MBA 576: Applying Sustainability to Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Commercialization

Written by Suman Kasoji, Jenkins MBA ’25 and Graduate Business Sustainability Certificate

Taking the first Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Commercialization practicum (MBA 576) has been one of the highlights of my MBA journey. As professors Steve Barr and Tim Martin said at the beginning of the semester, the only true way of learning entrepreneurship is through doing it in real life-and that’s exactly what this class provided.

During the semester I had the opportunity to work with a startup that was born out of Joe Sague’s lab at NC State. The lab developed a novel process for capturing pure carbon dioxide from food and agricultural waste, therefore preventing greenhouse gas emissions from normal decay. The company’s scalable, sustainable carbon capture potential showed me the many opportunities at NC State to help sustainability-focused startups succeed commercially

Throughout the course, my team and I conducted extensive customer discovery to identify the best commercialization paths for the startup. We defined customer segments, analyzed competitors, explored partnerships, and mapped out funding strategies. Engaging with stakeholders, we visited composting plants, breweries, waste-management facilities, and farms, while also consulting regulatory agencies like the EPA and industry leaders such as Climate Action Reserve and Frontier.

The Business Sustainability Certificate courses at NC State have provided a strong foundation in sustainable business practices, and this practicum allowed me to apply that knowledge with a like-minded company. For those eager to support cutting-edge startups through impactful work, TEC 1 is an excellent opportunity.