Butler Entrepreneurship

Your idea. Our resources. Let’s launch it.

Photo of the Butler Entrepreneurship space

What is Butler Entrepreneurship?

Butler Entrepreneurship is a campus-wide ecosystem built to empower students, faculty, and alumni to transform ideas into ventures. From food startups and tech apps to service-based businesses and social impact models, our community launches and supports businesses at scale.

Our private coworking space is your creative HQ. Equipped with whiteboards, plug-and play tech, and a free coffee machine, this space is built for late-night breakthroughs and real-time collaboration. This space is for you to brainstorm your next pitch, prototype with peers, or think quietly. This is your place to build, connect, and bring ideas to life.

All students welcome until 5 PM. E&I students welcome all day.

The 4 Pillars of Butler Entrepreneurship

  1. Bulldog Enterprises — student-run, university-owned businesses
  2. Bulldog Startup Lab — student-run, student-owned businesses
  3. PVA & DECA — LSB clubs that sharpen students’ entrepreneurial skills
  4. Entrepreneurship Thru Acquisition — learn how to acquire and scale

Impact at a Glance

$11.5K
Non-Dilutive Funding (Grants Awarded)
70
Ventures Supported (Fall 2025)
100+
Active Mentors (Industry Experts)

Building a Strong Ecosystem

28
Community & Capital Partners
95
Net Promoter Score
4
Alumni Ventures Supported

Student Businesses

BulldogEnterprises

Student ran, university owned businesses

EntryPoint

Proving success in highgrowth venture development by securing $750K in startup funding.

Elevate Ventures Sprint Week

Providing hands-on industry experience where 6 student teams competed in a venture capital analysis simulation

Community Partnerships

Solving real-world challenges through student-led consulting teams for partners like Parkview, Hylant, and Butler University.

How Can I Get Involved?

The Founder’s Journey maps your idea from spark to scale with seasonal milestones—fall onboarding and clinics, spring launch and discovery, and a summer accelerator with alumni support and a pilot Butler Angel Fund—so you can plug in at any point and keep moving forward.

Find a Community

Be part of a like-minded cohort of founders who push each other to grow and attend exclusive events.

Get Coaching

Learn startup skills like branding, sales, financial modeling, and legal basics.

Meet a Mentor

Get paired with Indiana’s top business leaders and successful alumni.

Request Funding

Apply for up to $1,000 in non-dilutive grants and connect to investors.

Butler Entrepreneurship students on computers at a table together

Get Resources

Connect with free resources like lawyers, CPAs, ISBDC small business resources, investors, and more.

Fall 2025

  • Founder Onboarding + Pitch Clinics
  • VC & PE Training (with Private Venture Association)
  • Non-Dilutive Grant Applications
  • Mentor Matchmaking
  • Community Collisions + Datapalooza

Butler Entrepreneurship students together in class

Spring 2026

  • Venture Launch
  • Product Development + Customer Discovery
  • Elevate Ventures Sprint Week
  • Pitch Competitions (Butler, Big East, e-Fest)

Butler Entrepreneurship students together in class

Summer 2026

  • Advanced Venture Accelerator
  • Alumni Founder Network
  • Butler Angel Fund (Pilot Launch)

The Butler Experience

From first ideas to funded ventures, Butler Entrepreneurship equips students with the mentors, resources, and real-world experiences they need to launch and grow. Whether you’re ready to start your own business or simply curious about exploring innovation, there’s a place for you in the Butler Entrepreneurship community.

Submit an Idea Mentor Registration
Contact the Butler Entrepreneurship
Get in Touch

Nick Smarrelli nsmarrelli@butler.edu

Follow us on Social

Instagram
LinkedIn