Colgate Entrepreneurship and Innovation

We were honored to welcome Mandy Dimarzo ’02 back to Colgate to speak at our TIA Incubator as the keynote speaker. Mandy, now a successful entrepreneur, shared invaluable insights from her journey - starting with just a tripod and laptop and growing her thriving business, BURN by Mandy, through resilience, adaptability, and bold decision-making. Thank you, Mandy, for empowering the next generation of Colgate entrepreneurs with your wisdom and experience!

The inaugural Clifford Family Innovator in Residence Francesca Zambello ’78, along with an award-winning artistic team, collaborated on the development and performance of O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky — a groundbreaking new opera blending ballet and contemporary dance. “This inherently interdisciplinary project touches on almost all of the academic departments and programs connected to the ACI Initiative, and gives students and faculty a chance to work closely on a creative collaboration with a team of artists at the top of their fields,” said Christian DuComb, associate dean of the faculty for faculty recruitment and development and associate professor of theater. It was a full-circle moment for Zambello to workshop O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky at Colgate, where the seeds for her career were planted. https://bit.ly/4bKnUZP

Huge shoutout to Oscar Brown ’26! ?? Oscar’s work ties directly to his venture, the Colgate LGBTQ+ Digital Collective Archive: an online space where students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members can contribute archival materials related to LGBTQ+ life at Colgate. This platform is not only preserving history but also reframing narratives around LGBTQ+ visibility in small, rural, liberal arts institutions.

If you haven’t been watching Season 3 of The White Lotus,?now’s the time to start! Keep an eye out for products from some familiar faces as our alumni entrepreneurs at Fair Harbor make waves on screen. ??

24 students, three weeks, and an incredible experience! We’re proud to have hosted the Colgate-Tuck January Business Bridge, giving students hands-on business training over winter break. Looking forward to next year’s program! The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Incubator Weekend Highlights! ?? ??? Kicked things off with a mentor dinner & a showing of "Kiss the Sky" by Francesca Zambello ’78 ?? Keynote by Mandy Dimarzo ’02 on building her business BURN by Mandy through the isolating COVID pandemic ?? Fireside chat with Mandy and Reece Wilson ?? Go-to-Market Strategy workshop using AI with Reece ?? Venture pitches from Talia Broder ’28 (Vitalize) & Jack Suter ’27 (Braqish) with panelists Mandy, Sarah Stein , Lauren Groff ’97, and Jason Zuker ??♀? Showcase tabling demo by Monica Cutillo Cody , founder of Farmstead 1868 ?? Venture-Mentor breakout rooms to prepare for Entrepreneur Showcase during Arts, Creativity, and Innovation Weekend! ?? Idea Squad breakout session with Mandy and Reece #ColgateTIA #Entrepreneurship #SharkTank #Innovation #StudentFounders #ACIWeekend #ColgateUniversity #StudentEntrepreneurs #Entrepreneurs #Entrepreneur

We’re excited to reveal the five judges for our TIA Entrepreneur Showcase! ?? Meghan Curtin McKenna ?? ’06 Founder and CEO FIF Collective; Angel Investor Caroline Danehy ’19 Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer Fair Harbor Clothing Michael Ellenbogen ’86 2025 Colgate University Entrepreneur of the Year? Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Evolv Technology Kate Foster Lengyel ’99 Co-Founder and CEO The Outset Savneet S. CEO PAR Technology Hear from these experienced founders and funders on April 5th as our four showcase teams pitch to win up to $10,000. ?? ?? April 5 | 1:00 PM ?? James C. Colgate Hall ??? https://lnkd.in/gNeNdbti This event is part of Colgate's Arts, Creativity, and Innovation Weekend.

?? Big news coming this Friday! We’re revealing our Entrepreneur of the Year in our monthly newsletter. Any last guess on who it might be? ?? Drop your prediction below and make sure you’re signed up to be the first to know! ?? ?? https://lnkd.in/gKkEN79U #EntrepreneurOfTheYear #ColgateEntrepreneurs #ColgateUniversity?

Join us on April 5 for the TIA Entrepreneur Showcase! ????Four student founders will take the stage to pitch their ventures and compete to win up to $10,000. ?? Nathan Walsh ’28 – Students Helping Students, a platform connecting Jamaican high schoolers with college mentors for application support. ? Talia Broder ’28 – Vitalize, an aromatherapy-based alarm clock transforming how we wake up and wind down. ?? Alana Conolly ’27 – Wags and Wings Dog Rescue, saving and rehoming stray dogs from Mexico to Upstate New York. ?? Charlotte Prendergast ’25 – Trust Beverages, a canned Omega-3 drink designed to support mental and gut health. Come see these student entrepreneurs in action, hear their inspiring stories, and witness innovation in real-time! ?? April 5 | 1:00 PM ?? James C. Colgate Hall ??? https://lnkd.in/gNeNdbti This event is part of Colgate's Arts, Creativity, and Innovation Weekend. #ColgateTIA #Entrepreneurship #SharkTank #Innovation #StudentFounders #ACIWeekend #ColgateUniversity #StudentEntrepreneurs #Entrepreneurs

Netflix co-founder and former CEO Marc Randolph will deliver the keynote address during the annual Arts, Creativity, and Innovation Weekend. Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, adviser, and investor. At Netflix, he laid the groundwork for a service that has grown to more than 200 million subscribers and altered how the world experiences media. The April 4 keynote address is supported through the Kerschner Family Series Global Leaders at Colgate. colgate.edu/aciweekend