2023–2024
OUR PORTFOLIO AT A GLANCE
Our Mission
We accelerate new ventures of all kinds by providing Babson’s emerging entrepreneurs with access to the opportunities, community, and critical resources that they need. We ignite the exchange of innovative ideas that will shape the future of entrepreneurship through our research and thought leadership.
STARTUP INCUBATION
Big dreams begin with an idea that needs developing, which is why we meet our founders at all points along the entrepreneurial path, including the very beginning. Whether they’re meeting with Butler Launch Pad faculty advisors, connecting with peers to brainstorm new ideas, or joining the Fast Track cohort to increase their momentum, the Blank Center offers a wide range of support, advising, and networking to get them where they need to go
STARTUP ACCELERATION
Once the idea is launched, it’s time to grow, and Babson entrepreneurs have a wide range of opportunities to make that happen. Between Rocket Pitch, the B.E.T.A. Challenge, and the Summer Venture Program, our student and alumni founders have the opportunity to develop their skills, networks, and ventures
ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Babson has long been a leading catalyst for entrepreneurship research, and the Blank Center plays a critical role in supporting programmatic and research initiatives that convene scholars from around the world. From the largest entrepreneurship conference (Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference) to the Butler Institute for Free Enterprise Through Entrepreneurship to TEDxBabson College, the Blank Center creates environments for the exchange of entrepreneurial ideas
The Blank Center is committed to Babson College’s strategic plan of empowering entrepreneurial leaders to impact communities everywhere Our efforts include strengthening curricular ties, establishing programs focused on tech entrepreneurship, and cultivating lifelong learning.
CURRICULAR TIES
Webelievethatentrepreneurshipisapowerfulphenomenonthatcreateseconomicandsocialvalue
Wealsorecognizethesignificantbarrierstoentrythatexistforhistoricallyunderrepresentedfounders
ToadvanceEntrepreneurshipofAllKinds,wecommitto:
CreatinganinclusiveandwelcomingenvironmentattheBlankCenter
Amplifyingdiverseperspectivesandlivedexperiencesviaourprogramming
DevelopingadiversegenerationofemergingentrepreneursatBabson
Wesharesomeinitialmetricsongenderdiversitybelow,andwewillexpandourdatacollectionand reportinginthecomingacademicyear
On October 24, 2023, we marked our 25th anniversary as an endowed center welcoming faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends as we highlighted our signature events and programs over the years.
72 Students
68 Alumni
84 Faculty & Staff
We are overjoyed you are all carrying on the work Dad and Bill Bygrave launched so many years ago. ... Babson is a very special place thanks to all of you.”
- Jesseca Timmons Daughter of Jeffry A. Timmons, Entrepreneurship Professor Eme it
I am so incredibly grateful every single day to be a part of this incredible, lively, supportive community.”.
- Lillian Bedard ’26 Blank Leadership Scholar
INCUBATION PORTFOLIO
Butler Launch Pad
ACCELERATION PORTFOLIO
Rocket Pitch, B.E.T.A. Challenge, Summer Venture Program
LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO
Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BCERC), Butler Institute for Free
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
epreneurship Intensity Track (EIT)
artnered with Professor Andrew Corbett T students applied to B.E.T.A. Challenge
4% of EIT students participated in Butler aunch Pad events
9% of EIT students showcased at Fast Track howcase
Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME)
Partnered with Professors Angela Randolph and Michele Kerrigan
579 students attended Rocket Pitch and wrote a reflection 134 students attended B E T A Challenge Livestream Watch Party
The FME program has been so fortunate to partner with the Blank Center to provide first-year students with incredibly rich learning experiences Hosting 600+ FME students for the Rocket Pitch event is no easy feat and yet the Blank Center made it seem effortless and seamless. Students took away such valuable learning that they directly applied to their own venture experience. Similarly, we are excited to again partner with the Blank Center for the B.E.T.A. Challenge!”
