(BPT) - Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of entrepreneurship, breaking down traditional barriers and opening new doors for aspiring business owners. This National Entrepreneurship Month, DeVry University is showcasing students and alumni who are capitalizing on these opportunities, supported by the university's longstanding entrepreneurship programs, faculty-led initiatives, industry partnerships, and emphasis on AI and technology skills.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the United States averaged 430,000 new business applications per month in 2024. With AI accelerating the pace of innovation, entrepreneurs need both business knowledge and technical skills to stay competitive, a combination reflected in the experiences of DeVry students and alumni.
For Claudia Mirza, investor and CEO at Fluyenta/RunMyProcess, a global workflow automation company, the value of that education has extended well beyond graduation.
"I graduated back in 2002 with a bachelor's in business administration," she said. "Who would have imagined that more than two decades later, the education I received would continue to shape my career, open new doors and create opportunities for growth?"
Her 19-year-old son, Anwar Mirza, has inherited his mother's entrepreneurial spirit. At 16, he co-founded NIXAR Solutions, a Frisco, Texas-based AI automation, coaching and marketing agency. Now pursuing an associate degree in cybersecurity and networking at DeVry, Anwar aims to strengthen his technical expertise and better understand the work of his company's developers.
"I was previously studying finance at a traditional four-year university, but when I attended a tech conference in Austin with my mom, I realized that cybersecurity is the key to the current tech revolution," he said. "After speaking with DeVry enrollment counselors about the cybersecurity courses available, I was excited about the opportunity to pursue this field."
Both mother and son knew that a traditional university experience wasn't right for their lives.
"I needed my education to be able to work with my work schedule," Claudia said. "And now I see how having a flexible online education benefits my son. He travels with me, attends conferences, and just finished a training in Switzerland. DeVry's flexible curriculum has allowed him to continue running his business and achieve his goals while pursuing an education that fits into his schedule."
Equipping entrepreneurs for long-term success
DeVry University has been a starting point for many entrepreneurs and continues to expand its offerings to help current students and alumni build on their skills and pursue long-term success.
For instance, the university partnered with 1871 to launch a Graduate Certificate Program in Innovation and joined the Startup Roadmap Program, a 12-week program for entrepreneurs. So far, three cohorts of DeVry students and alumni have completed the program, gaining hands-on experience in launching and growing a business.
Mark Sloboda, a two-time DeVry graduate and founder of Blinner, experienced that firsthand. Through the Startup Roadmap Program, he strengthened his understanding of customer identification, product-market fit, and when to scale a business. Like Claudia, he credits his education with laying the foundation for his success.
"My DeVry education has been extremely important in my journey and my success in how I build and create," said Sloboda. "That foundation helped me navigate the trial and error that comes with both technology and entrepreneurship."
Another way the university helps aspiring entrepreneurs put their skills into practice is through the faculty-led Collegiate Entrepreneurship Initiative (CEI). For eight years, the annual CEI competition, led by Dr. Lilbert Ontai and Dr. Kimberly Bankston-Bradshaw, has helped students launch or grow their businesses through workshops and presentations.
The power of lifelong learning
As emerging technologies continue to transform industries, entrepreneurs face an ongoing challenge: keeping pace with change. For some graduates, one of the most valuable lessons from their education is knowing how to continue learning.
"It's been 43 years since I graduated from DeVry with a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology," said Milton Mattox, Ed.D., CEO of the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII). "How does a kid from Atlanta, Georgia, who went to DeVry in the '80s become known for artificial intelligence, quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography and cybersecurity? You do it by knowing how to learn and keep learning. That's what my time at DeVry taught me."
That foundation of knowing how to learn and engaging in lifelong learning continues to impact current DeVry students.
"The discussions in my tech foundations class go beyond my time in the classroom," Anwar added. "It sparks conversations that I continue to think on and discuss outside of coursework and the school environment."
His mother agrees.
"Nearly 25 years later, I'm still benefiting from the fundamental skills I learned at DeVry," Claudia added.
To learn more about DeVry's entrepreneurial education offerings, visit DeVry.edu.
