Iowa State is #1 in Iowa, #14 nationally in latest entrepreneurship rankings

AMES, Iowa - Innovation often starts with a problem or challenge. For Zane Lenz and Grant Veenstra, it was their dissatisfaction with standard protein shakes. So, the Iowa State University students decided to create a weight-gainer ice cream specifically designed for athletes who want to build muscle mass.

With support from programs offered through Iowa State's Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship - including the CYstarters summer accelerator - the two have built their business, Frozen Gains, and recently received a $2,500 Small Business and Entrepreneurship Grant from the Story County Community Foundation.

Veenstra's and Lenz's success is just one example of why Iowa State University is ranked #1 in Iowa, #6 in the Midwest and #14 nationally in the 2025 Top 50 Entrepreneurship Undergraduate rankings by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur.

"The ranking reflects the quality programs and courses available to Iowa State students and I'm proud that we've been consistently ranked in the Top 15 for the past five years," said Judi Eyles, director of the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. "I'm even more proud of what our students achieve as a result. Whether it's launching a startup or collaborating in the Student Innovation Center, it's exciting to see what they can accomplish."

The rankings are based on a survey conducted in summer 2024 of administrators at nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe offering entrepreneurship studies. The rankings consider more than 40 data points including academic offerings, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities.

Opportunities in all corners of campus

Iowa State offers a major and cross-disciplinary minor in entrepreneurship. Students also have access to the Start Something Network, which provides support and resources for students who want to start their own business, market a new product or collaborate with other students and faculty on an innovative solution.

The university's Student Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art facility that includes space to design, build and test new ideas. The hands-on hub includes several makerspaces offering 3D and textile printing, digital modeling and visualization and a metal and wood shop.

ISU's Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship organizes student pitch competitions and is home to the CYstarters summer accelerator and CyBIZ Lab student consulting program. The center also works with students and faculty across all colleges and the ISU Research Park.

CYstarters, an 11-week program, provides resources and accountability for students with business ideas. Students continue to work on their businesses during the academic year in the Center's Entrepreneurship Hub space in the Student Innovation Center and connect with mentors through the Venture Mentoring Service program.

CyBIZ Lab employs 25-35 students per semester to tackle business and organizational projects. Interdisciplinary teams have completed 285 projects to date for startups, non-profits, small-medium-large businesses, as well as global companies, government groups and university centers. Students learn important project management, team collaboration, research, leadership, and presentation skills while delivering valuable results to clients.

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