- Michele Kerrigan, Assistant Professor
Showcase
to the FME Watch Party
Business Writing Class
Partnered with Associate Professor Kristen Getchell
Entrepreneurs from the Butler Launch Pad Fast Track Cohort and the Summer Venture Program acted as the clients for Professor Getchell’s class
I went to the Blank Center with a problem, and they didn't hesitate to collaborate and take on the work of developing and administering a new program. ... And while our Business Writing students and the Blank cohorts benefit, my colleagues seek no acknowledgement for their hours of extra work and dedication to student learning. The Advanced Experiential component of this course simply would not have been possible without the expertise and efforts of the Blank Center partnership ”
- Kristen Getchell, Associate Professor
BIFETE Action Tank
Conceived by Butler Institute Directors Smaiyra Million P’21 and Andrew Corbett, designed and facilitated by faculty members Eliana Crosina ’05, MBA’11 and Michele Kerrigan. Select group of 24 undergraduate and graduate students participated in fall 2023. Topics discussed included Healthcare, AI, and policy The Action Tank involved numerous activities and workshops that promoted collaboration and civil discourse across student groups.
PARTNERSHIPS
Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship
B E T A Challenge Family Entrepreneurship Award
Lifelong Learning with BIFE
Global Family Entrepreneurial Network
BCERC Best Paper Award Sponsor
Tariq Farid Franchise Institute
Ab Igram MBA’96 served as B.E.T.A. Challenge Finale Judge
BCERC Best Paper Award Sponsor
Executive Education and Lifelong Learning
Women’s Startup Lab
Women from Africa
Leadership Program for Women and Allies
Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators
Custom Executive Eduction Programs for Cerevel, Gilbane, Paragon Corp., and Rotoplas
Institute for Social Innovation
Butler Institute Student Trip to Washington, D.C.
TEDx Sponsor
Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership
B.E.T.A. Challenge Special Award
Butler Institute Student Trip to Washington, D C TEDx Sponsor
TEDx Speakers
Black Women’s
Entrepreneurial Leadership
Entrepreneurs Featured in GEM Report
Weissman Foundry
Designed and Created Trophies for TEDx
Designed and Created Display for Blank Center Time Capsule
Faculty
Butler Launch Pad Faculty Advisors
B.E.T.A. Challenge Faculty Sponsors
B.E.T.A. Semifinal Judges
Faculty Contributors for Summer Venture Program
Faculty Leads for Butler Institute Action Tank
Butler Institute Faculty Director
GEM Data Hackathon Reviewers
TEDx Speakers
Academic Classes
FME and Rocket Pitch Collaboration
FME and B.E.T.A. Challenge Collaboration
Entrepreneurship Intensity Track and Alumni Entrepreneur Visit
Entrepreneurship Intensity Track and Fast Track Showcase Collaboration
Business Writing Class and Fast Track Cohort
Through Fashion Entrepreneurial Initiative, Collaborations with Future Trends and Entrepreneurial Ventures & Entrepreneurship in Fashion Courses
Butler Launch Pad Ventures for Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Courses
B E T A Challenge Family Entrepreneurship Award
GEM Data Hackathon
Alumni
Fast Track Cohort Facilitators
B E T A Challenge Evaluators
B.E.T.A. Challenge Finale Judges
B.E.T.A. Challenge Special Award Judges
Summer Venture Program Experts
Butler Launch Pad Advisors and Experts
Blank Center Donors: Seed Fund,
B.E.T.A. Challenge, and more Speakers for TEDx
25th Anniversary Mentors
25th Anniversary Panel Speakers
Founder Dinner Series Speakers
Admissions
Blank Center Scholars
Launch Babson
Webinars for Admitted Students
Babson Boston
Headquarters of Summer Venture Program
Hosts Butler Institute Action Tank
Babson Miami
Babson Ventures Showcased at eMerge Americas
External Relationships
Harvard Transactional Law Clinic Cross University Student Innovators Network
Babson Olin Wellesley (BOW) Consortium
Fashion Entrepreneurial Initiative
B E T A Challenge Special Award
Spring Fashion Show
Live Cases with Alumni & Corporate Partners
Fashion & Environment Speaker Series
