential learning. Of course, you’ll learn theory. And, importantly, you’ll actually put that theory into practice through internships, case studies, projects, and simulations all while being connected to Denver businesses and a university culture that inspires and supports entrepreneurship.
Questions? Want to get involved? Contact us.
Programs
Pitch and Poster Competition
Pitch a Business Competition
Small Business Loan Program
Small Business Loan Program
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring
Peer-To-Peer Mentoring
Center Programs
The Center offers several entrepreneurship related programs.
Small Business Loan Program
Our Small Business Loan Program offers MSU Denver students, faculty, alumni, staff, and graduates of Launch Denver the opportunity to apply for loans ranging from $5,000 – $50,000 and utilizes a character based underwriting process that makes funds available to a wider range of individuals.
Peer-to-peer Mentoring
Beginning in Fall of 2025, the Center will offer a peer to peer mentoring program that will bring business owners from the community together to share their experiences and collectively tackle challenges in an effort to support each other on their entrepreneurial journeys.
Future Programs
In the future, we intend to run a platform that exclusively sells products made by MSU Denver students as well as programming related entrepreneurship through acquisition.
JOIN LAUNCH DENVER
FREE 10-WEEK BUSINESS STARTUP WORKSHOP
Launch Denver: Spring 2026 Cohort Begins Feb. 18! Applications Due Feb. 11th!
Launch Denver is a 10-week Business Startup workshop that is free for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. The program is designed to guide you through the process of entrepreneurship, starting and growing a business. This powerful program is taught by a variety of professors, alumni and community partners, including The World Trade Center Denver.
- Who is invited? Open to students, faculty, staff, and the community.
- Perks to joining? Business coaching, networking with other entrepreneurs, turning your passion into profits.
- How is it structured? 10-week workshop, 2-hour classes, one-day a week, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. A combination of in-person and on Zoom
Community and Student Events
Events to Connect with Students and the Community
The Center hosts a number of community and student events to enhance entrepreneurship in the community and support our burgeoning student entrepreneurs. Events include things like guest speakers and entrepreneur interviews, entrepreneurs on campus, alumni networking and peer support groups, and student pitch competitions.
Pitch & Poster Competition
Turning Ideas Into Impact
The MSU Denver Pitch and Poster Competition gives student entrepreneurs the chance to showcase their business ventures, practice pitching in front of a live audience, and connect with mentors, investors, and community leaders.
Whether you’re building a startup, developing a new product, or reimagining an existing service, this competition is designed to help you take your next big step.
Curriculum
Study Entrepreneurship with our Innovative Curriculum
Below, you’ll find more information on our curriculum options. Or click on these links to go to the catalog:
- Major in Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship concentration within the Major in Management
- Certificate in Entrepreneurship
In addition to offering you a strong foundation in general business classes such as accounting, management, marketing, and finance, you will also acquire in-class and in-person knowledge and skills specifically related to launching your own enterprise.
Through internships, case studies, projects that connect you to Denver businesses, and a university culture that inspires entrepreneurship, our programs will give you the tools to run with your ideas.
Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Council
Connecting with the Community
The Advisory Council consists of community members who are experienced in the field of entrepreneurship and are willing to spend time and energy providing assistance to the Center and our students. They bring a broad range of experience and expertise to the Center. If you’re interested in joining, please contact our Center Director, Adam Melnick at [email protected].
Women Entrepreneurs Series
The Center for Entrepreneurship has hosted ten events highlighting Women Entrepreneurs. The Women Entrepreneurs Series has spotlighted bold innovators, trailblazing founders, and visionary leaders redefining the world of business. Each event has brought together inspiring stories, practical insights, and a vibrant community of women who are building, scaling, and transforming companies across industries.
Meet Our Faculty
Adam Melnick
Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Assistant Professor
[email protected] 303-605-7208