Startups

Since 1923, the School of Management has been developing leaders and making an impact on individuals, businesses and communities around the world. You can see a few examples in our centennial video and stay tuned as we commemorate this momentous milestone throughout 2023.

Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review have named the University at Buffalo one of the country’s top undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies.

Making its debut on the list, UB was ranked No. 8 in the Northeast and No. 48 nationwide in The Princeton Review’s 2023 annual ranking. 

Based on a 2022 survey of nearly 300 schools with entrepreneurship offerings, the ranking factors in more than 40 data points about school programs, faculty, students and alumni.

Entrepreneurship leaders at UB attribute the university’s successful appearance on the list to the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus, with collaboration across several UB entities, including the School of Management, Blackstone LaunchPad, Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. 

“UB’s entrepreneurship programming supports the entrepreneurial aspirations of our students, research faculty and community partners by giving them the comprehensive tools needed to launch and grow ventures,” says Bob Neubert, director of entrepreneurship academic programs in the School of Management. “Our multidisciplinary collaborations across campus have been essential to growing and improving our entrepreneurship programs.” 

The university offers a wide range of opportunities that provide students with the practical skills to become successful entrepreneurs.

Students can take advantage of numerous entrepreneurship competitions and hackathons, bootcamps, workshops, innovation sprints, design challenges, coaching, ideation, venture creation support, incubators, early-stage funding, investment programs, e-labs and much more. 

 “Across UB we are developing a best-in-class innovation and entrepreneurship culture,” says Hadar Borden, director of UB’s Blackstone LaunchPad. “This recognition is significant to our team’s collective work in supporting the growth of our campus-wide start-up ecosystem.”

The School of Management is now enrolling students for two new degree programs that will begin in fall 2023: An Online MBA and an Online MS in Business Analytics.

Both programs will help participants gain the skills needed to successfully collaborate in today’s physical and digital workplaces. Ideal for highly motivated professionals who wish to receive a world-class business education, classes are delivered in a convenient format they can access anywhere in the world, and any time of the day or night — whenever work, family or other obligations allow. 

Participants can engage with faculty members and peers through optional live online office hours, help sessions, chat rooms, team projects, special events and more. They’ll also have the opportunity to interact with supportive UB alumni throughout the world and will join our powerful UB Forever Network™.

The School of Management’s online programs are affordable, convenient and flexibly paced. Best of all, graduates will benefit from the prestige of the UB School of Management’s accreditation, rankings and reputation. To learn more and enroll, visit management.buffalo.edu/online.

Introducing the vice president of the United States was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for MBA/MPH student Srikrithi Krishnan.

Or so she thought.

Krishnan first got the call to introduce Vice President Kamala Harris when Harris visited UB in September to speak about how regions like Buffalo are poised to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the new law aimed at curbing inflation by reducing the deficit, lowering prescription drug prices and addressing global warming. 

Krishnan did such a great job that a staffer from the vice president’s office reached out to ask if she’d consider doing it again — this time at a Diwali celebration at the vice president’s official residence in Washington, D.C. 

“Introducing her once is amazing, but doing it twice?” Krishnan said. “It’s just mind-blowing.”

Krishnan, whose parents are from India, talked about being torn between two worlds while growing up attending Williamsville Central Schools. But it was pioneers like Harris who made her less afraid to embrace her own culture.

“I am delighted to have the honor of introducing someone who has set a pioneering path,” Krishnan said. “Someone who has climbed to the highest levels of success as a woman, as a person of African American and Indian heritage, someone who continues to be an inspiration for me — the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris.”

The guests applauded as the vice president stepped to the podium and hugged the UB student.

“She’s becoming a pro at this,” Harris said of Krishnan’s introduction. “Aren’t we so proud?”

Dean Ananth Iyer appointed three faculty members to newly created positions, effective Jan. 1. They are:

• David Murray, associate dean for undergraduate programs
• Natalie Simpson, associate dean for graduate programs
• Nallan Suresh, associate dean for faculty, research and centers

“As we chart a plan for the school’s growth, these individuals will play a critical part in expanding our impact, both on campus and across the business landscape,” says Iyer.

The School of Management honored René F. Jones, chairman and CEO of M&T Bank, as the 2022 Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year at the 72nd annual UB School of Management Alumni Association Awards Ceremony in November.

Established in 1949, the Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who resides in or has a major impact on the region, and whose career has been distinguished by executive success and civic leadership. Jones was selected by a vote of past honorees and the alumni association’s board of directors.

The school also recognized the following alumni for their career and impact:

• Akruti Babaria, BS ’05, MBA ’12, founder and CEO, Kulture Khazana, for her career success as an emerging alumnus
• Abigail Maines, BS ’97, MBA ’99, chief revenue officer, HiddenLayer, for her industry leadership
• Eric Reich, JD/MBA ’02, co-founder, Campus Labs, for his contributions to entrepreneurship 
• Del Reid, CEL ’22, founder, 26 Shirts, for his service to the Western New York community
• John H. Shellum, BS ’69, MBA ’70, retired assistant dean for alumni engagement, UB School of Management, posthumously, for his exceptional service to the school 

The School of Management community mourned the loss of Debabrata (Debu) Talukdar, professor of marketing, who died in September. He was 59.

For nearly 24 years, Talukdar contributed significantly to the School of Management through his teaching, scholarship and service. 

He taught marketing research, product management and special topic seminars at the undergraduate, MBA and doctoral levels. Talukdar created a graduate-level elective, “Business Management Implications of Sustainable Development,” as part of UB’s new Advanced Certificate in Sustainability. 

A renowned researcher, Talukdar explored key social and economic issues, including the high cost of living in Nairobi’s slums and published research with The World Bank showing a lack of access to basic infrastructure in several Kenyan cities. In addition, he worked closely with UB RENEW and studied consumer behavior around sustainability and economic development. His research has been cited by scholars in economics, environmental policy, public health, law, management and other fields.

Talukdar and his work also have been featured in various international, national and local media outlets, including the Associated Press, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, Businessweek, Forbes, Encyclopedia Britannica, Huffington Post, The Atlantic and The Buffalo News.

He is the recipient of numerous research awards, including the Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award (1997) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UB’s Young Investigator — Exceptional Scholar Award (2002), and UB’s Sustained Research Achievement — Exceptional Scholar Award (2012).

Beyond academia, Talukdar enjoyed spending time with his family, traveling the world and working on a “never ending” woodland gardening project in the expansive woods of his backyard.

He is survived by his wife, Nirmala, and daughter, Maya.

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