In early November, Anand Khubani (BS ‘89), founder and CEO of Ideavillage Products, visited NYU Stern to share his insights with undergraduate students in Professor Christian Grewell’s class. Khubani, the namesake of Stern's Khubani Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (BTE) Program thanks to a landmark gift from his company, offered candid advice based on his extensive experience as a serial entrepreneur and master marketer.

During his class visit, Khubani shared four case studies across a range of products to show the methodology and critical questions to ask when thinking about a successful product launch. He additionally encouraged students to embrace failure as a learning tool and to look for ways to disrupt or challenge the status quo. 

“Passion is the force that turns every challenge into an opportunity,” invoked Khubani, inviting students to contemplate what this might mean in terms of their own individual paths. Khubani’s story resonated deeply with students, as his journey from a Stern graduate to a visionary entrepreneur is a testament to the power of perseverance and creativity in business.

Ideavillage’s gift to NYU Stern is helping the Khubani BTE Program flourish and shape the next generation of entrepreneurs. Launched in 2021, the Khubani BTE program integrates business, technology, and entrepreneurship in a way that is unique among undergraduate business programs in the U.S. It offers students a hands-on, interdisciplinary curriculum designed to equip them with the skills necessary to excel in a rapidly changing world.

The program has gained significant attention since its inception, with the first cohort of students slated to graduate in May 2025. By engaging with current students, Khubani reinforced the core tenets of the BTE Program—innovation, critical thinking, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit—empowering them to follow in his footsteps.