Annual awards recognize achievements and excellence in entrepreneurship education as well as the dedication and contributions of our members in supporting the mission of the Babson Collaborative. Submissions are reviewed and winners are determined by the Babson Collaborative leadership team including the Collaborative directors and Advisory Board members. Winners are announced and awards presented at the Babson Collaborative Global Summit.
Congratulations, 2025 Award Recipients!
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2025 Spotlight Award: Universiti Brunei Darussalam
EntreMasterClass aims to nurture innovation and foster an entrepreneurial mindset among ALL UBD staff- academic AND non-academic. Consisting of eight cohorts, this enrichment program is designed to help UBD staff develop an entrepreneurial mindset and problem solving skills, and to promote innovative thinking. The goal is to equip every “UBDian” to become an INTRApreneur, bringing more creativity and driving career growth within the UBD community. The UBD team will be presenting a special webinar about their award-winning program - join us to learn more! |
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2025 Member of the Year Award: Rajkumar Phatate
Rajkumar Phatate has a long history of giving back to the Collaborative. His involvement includes: • Multiple contributions to the Academic Content Library • Webinar host: Using Games To Develop Entrepreneurial Competencies • Global Summit presenter: Using Games in Entrepreneurship Education • Judge for the semi-finals round of the Global Student Challenge • Author of a chapter in the new Collaborative publication One of his nominators had this to say of Rajkumar: I think Professor Phatate is a perfect example of the Collaborative spirit, because he is always available to share the results of his research and insights with our community, in order to enhance the performance of entrepreneurial educators around the world. One example is the workshop he delivered during the 2024 summit in Mumbai. He delivered a great session using the Towers game to help students and entrepreneurs learn how to cope with failure. This session was very enlightening to me, and I know it was for the rest of attendees. I and my colleague are using this activity in our Entrepreneurship 101 course for all our students, with excellent outcomes. |
Annual Award Descriptions
ABOUT
About Annual Awards
Annual awards recognize achievements and excellence in entrepreneurship education as well as the dedication and contributions of our members in supporting the mission of the Babson Collaborative.
Submissions are reviewed and winners are determined by the Babson Collaborative leadership team including the Collaborative directors and Advisory Board members. Winners are announced and awards presented at the Babson Collaborative Global Summit. All recipients will be featured on one or more of Babson College's media channels which reach a wide global audience.
Submissions are reviewed and winners are determined by the Babson Collaborative leadership team including the Collaborative directors and Advisory Board members. Winners are announced and awards presented at the Babson Collaborative Global Summit. All recipients will be featured on one or more of Babson College's media channels which reach a wide global audience.
SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Spotlight Award
The Babson Collaborative Spotlight Award is an annual award given to a member institution that demonstrates excellence and innovation in entrepreneurship education. The award highlights a member institution’s commitment to enhancing entrepreneurship education and a willingness to share and promulgate best practice and new possibilities.
The award is not for a school’s entire entrepreneurship portfolio or ecosystem, but rather for a particular innovation in entrepreneurship education that is making a significant impact. Examples may include an innovative course, co-curricular program, or a particular event. Submissions are judged on innovation; impact; and quality and comprehensiveness of the submission.
We define innovative as something new to a given context (in this case, the institutional, regional and cultural context of the school) that is advancing the entrepreneurship education ecosystem and generating value. The submitted innovation does not need to be new to the field of entrepreneurship education as a whole.
In the form below, you will be expected to: describe how your submission is innovative within your institutional, regional and cultural context; identify the challenge being solved or the need being met; and describe its impact.
Any supplemental materials you provide with your application must be in English. Any supplemental videos you provide must be in English or have English subtitles.
By submitting, you grant the Babson Collaborative permission to share your submission, if awarded, with other Collaborative members.
The award is not for a school’s entire entrepreneurship portfolio or ecosystem, but rather for a particular innovation in entrepreneurship education that is making a significant impact. Examples may include an innovative course, co-curricular program, or a particular event. Submissions are judged on innovation; impact; and quality and comprehensiveness of the submission.
We define innovative as something new to a given context (in this case, the institutional, regional and cultural context of the school) that is advancing the entrepreneurship education ecosystem and generating value. The submitted innovation does not need to be new to the field of entrepreneurship education as a whole.
