Entrepreneurship & VC at Kenan-Flagler

Carolina Angel Network is hosting a new Seed-stage pitch competition for UNC-related ventures: Tar Heel Madness. Eight companies with ties to UNC will be selected to compete head-to-head in March, with the Final Four pitching live on March 31st in Chapel Hill. The winner will advance to a formal due diligence and investment consideration process with the Carolina Angel Network. Beyond the prospect of investment, the competition aims to highlight and connect early-stage ventures. Applications to compete are due by February 16th. More details: https://lnkd.in/eBhcYvPV

AIHR Screen has just completed over 50,000 AI Interviews! About a year ago, we launched AIHR to create the world’s first AI recruiter. It’s been an exciting journey, and we’ve been fortunate to work with companies like Chick-fil-A, Energizer, and Ashley Furniture along the way. We also opened a crowdfunding campaign and have raised $150,000 so far. If you’d like to learn more or simply follow our progress, find us on StartEngine: https://lnkd.in/euv_xWhp

UNBELIEVABLE! ?? I cannot believe what happened! My team, ?? BIG BANG ?? , has won 1st place at the VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition), the world's largest venture capital competition for students, hosted by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, today! ?? This accomplishment exceeds my expectations, as I came to the competition with the simple goal of learning about VC investment through experience and preparing for next year’s competition, but I made it! Indeed, I could not have done it without my wonderful teammates: Shivangi Goel, CA, Luca Thiele, Durga Prasanna Kumar Melam, John Viboch IV, and Nishita Dalal. Collaborating with them during the two days of the competition has been one of the best experiences of my MBA journey, and I can’t wait to join them for the regional round of VCIC at Rice Business in Houston next year. ?? I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Patrick Vernon, Cole Maita, Ian Frazier, and Adaeze Nwadike, who organized this competition. ?? I also want to thank Larry Long Jr., Marshall Fritz, Victoria Fritz, MD, Daniel Coley, John Hagy, and Joe Darcy, who are the judges for the competition today. Their comments and advice during this competition are valuable for me in the next round. ?? Thank you all! I'm on cloud nine now! ??

I’m thrilled to share that my team placed 3rd in the VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition) at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School on November 22nd!?? This competition was an incredible opportunity to gain hands-on experience in evaluating early-stage startups in the AI and software sectors from a VC’s perspective. The challenge was intense: we had just 24 hours to analyze three startups, conduct due diligence, and prepare a term sheet. After attending the startups’ pitches, we finalized and presented our investment decisions to the judging VC committee. I’m deeply grateful for this experience and want to give a huge shout-out to everyone on our team: Sagnik Mukherjee, Gangadhar Padala, Sai Ramana Kadumuru, Sumedh Bharadwaj, and Ignatius Paul, for the dedication and teamwork. Also, a big thank you to the Entrepreneurship & VC at Kenan-Flagler for organizing such an impactful event and to the participating startups and judging panel for the insightful pitches and valuable feedback. Looking forward to applying these experiences and insights in future competitions and work!

?? On November 22nd, we hosted the internal round of the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)! ?? VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition) is the world’s largest venture capital competition, with over 120 university and graduate school teams competing. It’s the only event where students step into the shoes of venture capitalists for a day while startups get invaluable exposure to the fundraising process. In this competition, students act as VCs managing a hypothetical $125MM fund, evaluating real startup investment opportunities, and pitching their strategies to seasoned VC judges. ?? Congratulations to Team Big Bang on winning the internal round! ?? They will represent us at the regional competition and hopefully at the global stage: Sun Nguyen, CFA, Shivangi Goel, CA, Nishita Dalal, Durga Prasanna Kumar Melam, John Viboch IV, Luca Thiele A huge thank you to our startups for their participation: - Sarah Snider of BEAM Diagnostics, Inc. - Rene Bystron of DeltaGen - Cameron Long of Virnika And to our incredible judges, who took time out of their busy schedules to share their expertise and provide valuable feedback: - Larry Long Jr., The Launch Place - Marshall Fritz, Newlin Ventures - Victoria Fritz, MD, Mountain Crest Investment Partners - Daniel Coley, Cofounders Capital - John Hagy, RAMP - Joe Darcy, Volvo Group Venture Capital Thank you to everyone who made this event a success, and best of luck to Team Big Bang in the next round! ????

