Six Elon students participated in the Undergraduate East Regional Finals of an annual contest that challenges college students to step into the shoes of venture capitalists, evaluating real startups and making informed investment decisions.
A team of Elon University students placed second in the regional finals of a national contest designed for college students with an interest in venture capitalism.
Guided by Drew Peabody, an assistant professor of finance, and Alyssa Martina, executive director of the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the team competed in February in the Undergraduate East Regional Finals of the Venture Capital Investment Competition.
The Venture Capital Investment Competition challenges participants to step into the shoes of venture capitalists, evaluating real startups and making informed investment decisions. Elon’s team members all completed FIN4790 – Venture Capital Financing, a course offered by Peabody and Martina in the Fall.
Elon’s team placed ahead of teams from the University of Pittsburgh, Georgia Institute of Technology, American University and Emory University. Miami University advanced to the Global Finals coming in 2nd overall.
“Our team and our specialization stood out,” said Maddy Burgess ‘24, a double major in entrepreneurship and music from Green Bay, Wisconsin. “We all come from different backgrounds and was able to use them to our advantage in the competition.”
The students representing Elon University in 2024:
- Sofia Ballance
- Maddy Burgess
- Mason DeYoung
- Josh Jinks
- Ben Postell
- Ryan Rosencrans
Elon teams have shown consistent growth in performance over the past three years. In the university’s first year taking part in the competition, students placed fifth overall. An Elon team finished third in 2023.
“The class allowed us to understand detailed concepts along with weekly meetings with founders and venture capitalists,” said Ryan Rosencrans ‘24, a double major in finance and international business from Cleveland, Ohio. “It was a productive dress rehearsal for the team.”
The competition was more than just an academic exercise; it also provided the team with valuable connections.
“I got my current internship from a startup that was a part of the competition last year,” said Burgess, who was also a member of the 2023 team.