Entrepreneurship has gradually been taking center stage in different venues globally. In an effort to compete on a global level, AUC's School of Business has identified the three pillars of entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership as its main focus.

In collaboration with different stakeholders within AUC and partners within the community, the School of Business established a new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (EIP), incubated under its International Executive Education Institute (IEEI), to help realize the school’s mission ‘to create an environment that fosters the development of principled and innovative business leaders and entrepreneurs who can make a difference’. To educate students as to what entrepreneurship is and infuse them with the desire to create and innovate, by connecting them to venture capitalists, angel investors and mentors. The program aims at creating a healthy entrepreneurial environment inside AUC serving Egypt and the region at large.

At the early stages of building the EIP ecosystem, several discussions and meetings were held with different groups having this common entrepreneurial passion. These included faculty, students, alumni and business leaders. To capitalize on its efforts, the school established the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council and the Experts in Residence group acting as advisory bodies for the program and also Entrepreneurs/Mentors 100 network which is currently in the making. In addition, the school contributed towards the launch of AUC Alumni Entrepreneurship Interest Chapter. With his extensive experience in entrepreneurship, Ossama Hassanein was the Willard W. Brown Chair of International Business Leadership for the academic year 2010-2011, giving invaluable support to EIP. The school is also fortunate to have on board this year, Assistant Professor Ayman Ismail as the Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship. 

The marketplace needs the delivery of well-rounded change agents who are capable of competing at the highest levels and supporting an emerging economy faced with different challenges. The most powerful power is youth as they can change their community and can reshape the world. In this context the School of Business is keen to address issues that cater for creativity, innovation within and entrepreneurial setting that avails a platform to lead in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.