Sofia Bapna

Sofia Bapna is an Associate Professor (with tenure) and Lawrence Fellow at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. Her expertise lies in digital platforms, entrepreneurship, and gender gaps, informed by her background as a female IT professional and entrepreneur. She holds a PhD in Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship from the University of Minnesota, an MBA from Babson College, and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, India.

Her research focuses on two key areas: addressing gender underrepresentation in STEM fields and understanding entrepreneurial success in the digital economy through crowdfunding and online communities. She employs randomized field experiments, econometrics, and surveys to achieve causal insights. Collaborations include partnerships with Austrian innovation agencies, equity crowdfunding platforms, Indian staffing firms, and data science organizations.

Notable publications include studies on maternity leave policies for IT workers, gender differences in crowdfunding outcomes, and interventions to improve women's professional networking. Her work appears in top journals like Management Science and MIS Quarterly. Awards include the INFORMS Gordon B. Davis Young Scholar Award and the AIS Early Career Award.

Dr. Bapna’s research has been funded by NSF and the Kauffman Foundation. Media engagements include coverage in India Today, Star Tribune, and Forbes. Her teaching and mentorship have earned nominations for Carlson’s Faculty of the Year award.