Hilltop hub

New facility dedicated to entrepreneurship will serve students across academic disciplines

The School of Business in spring received a $10 million gift commitment from an anonymous donor that ensures the construction of a new entrepreneurship hub at 1420 Crescent Road, formerly the site of McLain’s Bakery and, previously, Jayhawk Bookstore. The hub’s opening is scheduled for fall 2027. The dynamic, purpose-driven facility will foster entrepreneurship and innovation and serve all KU students, regardless of their field of study.

The gift supplements the donor’s 2023 lead gift of $50 million to transform business education and research in the School of Business, for a total gift of $60 million. The gift is the largest in the school’s history and provides funds to advance key initiatives for undergraduate student success. In addition to the entrepreneurship program, the gift supports career-focused opportunities within the school’s Business Professional Development Program as well as study abroad programming and academic enrichment.

The donor, a longtime KU supporter who is deeply invested in the success of the University, believes in the power of entrepreneurship to create effective ways to solve problems and improve lives. For the donor, the gift is a catalyst that will hopefully spark broader philanthropic giving from others, aimed at a few goals:

• Equipping students to explore opportunities that revitalize Kansas towns.
• Developing new entrepreneurial opportunities in sectors critical to Kansas, such as health care delivery, energy sustainability and education.
• Preparing graduates to bring entrepreneurial competency into any career.

“The University of Kansas is in the midst of a transformational era, marked by significant advancements across campus—including a stronger, more innovative business school and a new entrepreneur center. We are proud to play a part in the overall progress of the University,” the donor says.

Having a dedicated entrepreneurship facility will position KU competitively with peer institutions. Seventy percent of student participants in entrepreneurship initiatives are currently outside the School of Business. The hub will give them a physical location to congregate, collaborate and create, accelerating learning and building entrepreneurial competency.

“One of the ways KU drives economic growth in Kansas is by ensuring our graduates have the skills and the entrepreneurial ability to succeed in their fields,” says Chancellor Doug Girod. “This gift creates a greater KU for all students, with the hub expanding entrepreneurship’s reach and impact.”

The facility will serve as KU’s new home for entrepreneurship cocurricular programs, which currently include The Catalyst, Jayhawk Consulting and RedTire (Redefine Your Retirement). These initiatives give KU students from all disciplines the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, whether by advancing their own ventures with mentor support, offering strategic consulting to regional clients, or helping retiring business owners transition their businesses to the next generation.

“This investment will elevate how the School of Business equips all KU students with the tools and experience to drive innovation,” says Jide Wintoki, dean of the School of Business. “Having this dedicated space marks a significant step forward in our commitment to hands-on, interdisciplinary entrepreneurial education at KU.

A gift this size, with reach that spans every school and unit across the University, will benefit students for generations, says KU Endowment President Dan Martin, g’93, l’93, EdD’98.

“The future of KU is brighter with the dreams the hub will enable,” Martin says. “We are deeply grateful for the donor’s dedication to the students at KU who will build invaluable entrepreneurship skills that they will carry with them for a lifetime.”