As Forbes prepares to announce this year’s 30 Under 30 list, we're excited to reflect on the incredible honor of having our very own CEO and Founder, Mary Laci Motley, recognized as a 2024 Lister. This isn't just a nod to Mary Laci’s entrepreneurial spirit and vision but a testament to the culture and mission we’re building at EATS2SEATS. Her leadership and commitment to empowering others continues to not only drive E2S forward but also create meaningful opportunities that impact the lives of so many. Earlier this year, we had the privilege of attending Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 conference, where we connected with other innovative leaders and had the opportunity to spotlight our mission: provide the most compelling work opportunity and the most reliable service solution. This recognition is a reflection of the hard work and passion of the entire EATS2SEATS team—and a sign that we’re on the right path. Thank you to everyone who never questioned the craziness of it all and continues to support our journey. Cheers! #Forbes #Entrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #30Under30

Last week, the world celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week (Nov 11-17), and for us at EATS2SEATS, it was a chance to reflect on our journey as a student-founded start-up. With an idea born right here in Chapel Hill, it is always special to see how UNC's innovation community continues to grow and thrive. Over the past two weeks, we were honored to be featured on several different panels, sharing our experiences and insights as a student-founded business. These opportunities are a great reminder of what it really means to take that first step and we are so thankful to remain connected to such a passionate and supportive community. Here’s to remembering where we started and staying excited about where we’re going. Thank you to everyone who makes this journey so rewarding—let’s keep building together! ?? And a special thank you to the panels who invited us to join them for these discussions: ??Jim Kitchen’s “Foundations of Entrepreneurship” UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Student Panel. Sitting in on this discussion is always special, as E2S was born in Jim’s classroom. Some of our incredible full time team members have joined us after attending this panel, making it a very full-circle, meaningful moment every time we participate. ??"Her Path: Innovating Established Industries" hosted by Entrepreneurship & VC at Kenan-Flagler. As a woman-owned company, Mary Laci Motley, our Founder and CEO, was able to share her experience navigating and innovating in a well-established industry. We’re thankful for this opportunity to connect with and learn from other inspiring women in business. ??The “Student Entrepreneurs Panel” organized by Leaders in Entrepreneurship at Carolina, UNC’s student-run Entrepreneurship club. With roots as a student-founded business, this panel was a chance to highlight both the challenges and rewards of starting young and hopefully encourage others to take their own first steps. ??The “Startup Internship Panel” held at the Innovate Carolina Junction. Connecting with talented, motivated students is always a privilege and we greatly value the opportunity to meet and work with such a driven and forward-thinking community. #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #ChapelHill #StudentStartUp #Entrepreneurship #EATS2SEATS

Last week, we hosted our first-ever UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Entrepreneurship Week, and with over 225 people in attendance, we’re thrilled to say it was a huge success! ?? From exploring the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainability and impact to addressing the challenges of energy affordability during the energy transition, this week was packed with insightful discussions and learning. A heartfelt thank you to all our partner clubs for their incredible support in making this event a success, and a special shoutout to our speakers and panelists who took time out of their busy schedules to share their knowledge and experiences with us. Here’s to fostering even more innovation and entrepreneurship at UNC! ??? #UNCEntrepreneurship #EWeek2024 #Innovation #EVC #Entrepreneurship #VC # UNC #Startups #KenanFlagler

Last week, we kicked off #EWeek2024 with 'Innovating for Impact,' an inspiring discussion exploring how innovation drives positive change. Thank you to our incredible panelists Michael Flood Ayodele Ogunnoiki Jonathan Desjardins for sharing their insights on building sustainable, impact-driven ventures! ??? Alpine Frog, LLC 2X Global #UNCEntrepreneurship #InnovationForImpact #SustainableInnovation

?? TODAY I had the privilege of attending the "Innovating for Impact" panel at UNC’s Entrepreneurship Week (put together by Entrepreneurship & VC at Kenan-Flagler). This inspiring session spotlighted entrepreneurial innovation tackling global challenges, with powerful insights from leaders in climate tech and sustainable development. Key takeaways: ?? Embedding Impact into Mission: Building impactful solutions starts with aligning mission and values to drive meaningful change. ?? The Theory of Change: Impactful ventures need a clear path—knowing how each step serves people and communities is crucial. ?? Managing Risks and Knowledge Gaps: Surrounding yourself with a trusted team to fill knowledge gaps can enhance both reach and impact. ?? Purpose Beyond Profit: Many shared how grounding themselves in their "why" fuels resilience in challenging times. Thanks to panelists Michael Flood, Ayodele Ogunnoiki, Jonathan Desjardins, and moderator my friend Abimbola Abikoye ?? for a session where purpose truly met profitability! Looking forward to more discussions this week, including Thursday’s "Entertainment Evolution" panel! As the Sports & Entertainment Club's Operations Liaison, I invite you to join us as we explore entrepreneurship in sports and entertainment with industry leaders. It’s an opportunity to dive into trends shaping the future of sports/entertainment! #UNCEntrepreneurship #EWeek2024 #InnovationForImpact #SustainableInnovation #Entrepreneurship #EWeek #SportsEntrepreneurship #EntertainmentIndustry