A collaboration between the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation and the Dean of the Owen Graduate School of Management, the Vanderbilt Entrepreneurship through Tech Transfer (VETTT) program provides students with hands-on experience evaluating startup opportunities and developing launch plans for high-technology businesses.

Each fall, the Centers for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer select two first-year MBA students to serve as team leaders. These MBA students draft job descriptions and then recruit, hire, and onboard two undergraduate students—one with a finance focus and the other with a marketing focus. During the first half of the summer, the teams conduct extensive diligence on three inventions created by Vanderbilt faculty members. They then select one of these technologies to spin out in the second half of the summer, developing product roadmaps, omnichannel marketing strategies (including websites and campaigns), and financing plans (with data rooms) to support the venture. Throughout the summer, the Center for Entrepreneurship provides seminars and one-on-one guidance as the teams build their businesses and deliverables.

The program culminates in a final pitch competition, after which both teams have the opportunity to continue pursuing their startups during their second year.

Startups supported and/or launched through the VETTT Program include:

"The VETTT Program was a foundational part of my education at Owen and showed me how everything I learned in my first year worked together.  From marketing and sales to finance and business development, the program taught me the essentials of entrepreneurship and show me how business is run from the ground up.  I feel fully prepared to be a successful entrepreneur because of the skills gained during my summer experience with VETTT."

- Connor Gilmore, 2025 Fellow                     

MBA                      Application Portal

The portal to apply for placements in the summer of 2026 is open throughout the fall academic semester.  Semi-finalists will be selected in early January and placements announced in early February. 

Undergraduate Application Portal

The portal to apply for placements in the summer of 2026 is open throughout the fall academic semester.  Semi-finalists will be selected in early January and placements announced in early February.