MIT Announces the Launch of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship

Cambridge, MA – April 23, 2025 – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is proud to announce the renaming of the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship to the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, marking an exciting evolution in its mission to advance prosperity through entrepreneurship and innovation across global growth markets. This transformation is made possible by a generous gift from Sayuri Sharper, SB ’81, SM ’82, and Craig Sharper, SM ’80, whose deep commitment to entrepreneurship and global prosperity aligns with MIT’s values of excellence and innovation, collaboration, and service to society. 

Unveiled at the Innovation in Global Growth Markets: Prosperity Through Entrepreneurship Conference, this milestone reflects an expanded vision—positioning the center as a catalyst for promoting entrepreneurship as a pathway to deeper economic agency in global growth markets. By fostering innovation capacity and accelerating the transition to knowledge economies, this vision encourages these markets to embrace the power of entrepreneurship and innovation in their ability to compete more effectively on a global scale.  

“The generous gift from Sayuri and Craig Sharper will enable MIT to deepen its impact in global growth markets,” said Georgia Perakis, John C Head III Dean (Interim) at the MIT Sloan School of Management. “Through their support, we will provide space for the next generation of principled entrepreneurs to take advantage of the resources, networks, and knowledge that MIT has to offer, thus contributing to lasting economic and social change across growth markets.” 

Since its founding in 2007 and with the support of the Legatum Foundation, the center has provided nearly $10.5 million USD in tuition support over 400 fellows from 67 countries—advancing solutions in fintech, healthcare, deep tech, sustainable energy, and beyond. These fellows have raised close to $1 billion USD in funding. Their work serves more than 17 million customers across 170 countries. 

With the backing of the Kuo Sharper family, the center will accelerate its efforts to support more entrepreneurs, strengthen innovation ecosystems, advance research on development of innovation capacity in growth markets and shift narratives—positioning growth markets as engines of opportunity, dynamism, and abundance. 

“Entrepreneurship is about resilience, community, and the power to shape the future,” said Sayuri Sharper, CEO of Kuo Sharper Initiative and President of KSF Impact. “At MIT, we have the privilege to support the visionary entrepreneurs who are redefining the future. This center will be a space—where bold ideas turn into impactful businesses and where collaboration drives lasting prosperity.” 

Under its new name, the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship will continue to expand its flagship programs—including the MIT Student Fellowship, Foundry Fellowship, research and thought leadership in addition to off campus educational initiatives like our bootcamp programs, while forging new strategic partnerships to mobilize capital, scale ventures, and embed entrepreneurship and innovation as a core component in achieving long-term prosperity. 

Alan McCormick, Partner of Legatum, added: "For Legatum, this moment represents a passing of the baton. It’s a transition to a new benefactor who shares our deep belief in the potential for entrepreneurial capitalism to transform nations. Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of any economy.  Sayuri and Craig’s vision aligns powerfully with Legatum’s founding ideals: that business is a force for good, that prosperity grows from the ground up, and that given the opportunity, human beings are capable of infinite achievements.” 

“This evolution is more than a name change—it’s a bold reaffirmation of our commitment to entrepreneurs who are tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges, using technology as a tool and strong values-based leadership as an anchor,” said Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship. “It’s about shifting perceptions from dependency to economic agency, from a mindset of extraction and consumption to one of innovation, creation, and exporting ideas to the world—positioning growth market entrepreneurs as creators of innovation globally.” 

With senior government officials, global investors, and leading CEOs convening in Cambridge for the center’s annual conference to explore these critical issues, the center is poised to shape the future of entrepreneurship as a pathway to sustainable and inclusive prosperity in global growth markets. 

For more information about the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, please visit the center’s website. To register for the ongoing conference and access the live stream, visit the conference website. 

ENDS 

About the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship 

The MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship is a trusted space for entrepreneurs and ecosystem players, dedicated to advancing innovation-driven entrepreneurship in global growth markets. Through leadership and venture building education, tailored mentorship, and exposure to a dynamic, global community, the Center creates space for entrepreneurs to acquire the right tools to build and scale impactful ventures that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. It also brings together key stakeholders to co-create solutions to support sustainable prosperity across global growth markets. Through its work, the Center is intentionally reshaping the narrative around growth markets, or what is more commonly referred to as ‘emerging markets’ or the ‘Global South.’ Our goal is to highlight the vast potential of growth markets, positioning them as places of abundance, dynamism, opportunity and innovation.