Startups reap the benefits of learning

Wang Yong, one of those Hupan students and the founder of Weiweipinche, a carpool app, said that different people look for different things from a training course on entrepreneurship.

"Some want to get to know people who share the same entrepreneurial spirit, some want to find potential business partners," he said.

"I joined the course simply because I want to pick Ma's brain on how he managed to turn a small business into an empire in 15 years."

Zhang Wei, a student at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, has signed up for a one-year, part-time program at the China Europe International Business School.

Costing about 1,000 yuan, Zhang said many leading names, such as Zhou Hongyi, the founder of Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd, have given speeches to the students, offering he and his teammates valuable lessons, at a reasonable price.