What is an entrepreneur? The stereotype is a person with a technology focus, a relentless drive, a creative style of thinking, and a computer science major. Within Fuqua’s Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Club (EVCC), we are focused on so much more than just that stereotypical tech entrepreneur (though we have some of those, too).

Having come from venture capital, I helped fundraise for a pre-seed biotechnology human milk company, worked on a real-estate focused new venture, and interned at a Series C foodtech startup. EVCC prioritizes all stages of launching, and managing, a new business. New venture ideation, nurturing a startup idea, growing an existing small business, funding new enterprises, and even intrapreneurship are all key areas of focus for the club. EVCC wants Fuqua MBAs to leave Durham possessing skills that will be important in whatever role they find themselves in, whether it is working at a startup, a search fund, or an entrepreneurial role at a large business. Though currently building a healthtech focus around Fuqua’s Health Sector Management programing, EVCC still remains industry agnostic—with events oriented around agtech, real estate, CPG, sustainability technologies, automation, cannabis, and so much more.

So, What is EVCC?

We are a student-led professional club that aims to:

1. Improve Recruiting Outcomes – Equip students with necessary resources to recruit into, and build, successful careers in entrepreneurship, venture capital, search funds, and startups
2. Promote Duke Entrepreneurship – Leverage and strengthen the Duke and Fuqua network to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and venture capital advancement
3. Educate – Provide educational content and career opportunities across entrepreneurship and VC
4. Network – Facilitate connections across the Research Triangle and Silicon Valley regions, startup relations, VC networking, alumni, other Fuqua clubs, and broader Duke University community

EVCC has a broad swath of informative networking events, career panels, industry-focused seminars, educational series, recruiting help sessions, and brainstorming lunches. Partners for these events might include the Fuqua Finance Club, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Fuqua’s various industry clubs.

Our key events include:

Entrepreneurship at Fuqua – Open to all Daytime MBA students interested in exploring entrepreneurship and VC career options, the Entrepreneurship at Fuqua kick-off event showcases the curriculum, classes, clubs, and Duke-wide entrepreneurship resources that are available.

VC Investment Competition – Students play the role of VCs and look to invest in one of the startups presenting. They assess the investment opportunities and pitch an investment strategy to the VC judges. The students are the investors, and real entrepreneurs pitch to them. This is a national competition with over 20 business schools participating, and the winner within Duke participates against other business schools in regionals.

Startup Career Roadmap Series – A student-led, 5-part monthly series that will help demystify the startup recruiting process for first-year MBAs. The series includes events around demystifying series funding, roles at startups, preparing for interviews, salary and negotiation, and internship expectations.

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Conference – Fuqua, UVA Darden, and UNC Kenan-Flagler host the annual Southeast Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Series. This series is designed to educate, encourage, and equip current and recent MBA students and mid-career professionals in the Southeast U.S. to pursue the acquisition and operation of a small or mid-sized business.

Fuqua FastPitch – Fuqua student founders pitch their startup idea to a panel of real venture capital judges in competition for non-dilutive prize money.

Corporate Venture Capital Case Competition – Boeing’s venture capital arm, HorizonX, invites Fuqua students to participate in a virtual case competition focused on strategies for driving investment in sustainable aviation fuels at scale.

CEI Matchmaker Event – The entrepreneurship matchmaker connects students across Duke’s business, law, medical, and engineering schools to match entrepreneurial ideas with students interested in supporting a startup. Students launching their own ventures look for team members, or students interested in hearing ideas and potentially joining teams, and are all welcome to this networking event.

Who Fits the Bill to Join EVCC?

If you are a curious thinker, you fit the bill. EVCC wants a wide variety of mindsets—thinking outside of the box, building things, and implementing new processes are all aspects of the thinking the club encourages. EVCC members come from product manager roles, venture capital, startups, banking, Fortune 500 companies, education, the military, and any other professional background that exists at Fuqua.

Want to Learn More?

If you are considering pursuing an MBA at Fuqua and are interested in learning more about the Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital Club, please reach out here.