The Bill Munday School of Business secured a partnership last week with Capital Factory, a start-up accelerator that provides work space and resources for entrepreneurs who need assistance growing their businesses.

The partnership will grant five graduate business students “co-work lite” memberships, valued at $200 per month each. These memberships will allow students access to a private desk, classroom space and invitations to exclusive Capital Factory events at the company’s office in downtown Austin.

“This partnership is a great example of how we are connecting Austin’s business ecosystem into our model of business education,” Nancy Schreiber, the dean of The Bill Munday School of Business, said. “It gives the university and the business school direct exposure to the culture of tech entrepreneurship and provides a platform for those working out of Capital Factory to meet our students and faculty and experience the value that St. Edward’s brings to the community.”

Although the deal will benefit business students primarily, non-business students interested in entrepreneurship also have the opportunity to go to Capital Factory and get involved.

“Students involved in entrepreneurship, regardless of their major have an opportunity to benefit from this partnership” Schreiber said. “(They) will be able to see the application of their classroom knowledge in real time and will have the opportunity to be in an environment that can help them incubate their own entrepreneurial ideas.”

In addition to aiding individual students, the partnership will be beneficial to the university as a whole.

“From a business standpoint, it makes the business school at St. Edward’s look more attractive to prospective undergraduate and graduate students and could be a great help to students getting their business ventures off the ground,” junior business major Sara Fumagalli said. “In the long run, students who become successful as a result of this partnership may be inclined to donate money back to the school.”

Despite the promising outcomes of this partnership, there is some concern about students’ lack of access to transportation.

“I’m worried about some students not going to Capital Factory because it’s downtown; but I know that once they do they will have a huge opportunity,” Vice President of the Entrepreneurship Club Regina Vatterott said.

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