Carnegie Mellon University
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csl-swartz-center-initiative_cmu-red.pngCSL Project Course

Interdisciplinary graduate student teams explore and define new opportunities with companies looking to create transformative growth

Have an idea you want to explore? Want a fresh perspective to examine how it could be transformative for your company? Join a cohort of peer companies and work with Carnegie Mellon University graduate students to investigate what’s possible over the course of a semester.

 

Spring 2026 Project Course Applications Now Open!

Apply here!

 

Applications for enrollment in this course are now open. Any Carnegie Mellon University Graduate student located in Pittsburgh may apply. Acceptance to the course will be based on a completed application and interview with a course instructor on a rolling basis. Applications will close on December 5th, so don't wait! Apply today!

STUDENT TEAMS AS CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURS

The graduate teams, recruited from all CMU Colleges, conduct background research, talk to potential customers, run lean tests or experiments, and iterate on a product or service until they a) find an identifiable market and business model that could work or b) demonstrate conclusively that the idea should not be pursued as a venture.

GoalStudents teams work with Corporate Sponsors to explore an idea that could be transformative for their company, utilizing their interdisciplinary talent and CSL resources

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Faculty

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Melissa Murphy
Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing, Tepper
President, Melissa Murphy Marketing
LinkedIn

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Jim Jen
Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship, Tepper
Director, Corporate Startup Lab
LinkedIn

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Laurie Barkman
Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, Tepper
CEO & Founder, SmallDotBig
LinkedIn

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Lou Mustane
Adjunct Professor, Corporate Entrepreneurship
Founder & Managing Partner, Echo Strategies
LinkedIn

2024 Sponsors

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