In the form below, you will be expected to: describe how your submission is innovative within your institutional, regional and cultural context; identify the challenge being solved or the need being met; and describe its impact.
Any supplemental materials you provide with your application must be in English. Any supplemental videos you provide must be in English or have English subtitles.
By submitting, you grant the Babson Collaborative permission to share your submission, if awarded, with other Collaborative members.
MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Member of the Year Award
The Babson Collaborative Member of the Year Award is given to an individual in recognition of entrepreneurial leadership in the Collaborative and for encouraging engagement at all levels. Aligned with the Collaborative's core belief that members working together will accomplish the greatest good, this award seeks to highlight members who are exemplars in leveraging the Collaborative network and making a positive impact within our organization.
We seek to recognize members for making significant efforts to implement cross-institution initiatives and making significant contributions to the Collaborative through a combination of actions such as: leading a Collaborative sub-group or project, hosting a webinar, and contributing to the Academic Content Library on the member portal.
Members may nominate a colleague from their own institution or another Collaborative member institution. Self-nominations are welcome.
We seek to recognize members for making significant efforts to implement cross-institution initiatives and making significant contributions to the Collaborative through a combination of actions such as: leading a Collaborative sub-group or project, hosting a webinar, and contributing to the Academic Content Library on the member portal.
Members may nominate a colleague from their own institution or another Collaborative member institution. Self-nominations are welcome.
LEGACY AWARD
The Babson Collaborative Legacy Award is presented to an individual in recognition of impactful research, teaching excellence and distinguished service to the field of entrepreneurship education -not just to the Collaborative, and not just to any particular institution(s). The inaugural recipient of the award was the person whose contributions inspired its creation, Candida Brush. This award will not be given every year, only when we have a nominee worthy of the high honor.
To nominate an educator for the Legacy Award, please email [email protected] with details about the person and why they are deserving. Please provide specific example that reflect a long history of significant contributions to the field.
To nominate an educator for the Legacy Award, please email [email protected] with details about the person and why they are deserving. Please provide specific example that reflect a long history of significant contributions to the field.
Now Accepting Nominations: 2026 Annual Awards
Collaborative annual awards recognize achievements and excellence in entrepreneurship education as well as the dedication and contributions of our members in supporting the mission of the Collaborative. The Spotlight and Member of the Year awards provide excellent opportunities to highlight your institution and the great work of your colleagues. Schools are permitted to submit only one innovation per year. The Legacy Award celebrates impactful research, teaching excellence and distinguished service to the field of entrepreneurship education.
Winners from Past Years
2024 RECIPIENTS
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Universidad del Rosario (Colombia) won this year's Spotlight Award for their innovative and impactful program, The Observatory of Entrepreneurship and Employability of the Elderly (OEEE).
(OEEE) seeks to understand, analyze, and act upon the main challenges that older people face related to well-being, leisure and productivity. This initiative is carried out in partnership between Universidad del Rosario and the private retirement and severance fund, Porvenir. View the webinar hosted by Universidad del Rosario to learn more! |
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The 2024 Member of the Year, Marcos Vega (UTPL, Ecuador) has made many contributions to the Collaborative including: presenting at the 2023 Global Summit on how members can maximize the benefits of membership; presenting on building an entrepreneurial mindset to the Collaborative Research Group; serving as panelist for the Community Conversation on Incubators and Accelerators; and contributing a syllabus and mentoring guide to the Academic Content Library.
"In 2023, Marcos organized a technical visit to Universidad de Piura with a delegation of 10 authorities and professors from UTPL. The two parties designed a roadmap of inter-institutional collaboration for the next several years, including forming cross-institution teams to complete in the annual Collaborative Student Challenge. Marcos is awesome and has a real spirit of collaboration in order to grow the impact of entrepreneurship in our universities." - Eddie Valdiviezo (UDEP, Peru) |
2023 RECIPIENTS
2023 Recipients
LEGACY AWARD
Candida Brush
F.W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship
Babson College (USA)
Candida Brush
F.W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship
Babson College (USA)
Dr. Candida Brush is the recipient of the inaugural Babson Collaborative Legacy Award, in recognition of impactful research, teaching excellence and distinguished service to the field of entrepreneurship education. She has published 97 refereed articles, 16 books, and another 90 book chapters. Her work has been cited 32,000 times and she has served on 27 doctoral student committees. She is a pioneer of women’s entrepreneurship research and co-founder of the Diana Project, a research collaboration of more than 600 researchers, which investigates growth-oriented women entrepreneurs around the world. Candida Brush has had an enormous impact on the field of entrepreneurship and the people she works with, and it was a great joy to surprise her with this award at the 2023 Summit.
