Entrepreneurial ventures launched by graduating MIT students : insights on founding teams, business models, execution challenges and impact

Abstract

This thesis examines entrepreneurial ventures launched by graduating MIT students with the goal of understanding entrepreneurship activities of students while in full-time graduate degree programs and drawing insights on founding teams, business models, execution challenges and impact. These insights are key around the world as universities decide their approach to entrepreneurship education, and also relevant to academics, prospective founders, and early stage investors. I developed qualitative and quantitative insights on survival rates of founders from MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2010 graduates based on their demographics, experiences, businesses, resources and challenges. Students with prior experience in entrepreneurship or at a small company, who choose to intern at a small company, or who build diverse teams, are correlated with higher survival rates. Further, I present a methodology for a longitudinal study on studying venture creation by graduating students considering entrepreneurship. In conclusion, I provide early recommendations. Universities could facilitate early crosscampus collaboration, provide tactical support, and adapt their strategy for encouraging entrepreneurship by industry. Academics can leverage data in this thesis to both provide examples of founders among recent alumni, and offer advice on team building. Prospective student entrepreneurs could consider data in this thesis while identifying co-founders, develop early relationships across campus, and start early on ventures.