The University of Kansas School of Business has received a \$10 million gift commitment from an anonymous donor to fund the construction of a new entrepreneurship hub. The facility is designed to benefit the entire KU community by teaching students how to solve problems in meaningful ways and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across all fields of study.
This contribution builds on the donor’s previous lead gift of \$50 million in 2023, bringing the total amount donated to \$60 million. It stands as the largest gift in the history of the KU School of Business. The funds will support various key initiatives that focus on undergraduate student success, including the entrepreneurship program, career development opportunities, study abroad programs, and academic enrichment within the school.
The donor, a longtime supporter of KU, expressed a strong belief in the power of entrepreneurship to create practical solutions and improve lives. The gift is intended to inspire further philanthropic contributions and aims to help students explore opportunities that revitalize Kansas communities, develop entrepreneurial ventures in areas important to the state such as healthcare, energy sustainability, and education, and prepare graduates to apply entrepreneurial skills in any career path.
“The University of Kansas is experiencing a transformational era, with significant advancements throughout campus, including a more innovative business school and this new entrepreneurship center,” the donor said. Currently, about 70% of students involved in entrepreneurship initiatives come from outside the School of Business. The new hub will provide a dedicated space where students can focus, collaborate, and innovate, accelerating their learning and development of entrepreneurial skills.
Chancellor Douglas A. Girod highlighted the importance of the gift, stating that it will strengthen KU’s role in driving economic growth in Kansas by equipping graduates with the skills and entrepreneurial abilities needed to succeed. The entrepreneurship hub will serve as the home for KU’s co-curricular programs such as The Catalyst, Jayhawk Consulting, and RedTire, offering students hands-on experiences ranging from launching their own ventures to consulting for local clients and helping retiring business owners transition their businesses.
Incoming Dean of the School of Business, Jide Wintoki, said the investment marks a significant advancement in the school’s commitment to hands-on, interdisciplinary entrepreneurial education. KU Endowment President Dan Martin also praised the gift, emphasizing that it will have a lasting impact on students across the university and help build valuable entrepreneurship skills for a lifetime.
KU Endowment, the independent nonprofit organization responsible for fundraising and fund management at KU, was founded in 1891 as the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university. The new entrepreneurship hub will be built at 1420 Crescent Road, the site formerly occupied by McLain’s Bakery and the Jayhawk Bookstore.
