“How are you working to educate the next generation of unicorns?”

Uppsala University
“There are several critically important things we do to educate future unicorns. First, we offer students industry experience, such as internships and strategic partnerships. Second, we address subjects like IP and business model creation. Third, we support students and researchers who have interesting business ideas. At our University Innovation Office, which partners with Uppsala Innovation Centre—a university-affiliated business incubator ranked fourth in the world by UBI Global—we provide a tailored approach to help transform great ideas into unique businesses.”
—Jonas Åström, PhD, Head of Innovation

Stockholm School of Economics
“Beyond concrete skills, we at Stockholm School of Economics inspire our students to question the status quo and drive change. Not only do we equip them to become savvy, intelligent and ambitious people; we urge them to go beyond their limits to improve our world. Using these guiding principles, SSE assumes an important role in Swedish competitiveness. Therefore, it is no coincidence why many successful Fintech companies originate from the SSE Business Lab, one of Europe’s leading academic incubators and accelerators.”
—Lars Strannegård, President

KTH Royal Institute of Technology
“Made in Sweden, with an international mindset; that is our motto for future unicorns. Since the Swedish market is small, startups should think globally from day one. To realize this, we bring select KTH startups to large, attractive markets for a week of networking, workshops and market discovery in KTH Innovation’s Brighter Program. Instilling our companies with the right mindset, we want our students to understand that the market is global, and therefore should feel comfortable as international companies.”
—Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation.

Hyper Island
”We arm unicorns with one core skill—thriving in uncertainty. What sounds simple, however, is far from easy. To make this happen, our mission at Hyper Island is to teach people how to learn continuously; how to lead through change; how to exercise their creativity, empathy, plus intelligence to recognize and act on opportunities. After all, adapting to change is not enough. Let us see how the next generation of unicorns will challenge and surprise us all!”
—Jennifer Allen Managing Director, U.S.

New York Institute of Technology
”At NYIT, we recognize that entrepreneurship education is about turning ideas into companies. Budding makers, doers, and innovators thrive in our ETIC business incubator—a collaborative environment where ideas meet and products are created. In addition to teaching students about pitching, product marketability, and exit strategy; we offer a range of technical, legal, and financial services; plus a network of faculty mentors and seasoned entrepreneurs. This ecosystem proves best at cultivating passion and perseverance in the face of failure..”
—Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., Vice President, Strategic Communications & External Affairs

Chalmers University of Technology
”We provide a challenge-driven education. Our students are not just here to learn about entrepreneurship, they are expected to start a real venture. To us, entrepreneurship is about creating value for everyone. Therefore, in a collaboration between our School of Entrepreneurship (in particular, the Entrepreneurship and Business Design Master’s Program) and our incubator Chalmers Ventures, we create a platform for students and researchers to building sustainable ventures with industry insiders. We aim to include entrepreneurship in all programs within ten years.”
—Maria Elmquist, Head of Department, Technology Management and Economics

Karolinska Institutet
”Karolinska Institutet (KI) launches the next generation of unicorns through world-class higher education and practical training. Aside from translating research into applicable knowledge, KI students have various amazing platforms to explore—scientific community for those passionate about research and improving human health, plus extensive international networks in medical education and beyond. Moreover, KI recognizes the importance of collaboration and innovation for future unicorns. Therefore, through partnership with the Stockholm County, KI provides internship opportunities for numerous medical professions.”
—Ole Petter Ottersen, President

Columbia University
”At Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, our objective is to educate future global leaders and changemakers. We provide our students with an ever-evolving curriculum shaped by market trends and industry needs. We also facilitate numerous intensive projects and innovation challenges in partnership with faculty members, alumni, and employers that include Google, NBC Universal, BMW, and Citigroup. Through these partnerships, students build entrepreneurial skills as they solve real-world problems. In return, they provide fresh insights for top organizations.”
—Jason Wingard, Ph.D., Dean, School of Professional Studies