So you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurship bug recently and now you want to start your own business. Well in most small businesses the barriers to entries are very low. However, starting a business and running one requires a hell of a lot of work and skillset. From team leadership, strategic thinking, money management, and finding your product-market fit. Whoever you are, be it a budding entrepreneur or someone who has been in the game for a few years, everyone can benefit from the right knowledge to get ahead in the game. In this blog, I talk about some of the best free or affordable online courses/resources in business and entrepreneurship.

Y Combinator Startup School (FREE)

Startup School is a platform, created by Y Combinator, an American technology startup accelerator and venture capital firm that has funded more than 4,000 companies from Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Reddit, Stripe, Twitch, Facebook, Open AI, and many more. Startup school covers it all from idea validation and product-market fit to fundraising and scaling. Plus, you’ll get access to a network of entrepreneurs and mentorship opportunities. This platform is best for early-stage startup founders who are looking for structured guidance.

Harvard Business School Online (Paid but High Value)

CORe Program – This comprehensive business course is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to build a strong foundation in business fundamentals. It covers essential topics such as economics, accounting, and data analytics, giving you a strategic edge. This is best for Entrepreneurs who want a structured, academic approach to business fundamentals.

Lean Startup (Free eBook & Udemy Course)

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is a best-selling book where Eric approaches building businesses with minimal waste through Build-Measure-Learn loop. He says that instead of perfecting a product upfront, startups should create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to test out, gather feedback from the market, and adapt quickly. This can be done through validated learning where startups test assumptions regularly by setting hypotheses about customer behavior, running quick experiments to prove or disprove assumptions, then pivot or continue in current trajectory.

For a more hands-on approach, Udemy offers practical courses on Lean Startup principles to help founders implement these concepts effectively. This one is best for Entrepreneurs who want to develop agile, customer-driven businesses with minimal risk.

MIT OpenCourseWare (FREE)

Entrepreneurship Courses – MIT offers an extensive collection of free entrepreneurship courses covering topics like startup financing, business models, and innovation management. These courses are led by top professors and provide deep insights into building scalable businesses. These are best for Entrepreneurs looking for university-level business knowledge without the cost.

Udacity’s How to Build a Startup (Free)

How to Build a Startup – This free course offers a structured learning path for building a startup, from business models and customer development, value proposition, customer segments, channels, customer relationships, revenue model, partners, resources, activities & costs. Everything you need to be aware of while starting your startup. This is best for Entrepreneurs who want a structured process of learning.

LinkedIn Learning (Free with Trial, then Paid)

Small Business & Entrepreneurship This platform offers a variety of courses focused on business strategy, leadership, and decision-making. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs who want to develop strong management skills and stay ahead in competitive markets. This is best for business owners looking to improve leadership and strategic planning skills.

Final Thoughts

The entrepreneurial journey is full of challenges, but with the right knowledge and resources, you can increase your chances of success. These platforms may provide the guidance, mentorship, and practical knowledge needed to build, scale, and sustain a profitable business.