Ranked by Poets and Quants as top-10 in the world for best entrepreneurship program, UCLA Anderson is truly a great place to start a company. As my friends have embarked and I begin a journey of starting a company at Anderson, here are some of the many resources we have utilized and appreciated.
Academics: Coursework and E-ACT
Coursework – What other school has an entire curriculum dedicated to entrepreneurship? Beginning with a two-quarter series and culminating in a capstone project, several Anderson alumni have found success launching businesses from Anderson. In their first year, many students come in with a nascent idea for a company and grow this idea into a concrete plan through EVI (Entrepreneur Venture Initiation) and BDP (Business Plan Development). In their second year, students form teams of five and take this idea through BCO (Business Creation Option), the capstone project where they gain access to resources such as the Anderson Venture Accelerator, the Price Center for Entrepreneurship, and first-class mentorship and guidance from faculty members and esteemed industry professionals.
E-ACT – E-ACT, or Entrepreneurship Anderson Career Team, is an 8-week opportunity during Fall Quarter for 1st year to learn while doing. Led by 2nd years, each week covers a different aspect of entrepreneurship (e.g. how to approach market sizing or how to assess customer acquisition cost) and culminates in a showcase at the end of the quarter where each student presents a pitch-deck for their business idea. It is an incredible opportunity to actively work on an idea and see what steps are necessary to build it into a reality.
Beyond the Classroom: Entrepreneur Association and the Price Center
Entrepreneur Association – The oldest club on campus, EA is a great resource. They host events such as Speaker Series with esteemed entrepreneurs, Think Tanks sessions, Lunch and Learns about various entrepreneurial subjects, company visits, and so much more. EA is entirely student-led and student-run, which means everything put on is initiated for the students. Some of my favorite events have been attending a speaker series with Alix Peabody, the founder of the canned rose company Bev, and seeing all of the startups in the LA area participate in EA Career Night.
The Price Center – The Price Center knows everything that you would hope to learn about entrepreneurship in 50 years and about a thousand times more. Staffed by a dedicated team of academic and industry gurus, they provide resources and industry knowledge for students interested in exploring venture capital, startups, or entrepreneurship. Many fellowships are run through the Price Center, including the Venture Fellowship (providing resources and a network for students interested in venture capital), the Wolfen Fellowship (providing a stipend for students to pursue their business venture over the summer), and the Haskamp Fellowship (providing supplements to students working in the non-profit or public sector over the summer).
Student Blogger: Mai Bui '21
Undergrad: Stanford ('14) - BS Materials Science and Engineering
Grad: Stanford ('16) - MS Mechanical Engineering
Pre-MBA: Mechanical Engineer, Gate Labs
Leadership@Anderson: Director of Innovation, Entrepreneur Association; Director of Admissions, Asian Management Student Association; Director, Admissions Ambassador Corps; Director of Mellow Adventures, Outdoor Adventure Club
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