A New Approach to Entrepreneurial Education at UC Irvine
The ANTrepreneur Center at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) is excited to offer a unique for-credit course titled Anteater to ANTrepreneur, now entering its third year. The course incorporates select learning materials from Y Combinator’s Startup School to support students as they explore how to identify problems, build solutions, and test early-stage ideas.
The name—an homage to UC Irvine’s Anteater mascot—invites students to see themselves as innovators and problem solvers. By combining UC Irvine’s academic strengths with the practical concepts taught in Startup School, this course gives undergraduates a structured, accessible introduction to entrepreneurship.
Pioneering Entrepreneurial Education at UC Irvine
The ANTrepreneur Center continues to lead the way in preparing undergraduates for real-world innovation. This course reflects that mission by giving students access to proven frameworks, hands-on activities, and exposure to startup experiences early in their academic journey.
Ryan Foland, Director of the ANTrepreneur Center and instructor for the course, explains:
“Our goal is not to reinvent the wheel when it comes to teaching how to build a business. Using Startup School as part of our curriculum allows students to learn from some of the most effective entrepreneurial frameworks available. Empowering undergraduates to explore entrepreneurship in a classroom environment shows them that building a business is achievable and a viable career path.”
Startup School distills lessons and insights taught by founders and leaders from the broader startup ecosystem. The content provides students with practical guidance in areas such as customer discovery, early product design, and launching a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Expert Instruction and Real Startup Perspectives
The course will be taught by Y Combinator (2x) alumna and UCI Professor Michelle Khine, together with ANTrepreneur Center Director Ryan Foland, Program Director Stefani Rios, and a diverse roster of guest speakers.
Over ten weeks, students will explore:
-
Networking and founder fundamentals
-
Overcoming imposter syndrome
-
Startup finance
-
Ideation and problem validation
-
Team building
-
MVP design
-
Product launching and iteration
-
Growth strategies
-
Fundraising basics
-
Marketing and storytelling
-
What it means to be an effective founder
In addition to course lectures and assignments, the class will feature guest speakers who are Startup School alumni, including:
-
Ryan Chan, CEO of UpKeep
-
Michael Chu, CTO of Makani Science
-
Ray Liu, CEO of Vena Vitals
-
And additional founders and operators
Their experiences help students connect abstract concepts to practical realities, making the lessons more immediate and relevant.
Catering to Diverse Entrepreneurial Needs
Anteater to ANTrepreneur is intentionally designed for students at all stages of entrepreneurial readiness. Beginners gain a strong foundation in startup thinking, while students with existing ideas can refine, test, and strengthen their concepts through structured feedback and guided exercises.
Stefani Rios, Program Director at the ANTrepreneur Center, notes:
“This is not just a class; it’s an incubator of ideas. Whether our students are budding entrepreneurs or seasoned thinkers, it’s about turning visions into viable business ventures.”
The course is capped at 50 students to ensure a tight-knit cohort experience, fostering collaboration, peer support, and mentorship—key ingredients in any entrepreneurial journey.
Enrolled students will receive a custom course hoodie as a symbol of their commitment and participation. They will also receive a copy of Without a Doubt by Surbhi Sarna, a Startup School instructor, Y Combinator partner, and UC alum whose story of building and selling her company for $275 million offers inspiration and insight.
Course Impact and Student Momentum
The integration of Startup School materials into the course marks an important milestone in strengthening undergraduate entrepreneurship at UC Irvine. Students gain clarity on how startups are actually built, learn to test assumptions quickly, and walk away with real frameworks they can use long after the course ends.
The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. As business administration student Angie Delfin shared:
“Learning from a curriculum that has launched successful startups is an incredible chance for my entrepreneurial growth.”
With creative marketing—including a playful Instagram Reel—the class filled in less than a week, demonstrating strong student demand for hands-on, applied entrepreneurship education.
Get Involved
If you are interested in being a guest speaker for the class, please email Chi Rey at rmrey@uci.edu.
With creative marketing to the student body, including a fun Instagram Reel, the Anteater to ANTrepreneur class was filled in less then a week, and it positions UC Irvine at the forefront of entrepreneurial education, preparing students for both academic achievement and real-world impact in the dynamic world of startups and technology.
For more information about the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, including programming, speaker series, Micro-Internships, funding, and more, visit our website. You can also learn more about our valuable collaborations with Blackstone LaunchPad, Tech Coast Angels, Tech Coast Venture Network, OC Startup Council, SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship, the Hub @ UCI, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and even Threads.