India’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem is forcing a rethink of what higher education should truly produce — employees or entrepreneurs. A recent discussion at the ETEducation TechEdu India Summit highlighted how management institutes can evolve from traditional MBA classrooms into breeding grounds for IPO-ready founders. The focus is no longer limited to placements; instead, campuses are being urged to cultivate creators capable of building scalable enterprises.

Industry leaders emphasised that entrepreneurship begins with mindset transformation. Fear of failure, social judgment, and rigid career expectations often prevent students from experimenting with ideas. Experiential learning — through real-world problem solving, live projects, and startup exposure — helps students realise that building ventures is achievable, not intimidating.

Equally important is ecosystem design. Institutions must go beyond theory by offering mentorship networks, peer collaboration, incubation support, and access to investors. Such structured environments allow ideas to evolve into viable businesses while normalising trial and error as part of innovation.

As India strengthens its entrepreneurial momentum, campuses that embed resilience, curiosity, and experimentation into education could transform the journey from MBA to IPO from a rare success story into a new academic norm.