The Opportunity

Harvey Mudd College’s mission emphasizes the importance of understanding the broader societal impact of its work. While individual faculty members have successfully championed entrepreneurship (Eship) and inspired students to see themselves as future business leaders, HMC needs an institutional framework to consistently support and cultivate entrepreneurial initiatives. Without a formalized structure, the College is unable to fully harness and integrate entrepreneurial energy and innovation into its broader educational and research programs. This gap limits the potential impact of student and alumni entrepreneurship efforts and their ability to address real-world challenges through science and engineering.

The Big Idea

Establish a Harvey Mudd Center for the Enterprise of Science (HMCES) to institutionalize entrepreneurship across the College. This center will support students and alumni in their entrepreneurial ambitions by leaning into HMC’s strengths in STEM education and problem-solving. The center will provide structured opportunities for project-based learning, rapid prototyping, audience-responsive design and collaborative ventures. By centering entrepreneurship on “STEM for a Better World,” the program aims to create a long-term ecosystem where Mudders develop sustainable innovations with real-world impact, complemented by partnerships across the Claremont Colleges (5Cs) and external entrepreneurial networks.

The Plan

The HMCES program follows a three-phase structure known as Learn-Make-Launch.

1.    Learn Phase: Introduce entrepreneurship through grants, early hands-on experiences, and partnerships with Claremont McKenna College Randall Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to engage students starting in their first year.

2.    Make Phase: Provide structured opportunities for research, prototyping and team-based pitches through events, seminars and a ten-week Eship Studio program.

3.    Launch Phase: Support student teams with capstone projects, pitch competitions and alumni mentorship to secure funding and expand ventures.

The Impact

The HMCES will institutionalize entrepreneurship at Harvey Mudd, equipping students with the tools to turn their technical knowledge into ventures that address societal challenges. By nurturing partnerships with venture capital networks and industry leaders, the initiative will help shape a new generation of STEM entrepreneurial thinkers who can tackle global challenges in sustainability, health and technology. As these leaders create sustainable solutions, they will contribute to long-term economic growth and societal progress in local, national and global communities.