Atlanta is a great place for budding entrepreneurs. While most people think you have to start a business in a big city like New York City or San Francisco, that’s not the case. In the South, Atlanta has quickly become an attractive location for entrepreneurs thanks to four key elements according to BusinessInsider: low-cost of living, convenient transportation, tech hubs, and diverse talent pool.
Atlanta is also home to two unique resources for entrepreneurs:
- Venture Atlanta: Venture Atlanta is a premier venture capital event that brings together Georgia’s top technology innovators and top-tier investors. Since 2002, it’s raised over $1.3 billion dollars for budding companies.
- WEI Atlanta: The Women Entrepreneurship Initiative in Atlanta is a competitive process designed to bring together top business women for coaching, mentoring, and business success.
So, now that you know Atlanta is a great place to start a business, where should you head to school? Not all MBA programs are created equal for entrepreneurship. That’s why we’ve compiled the best MBAs in Atlanta if you’re looking to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.
The Terry College is passionate about helping their MBAs pursue a career in entrepreneurship and is the top school in Atlanta for entrepreneurship. The first way the University helps is by offering a Concentration in Entrepreneurship for MBAs. The Concentration provides a curriculum focused on four key aspects of starting a business:
- opportunity identification
- resource acquisition and deployment
- goal setting and strategy formulation
- implementation
There are four required courses and twelve electives that MBAs can choose to augment their entrepreneurial learning.
MBAs at the Terry College can also participate in multiple competitions throughout the year based on starting a company.
- UGA’s Next Top Entrepreneur: This yearly competition is open to student startup teams from all over the country. The winning team is awarded $10,000 based on their business pitch in front of a panel of judges.
- Collegiate Next Great Consumer Brands Competition: This competition, hosted by the Entrepreneurship Program, invites teams from all over the country to compete for a $25,000 top prize.
Finally, the Terry College is also home to the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Club, which is open to all MBA students. The club offers monthly “lunch and learns,” a volunteer program, annual meeting with top investors in Atlanta, and more.
MBAs at the Scheller College can expect a variety of opportunities to learn more about becoming an entrepreneur. At the most basic level, the School offers both a concentration and certificate in Entrepreneurship:
- MBA Concentration in Entrepreneurship: The MBA Concentration in Entrepreneurship helps students focus on the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to successfully start a business. MBAs have the opportunity to complete three elective courses covering everything from Venture Creation to Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity.
- Entrepreneurship Certificate: The Entrepreneurship Certificate combines courses over several functional areas of business to help students gain and in-depth knowledge of starting a business. The certificate covers concept development, business plans, resource acquisition, value creation, and opportunity recognition.
MBAs at Scheller College can also enjoy additional resources at the Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship. The Institute offers opportunities to attend speaker series, study abroad, participate in competition, and connect with other entrepreneurs.
Robinson College is home to the Russell International Center for Entrepreneurship. The Center is dedicated to improving the chances of success for 21st-century entrepreneurs. The Center also offers degree programs, including a concentration in entrepreneurship or a career path in international entrepreneurship for MBA students.
MBAs at Robinson College have nine unique elective courses focused on entrepreneurship to help them toward their career goal. A few of those courses include:
- MGS 8500 Entrepreneurship and Enterprise: This introductory course helps students develop their new business
- IB 8100 International Entrepreneurship: This course combines theory, research, and practical advice for taking a small to medium-sized business international.
- MGS 8425 Coaching for Leadership: This course identifies the roles of leadership coaching and links the application of behavioral theory.
The final MBA program to make our list is the Goizueta School. The most attractive aspect of the School for budding entrepreneurs is the Emory Entrepreneurship Summit. This annual conference is designed to encourage, celebrate, and enhance entrepreneurial endeavors at Emory. The highlight is the Bernard Pitch Summit, which is an elevator pitch competition.
MBAs at the Goizueta School can also focus their program with modular electives focused on entrepreneurship. These electives allow students to dive deep into their area of interest and complete an independent study project.