LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Entrepreneurs will launch and grow their business ventures while pursuing their graduate education through the Peate Institute for Entrepreneurship, a new innovative initiative supported through a long term, multiyear donation from Dan and Coco Peate, announced Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management today.
The Peate Institute for Entrepreneurship’s integrated model is designed to help students launch and accelerate their new business ventures while earning academic credit toward a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. The highly selective, one-year program will provide full-tuition scholarships to 15 program participants annually, awarding academic credit for reaching startup milestones as students launch their businesses through an incubator that nurtures, grows, and accelerates those ventures.
“The Peate Institute for Entrepreneurship will honor the legacy of George Pepperdine and George L. Graziadio, Jr., and build on our diverse academic and business outreach initiatives centered on entrepreneurial success,” said Deryck J. van Rensburg, dean, Graziadio Business School. “The generous gift by the Peates recognizes that the need has never been greater for ethical, innovative, and skilled business leaders. The Peate Institute for Entrepreneurship will create a pipeline of next-generation entrepreneurs.”
The Peate Institute for Entrepreneurship will operate out of the Greater Conejo Valley region and, in addition to the new degree program and business incubator, will house the Entrepreneurial Vision Partnership with Dun & Bradstreet and the award-winning Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project. The Private Capital Markets Project produces ongoing research about financing and capital sources for small and mid-sized companies and quarterly reports on the Private Capital Demand Index and the Private Capital Access Index.
“It’s well known that entrepreneurialism changes individuals’ lives and elevates communities, but research shows that the largest hurdle for new business ventures is the transition from idea generation to product launch, often due to the lack of startup capital and strategic counsel,” said John Paglia, PhD, associate dean and professor of finance, Graziadio Business School, who will also lead the institute as its executive director.
A key focus of the Peate Institute is the integration of education, funding, and facilities to launch new ventures. The Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program will feature a highly rigorous yet practical, real-time curriculum relevant to startup success. The institute’s business incubator-accelerator will provide physical facilities and equipment, as well as a community environment conducive to student entrepreneurial success, including partnerships with other universities and local business organizations. Student entrepreneurs will have unique access to advisors, industry professionals, an entrepreneur in residence, and faculty, and the institute may pursue equity investment in new ventures, as well as facilitate dialogue with angel and venture capital investors to nurture a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. The inaugural cohort is scheduled for fall 2018. Student-entrepreneurs will be evaluated on their academic credentials and experience, as well as their business ideas.
“Pepperdine Graziadio has roots in entrepreneurship that make it the first and best choice for an initiative that aligns with the exciting trajectory in the Los Angeles startup environment,” said Dan Peate. “My wife Coco and I are honored to play a role in creating a launchpad for young visionaries who will inspire and lead transformational change in the global business environment.”
About Dan Peate
Dan Peate is the founder and general partner of Peate Ventures. He is also the founder of Driav and was founder and CEO of Hixme, a Kleiner Perkins portfolio company. Dan has previously held senior executive roles at Arthur J. Gallagher and Aon. He sits on the boards of Driav, CardiacDirect, and BoomStudios. Dan is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and was an intern for the Reagan Presidential Foundation. Dan and his wife Coco sit on several nonprofit and charitable boards. The couple currently reside in Thousand Oaks, California, with their six children.
About the Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management
A leader in cultivating entrepreneurship and digital innovation, the Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management focuses on the real-world application of MBA-level business concepts. The Graziadio School provides student-focused, globally-oriented education through part-time, full-time, and executive MBA programs at our five Southern California locations and Silicon Valley and Santa Barbara campuses, as well as through online and hybrid formats. In addition, the Graziadio School offers a variety of master of science programs, a bachelor of science in management degree-completion program, and the Presidents and Key Executives MBA, as well as executive education certificate programs. Follow the Graziadio School on Facebook, Twitter at @GraziadioSchool, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
