The Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship is dedicated to fostering an environment where all members of its community can thrive. By cultivating a culture of collaboration, respect, and opportunity, we actively contribute to the University’s vision of academic excellence.

We remain deeply committed to these principles and continuously develop new initiatives to expand our impact across the Brown University campus and beyond. Through this ongoing process, we pause each year to reflect and track our progress.

Research shows that startups with founders who bring different experiences and perspectives tend to do better. When teams have a mix of skills and viewpoints, they’re more innovative, better at understanding their customers, and often grow faster than teams that are all alike. Having a variety of voices around the table helps startups tackle challenges more creatively and build stronger businesses.

Because of this, diversity is central to the work of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship. We prioritize encouraging founders to build diverse teams. We apply these principles to teaching, hiring, and with student leadership and clubs. Our programs foster collaboration among entrepreneurs, encourage thoughtful decision-making, and support the creation of impactful ventures.