Tetr College of Business Launches a new Graduate Program Where Y Combinator’s Playbook Meets Fudan and Imperial’s Legacy
DUBAI: Bringing the venture-building ethos of startup accelerators into a structured global learning experience, Tetr College of Business has announced the launch of its Graduate Program in Entrepreneurial Leadership (GPEL). The one-year program takes students through three of the world’s leading innovation hubs – Shanghai, London, and Dubai where founders build their venture from idea to scale while mastering management, AI, technology, and entrepreneurship along the way. Through academic partnerships with Fudan School of Management in Shanghai and Imperial College London, the program combines academic rigour with hands-on venture building, culminating in a credential co-signed by both the institutions.
This program is built for a new kind of graduate – the founder who hasn’t launched yet, the creator ready to build a business around their vision, the family business successor who wants to rewrite the playbook, and the early-career professional who feels the classroom and their office cubicle isn’t enough. GPEL is a bet on where business education is going and how it should look like for the next generation.
Over one year, students don’t study ventures, they build one. The journey moves deliberately across three of the world’s most consequential cities: Shanghai, where AI-led venture building, product development, and supply chain execution turn ideas into real companies; London, where those companies are stress-tested through branding, finance, and market strategy; and Dubai, where founders step into the global arena – investment-ready, globally connected, and primed to scale.
The academic journey is anchored by Fudan School of Management in Shanghai and Imperial College London, bringing the expertise and perspectives of two globally recognised institutions into Tetr College’s immersive learning model. Fudan University, ranked #26 globally and part of China’s elite C9 League, brings deep expertise across business, technology and research, alongside a window into China’s rapidly evolving entrepreneurial landscape. Imperial, ranked #2 globally and #1 in the UK and Europe, brings its strength in science, technology and innovation, with deep connections to industry and entrepreneurship. Together, these partnerships add academic depth and global perspective to Tetr College’s hands-on approach, connecting what participants learn with the markets, industries and ecosystems shaping the future of business.
Complementing the venture-building journey, the program integrates industry immersions, cultural experiences and applied projects across each of the three destinations, enabling students to engage with the businesses, communities and market forces shaping local economies. The program also includes parts like the Founder Reboot, a dedicated track focused on resilience, decision-making and personal growth, alongside Perspective Projects, which challenge participants to work closely with local industries and communities on real-world opportunities and problems.
Tarun Gangwar, Co-founder, Tetr College of Business said, The world does not need more people who understand entrepreneurship in theory; it needs more people who can build, adapt and execute in rapidly changing environments. GPEL is our response to that need. The ability to navigate uncertainty, respond to changing market realities and build across different contexts is increasingly what defines successful founders and these are the capabilities we hope to develop through this program.”
The program builds on Tetr College’s existing track record of putting venture creation at the centre of business education. Its undergraduate program has already led to the creation of several student-founded ventures, including Fluma, an AI powered influencer marketing platform; BluSpru, an AI optimisation SAAS solution; ServeClub, a pickleball equipment brand; Meridian, a consumer hardware startup developing beverage technology solutions; Jhatak, an Indonesian healthy snacks venture; and Nothing But, a clean-label food company offering preservative-free products. Together, all startups built at Tetr College have made over USD 1 million in revenue and raised over USD 500,000 in funding from global VCs and founders to support their growth and expansion. Students from Tetr College have also presented their startups to founders at Reebok, and The Network School, Senior Executives at Emirates, and at the Y Combinator Startup School.
Additionally, Tetr students are mentored by global academicians and industry leaders including Dr. Edward Rogers, Former Chief Knowledge Officer, NASA; Dr. Zal Phiroz from Harvard University; Mr. Stephane de La Faverie, Executive Group President, Estee Lauder; Mr. Nitin Gaur, Former Advisory Board Member at Stanford University; and Mr. Manoj Kohli, Former Country Head, SoftBank. Through collaborations with companies, startups, investors, and ecosystem partners, students gain access to internships, live projects, founder interactions, business immersions, and industry-led experiences with organisations and platforms including Emaar and Emirates, Tesla, Alibaba, Google, the Louvre, and the Prado Museum. This integrated learning model combines classroom learning with operational exposure, cross-cultural collaboration, and hands-on venture-building experience across global markets.
The addition of GPEL further strengthens Tetr College of Business’ portfolio of globally immersive programs, reflecting the institution’s focus on creating practical, internationally relevant learning experiences for aspiring founders, innovators and business leaders. The inaugural cohort is scheduled to begin in March 2027, with applications now open.