Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson holds a multitude of roles in the realm of education, including founder, Chairman, President, and CEO of Minerva Project, and Chancellor of Minerva University. He is a forward-thinking individual who has been involved in numerous public debates and discussions about the future of higher education, which includes a notable appearance on National Public Radio. Nelson has also participated as a speaker at the New York Times Schools for Tomorrow event, where he shared his innovative approach to higher education, an approach that has been featured in major publications such as The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company.

Nelson was part of an insightful discussion titled "Reinventing the University - A Conversation with Ben Nelson" on Ideas Roadshow in 2015. Prior to Minerva, he served as the president of Snapfish, where he helped build it into the world’s largest personal publishing service. He also was president and CEO of Community Ventures, a network of locally branded portals for American communities. Nelson's passion for reforming undergraduate education has been a driving force since his own college days at the University of Pennsylvania.

He is the author of "Building the Intentional University: Minerva and the Future of Higher Education", published by MIT Press in 2017. Minerva University, under Nelson's guidance, is recognized as the most selective and innovative university in the U.S., ranked #1 according to the WURI rankings. Minerva Project, developed by Nelson, aims to share Minerva’s unique educational approach with other institutions and has raised significant funding, including a $57 million round in 2019 to support its technology platform and educational model. His experience and contributions confirm his position as a knowledgeable and engaging speaker and advisor in the realm of innovative education.