The Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business won the first-place prize in the professional-services category in the 2023 Utah Innovation Awards. The awards are managed by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner and concluded at an event on Oct. 30.
“The awards recognize the state’s vibrant community of innovators — from startups to established companies — and their breakthrough creations,” Utah Business said. “In celebrating successful innovations, the awards program aims to build the state’s economy by acknowledging and rewarding the creative minds fueling innovation within it.”
Nominees for the Utah Innovation Awards were evaluated by a group of peers and leaders from many industries across the state. Innovations were judged by their novelty, market need, economic impact, and disruption of the status quo.
“We designed the MBC program to provide as much support as possible for working entrepreneurs, and we are grateful to receive this award to recognize this one-of-a-kind opportunity for people who need help growing their company,” said Troy D’Ambrosio, executive director of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah and an assistant dean at the Eccles School. “We invite anyone interested to learn more about the program and apply.”
The MBC program launched in 2019 and provides entrepreneurs with courses, workshops, and labs specifically designed for aspiring entrepreneurs building and scaling their business. It is offered in partnership between the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy and Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute.
Troy D’Ambrosio (pictured) received the Innovation Award for the MBC program.
The Eccles School created the MBC program to blend the best attributes of a top-tier business curriculum with a startup accelerator. The founders in the program develop their startups while taking classes from experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.
Entrepreneurs can enroll in the MBC program in one of two formats – an in-person, full-time, two-semester option or an online, part-time, three-semester option. In both options, founders work to grow their companies, take entrepreneurially focused classes, engage in practicum labs, and receive personalized support.
Faculty and mentors in the MBC program are leading scholars and experienced entrepreneurs who can provide detailed insight into all stages of the entrepreneurial process.
“Every founder in the MBC program receives personal mentorship and support to help them get their business to the next level,” said Paul Brown, co-director of the MBC program and a professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy. “The benefits of the in-person and online program are the same. The biggest difference is the online program allows founders to enroll part-time so they can fulfill other obligations during the day.”
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation and apply by visiting the program website at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
About the David Eccles School of Business
The Eccles School is synonymous with “doing.” The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in five areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers and initiatives that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate seminars, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at Lassonde.Utah.edu.
