- Blackstone, a globally-renowned investment firm, is partnering with Florida State University’s Moran College of Business to provide students with the Blackstone LaunchPad platform
- LaunchPad is a platform that facilitates entrepreneurial development and skills through a variety of resources including learning tools, mentoring networks, and fellowship opportunities
- Users can gain experience creating a startup and have access to a pool of internship and employment opportunities, and will also be able to participate in conferences, fellowships, and pitch competitions
Blackstone, one of the largest investment firms in the world, announced a partnership with Florida State University (FSU) to provide the university’s business school with the Blackstone LaunchPad platform.
LaunchPad is a platform that facilitates entrepreneurial development and skills through a variety of resources they need to advance in their careers. Students will have access to learning tools, mentoring networks, and fellowship opportunities through the program.
“The first step in breaking entrepreneurial barriers is to bring entrepreneurship to those who need it most by meeting students where they are,” said Maura Pally, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. “There is no better place to start than right on their campuses.”
LaunchPad users can gain experience creating a startup and have access to a pool of internship and employment opportunities.
Further, students can also take part in national programming like conferences, fellowships, and pitch competitions.
“It will provide us more resources to build more entrepreneurs,” said Susan Fiorito, dean of the Moran College of Business.
The Moran College of Business was rated among the best in America across several departments in September’s release of the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2023 Guidebook.”
In totality, four programs within the college ranked inside the top twenty-five of their respective field.
The Dr. William T. Hold/The National Alliance Program in Risk Management and Insurance achieved a third overall ranking among all universities that offer it, while the real estate program climbed to fifth among public schools.
Meanwhile, the College of Business earned a ranking of twentieth among public schools in marketing, while accounting moved up three spots to twenty-first.
“These rankings reflect total excellence across the university,” said President Richard McCullough. “We’re competing at the highest levels with the best universities in the world, and our goal is to continue to rise to the Top 15 and beyond.”
Later this year the university will break ground on Legacy Hall, its new $120 million College of Business facility that will be FSU’s largest academic space to date and is being developed as part of the ongoing construction for its southeast gateway initiative.