Auburn University’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem has been recognized for the first time in the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine rankings of the Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies.

Auburn’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program came in at number 43 out of nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe. Among public universities, Auburn ranked number 24. The only Alabama school to make the top 50, Auburn was also ranked second among Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools.

The Harbert College of Business provides students with cutting-edge programs to help spark and support entrepreneurship, including a comprehensive entrepreneurial curriculum that covers ideation, business planning, funding, scaling, and managing startups.

All Auburn students have access to Harbert’s entrepreneurship coursework and are eligible to earn a minor in Entrepreneurship and Family Business. In addition, students can participate in activities like start-up clinics, entrepreneurship clubs and funding competitions such as the Halloween pitch competition and the multi-round Tiger Cage business pitch competition, which collectively awarded $110,000 in funding.

Harbert College and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering undergraduates are also eligible to earn a Business Engineering Technology minor.

Auburn’s strong focus on innovation, backed by resources like the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation (ARTF), allows students to connect with timely research and leverage technologies like AI to launch new businesses.

“As Alabama’s premier land grant institution committed to driving economic growth, we are honored to receive this national recognition for the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship efforts.”   

Jennifer Mueller-Phillips, Harbert College dean and Wells Fargo professor

Auburn’s entrepreneurial ecosystem

The gateway to Auburn’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem is the Lowder Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurship, which provides resources and expertise for individuals who are in the idea stage or have yet to generate revenue for their early-stage startup. Those further along in their entrepreneurial journey can access the New Venture Accelerator (NVA), which is jointly run by ARTF and Harbert College.

“At the Lowder Center, we’re dedicated to sparking the entrepreneurial mindset because those who turn ideas into action gain skills and innovative thinking that will shape their careers,” said Joshua Sahib, Lowder Center managing director. “Our national ranking affirms that entrepreneurship is a powerful, cross-disciplinary force on our campus, relevant to students from all majors.”

The most promising Auburn startup companies at NVA are eligible to apply for AU Kickstart funds, which provide direct, non-dilutive grants that bridge the gap between new business formation and initial seed or Series A funding. NVA also helps startup companies enlist strategic partners, generate pro forma financial projections and create a formal business plan as required for consideration by early-stage investors.

Several student startup businesses mentored at NVA have successfully progressed beyond Tiger Cage competitions to convince seed, early stage and Series A investors to commit more than $110 million in next-stage funding to NVA-fostered companies, including cryptocurrency exchange firm Yellow Card, customizable protective device maker XO Armor and construction payment and compliance technology company Flashtract.

In the last five years, Auburn graduates and faculty have started more than 40 companies.

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Learn more about Auburn entrepreneurship.

About the rankings

According to the Princeton Review, the rankings were based on data that nearly 300 schools submitted about their entrepreneurship environment, including degrees, centers and course offerings, alumni start-up success, and pitch competitions. They released both undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship rankings for 2025 on Nov. 12, 2024.