Heidi Knoblauch

Faculty Expertise and Achievement

Dr. Heidi Knoblauch teaches entrepreneurship courses and supports students who want to start and grow a business. Dr. Knoblauch runs the Ackner-Newman Fellowship for Female Entrepreneurs, which is a yearlong six credit program. The fellowship provides scholarship support for two undergraduate or graduate students, preferably female, who are pursuing a degree in the School of Business and demonstrate an interest in entrepreneurship. Dr. Knoblauch brings her diverse background as a small business owner, real estate developer, economic development leader, lender, investor, and capital allocator to our students and faculty. 

Research Interests

Dr. Heidi Knoblauch is an expert in the innovation capital stack. She helps investors and founders navigate complexities of diverse funding sources—such as government-backed loans, tax credits, angel syndicates, venture capital, and economic development incentives. Dr. Knoblauch has a special expertise in structuring transactions for social entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators who partner private investment with public resources. 
Dr. Knoblauch focuses her research on the role publicly funded entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) play in supporting entrepreneurs in the United States. She is especially interested in how government policies and programs – particularly publicly funded startup incubators and accelerators – facilitate or hinder founders. Especially relevant to the founders and investors she supports, Dr. Knoblauch examines how technologies are developed, commercialized, and brought to market by new ventures. 

Teaching Interests and Areas

• BMGT 460 - Social Entrepreneurship
• BMGT 480 - Leadership & Entrepreneurship
• BBUS 497/498 - Applied Entrepreneurship Internship in Business

Professional Service

• Board Chair, Times Union Women@Work Hearst Media
• Finance Committee and Governance Committee Member, Community Foundation of Greater Capital Region 

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