Graduate School
First Night in Olin Hatchery Space
Hosts Fast Track Showcase
Speech Center
Rocket Pitch: Pitch Practice Sessions
B E T A Challenge: Pitch Practice Sessions
Summer Venture Showcase: Pitch Practice Sessions
TEDx: Practice Sessions
Student Clubs
E-Tower
TEDx
Babson CODE: Tech Consulting for the Butler Launch Pad
Summer Venture Program Launch with Babson Acceleration Club
Babson Acceleration Club Pitch Event Sponsorship
Graduate PE/VC Club “So You Want to Be an Operator?” event
AI Open Forum with AI Club & Butler Institute
Centers for Career Development
Orientation for 1-Year MBA Students
The Hatchery isn’t just an office space; it’s an environment crafted for entrepreneurial work and focus. I’ve been able to bring salespeople, marketers, developers, and a wide array of talented individuals together in the space to create the next generation user software of the AI marketplace The Hatchery has been one of the most impactful concepts I’ve felt from Babson, and I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping it and further investing in such a facility ” - Justin Jin ’27
TECH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Fireside Chat With Miha Mikek MBA’06
The Butler Launch Pad welcomed Miha Mikek, CEO of Celtra, to share his experiences building and growing a marketing AI company. He spoke about raising funds, creating impact for clients like IBM and MetLife, and differentiating his company within the industry. He also shared his thoughts on ethical considerations and responsibilities as a leader in marketing AI.
Butler Institute AI Event
The Butler Institute Board of Student Scholars hosted Dr Rumman Ch dh U S S i E
LOOKING AHEAD
Although the Blank Center has just marked 25 years as an endowed center, we have been nurturing founders and ventures for 45 years as an entrepreneurship center. The Blank Center will continue to lead the world in developing entrepreneurial leaders who drive positive change for communities globally Thanks to the generosity of our donors past and present, the Blank Center will continue to innovate and iterate its signature programming. By deepening and broadening curricular connections and faculty collaborations, evolving in tune with trends in entrepreneurship, and upholding our commitment to Entrepreneurial Thought & Action®, we will create deep value for the Babson community and our extended ecosystem
In June 2025, we look forward to hosting BCERC at Babson College. We anticipate more than 350 entrepreneurship scholars from across the world convening to hear presentations of more than 220 academic research papers. Once again, the Kauffman Foundation will sponsor the 2025 Doctoral Consortium for 25 PhD students
Join us on November 14-16, 2024, as Babson hosts the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers Conference More than 700 people are anticipated to attend and collaborate on emerging challenges and share best practices. Alongside the Centers & Institutes of the Blank School, the Blank Center will direct workshops and programming designed to engage GCEC attendees
SCHOLARS
BLANK CENTER SCHOLARS
The Arthur M. Blank Scholarship-$7,000 each year for all four years at Babson-is awarded to incoming students based on entrepreneurial potential, academic achievement, and financial need.
Charmaine Cera ’26
Arnav Channahalli ’27
Sujing Chen ’27
Austin Conroy ’27
Joseph DiMaso ’27
Christian Garcia-Ordonez ’24
Gabriella Garozzo ’25
Kale Hart ’27
BUTLER INSTITUTE STUDENT SCHOLARS
Demarre Johnson ’24
Neko Kady ’27
Benjamin Kane ’26
Chiraag Kankariya ’26
Levi Lowney ’24
Colette Posillico ’26
Jacqueline Semerly ’25
Every academic year, a select group of students is chosen to produce academically meaningful events and programs to share varying schools of thought related to entrepreneurship, enterprise, and policy.
Andrew Ajao MBA’24
Iman Bendarkawi ’19, MBA’24
Faith Farrell ’26
Kimheat Chheav ’26
Valerija Ilievska ’24
Ben Kane ’26
Kritika Kaushik MBA’24
Jackson Kuja ’25
Levi Lowney ’24
Celina Li ’26
Tahnoon Murtza ’26
Gabriella Sally ‘25