UVA Darden Ranked in Top 10 for Entrepreneurship in New Global Ranking

The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine have ranked the University of Virginia Darden School of Business the No. 8 graduate program in the world for entrepreneurship.

The ranking methodology incorporates multiple data points, including academic programming focused on entrepreneurship, alumni ventures and mentoring capabilities, among other factors. In the broader Princeton Review rankings released earlier in 2023, Darden secured more Top 10 rankings than any other school.

“These rankings validate what we know: Darden is an ideal place for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking,” said interim Darden Dean Jeanne Liedtka, a pioneer in Design Thinking. “Backed by the resources of the Batten Institute, Darden has an outsized ability to assist and grow entrepreneurs at any stage of the venture-creation process. We see the results here with the number of alumni starting and growing successful ventures.”

Darden’shttps://www.darden.virginia.edu/batten-instituteBatten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology serves as the key catalyst and hub for entrepreneurial activity at the Darden School, supporting faculty members and students via research, experiential learning, co-curricular programs, scholarships, and thought leadership around innovation at Darden.

Entrepreneur lists a number of differentiating factors for Darden, including:

• A $150+ million endowment dedicated to advancing Darden’s leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation and technology

• Batten Scholarships

  offering full and partial-tuition scholarships to exceptional Darden MBAs to advance their leadership as entrepreneurs, innovators and technologists annually

• 25 percent of faculty teaching courses related to entrepreneurship and innovation

• 174 companies started by graduates over the last five years

• 34 courses directly related to entrepreneurship, reaching four in five students

• Venture acceleration opportunities, including the summer

  i.Lab Incubator

  and coursework

• Sponsored internships through programs including the Darden Venture Fund Fellows and Batten Venture Internships

• On-Grounds innovation space in the i.Lab classroom and maker space

Darden’s faculty members including many global leaders in the field of entrepreneurial thought leadership, and Professor Saras Sarasvathy, originator of the theory of Effectuation, presented the prestigious Schumpeter “Innovation in Enterprise” lecture as part of European SME Week on 13 November in Bilbao, Spain.

Darden alumni-led ventures have seen incredible growth and funding in recent years, with companies such as Husk Power Systems, a mini-grid power company in the developing world led by CEO and founder Manoj Sinha, raising a record $103 million in October.