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SPOTLIGHT AWARD
The Art of Entrepreneurship Universidad del Rosario (Colombia) 
Special recognition to: Andrea Ávila, María Correa, Katherine Granja, Massimo Manzoni, Angela Pulido, Fernando Sierra
What can entrepreneurs learn from artists? At the center of this program is the idea that new leaders, especially entrepreneurs, have to be sensitive to their environment, and be empathetic storytellers who can relate and connect with others. The AoE uses an exploration of innovative artistic techniques and context to help participants acquire a greater understanding of the value of art and what it can contribute to the integral entrepreneurial training of individuals. WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN MORE Vertical Divider
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MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Carlos Varela Director of Entrepreneurship and Social Responsibility Universidad del Desarrollo (Chile) 
With this award, we recognize Carlos Varela's entrepreneurial leadership in the Collaborative and the countless ways he encourages engagement at all levels. For years, Carlos has been recognized for his support of, and service to, his Collaborative colleagues. He has continuously worked with others to implement cross-institution initiatives that serve and help advance their entrepreneurship programs. He also serves the larger Collaborative community in various ways, including as primary host for the 2023 Global Summit. Carlos is an exemplar, demonstrating our belief that educators and institutions working together can create more value for their institution and students, and more impact on the field, than those working alone.
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2022 RECIPIENTS
2022 Award Recipients
SPOTLIGHT AWARD:
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MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD:
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BABSON COLLABORATIVE STUDENT NETWORK (BCSN) CHANGEMAKER AWARD
BCSN Ambassadors of Universidad del Desarrollo (Chile)
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Award recipients:
These four students from Universidad del Desarrollo (Concepcion and Santiago, Chile) received the inaugural BCSN Changemaker Award for entrepreneurial leadership in the service of others. They utilized their network and resources to successfully evacuate and resettle a peer from American University in Afghanistan safely in Santiago, Chile where she starting anew with their continued friendship and support. |
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BSCN is global student club for select student leaders universities around the world that are members of the Babson Collaborative.
2018-2021 RECIPIENTS
Previous Award Recipients
2021
Spotlight Award: Centro Universitário Facens (Facens) (Sorocaba, Brazil)
Member of the Year Award: Christina Theodoraki, TBS Business School (Toulouse, France)
2020
Spotlight Award: TBS Business School (Toulouse, France)
Member of the Year Award: Universidad de Piura (Piura, Peru)
Champion of the Year Award: Marcelo Leporati, EAE Business School (Madrid, Spain)
2019
Spotlight Award: Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada)
Member of the Year: FLAME University (Pune, India)
2018
Spotlight Award: Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) (Santiago, Chile)
Member of the Year: Centro Universitário Facens (Facens) (Sorocaba, Brazil)
Champion of the Year Award: Lucía Egea Ronda, EDEM Business School (Valencia, Spain)
Spotlight Award: Centro Universitário Facens (Facens) (Sorocaba, Brazil)
Member of the Year Award: Christina Theodoraki, TBS Business School (Toulouse, France)
2020
Spotlight Award: TBS Business School (Toulouse, France)
Member of the Year Award: Universidad de Piura (Piura, Peru)
Champion of the Year Award: Marcelo Leporati, EAE Business School (Madrid, Spain)
2019
Spotlight Award: Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada)
Member of the Year: FLAME University (Pune, India)
2018
Spotlight Award: Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) (Santiago, Chile)
Member of the Year: Centro Universitário Facens (Facens) (Sorocaba, Brazil)
Champion of the Year Award: Lucía Egea Ronda, EDEM Business School (Valencia, Spain)
