UW Earns Entrepreneurs’ Choice Award at VCIC Competition
VCIC competitors were assigned the names of types of trees to avoid potential bias related to the university they represent. The UW teams were assigned the cherry tree—ironically appropriate considering the trees that line the quad and brings out thousands each spring to see the annual blossom
A University of Washington team of Foster School MBA’s and law students caught the eye of entrepreneurs at the 2021 Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) Mountain Regional Finals. While the team finished second and did not advance to the next round of the international competition, they did earn the Entrepreneurs’ Choice Award. The prize is notable because of what the competition offers students—a chance to be a venture capitalist for the day in front of startups looking to accelerate their fundraising process.
“The founders of these companies wanted to work with the UW team more than any other in our group. That really says it all,” said the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship’s Katherine Wu, manager of the VCIC program. “We are so proud of this team for making the most of this journey.”
The team included Foster School of Business Evening MBA students Brooke Loughrin, Jackie Lyons, Kevin Diefendorf and Khang To, alongside Full-Time MBA student Karan Shah, and graduate law student (Juris Doctor) Rebecca Paley-Williams. The team of six represented UW at the virtual competition in early February after earning the top spot in an internal competition held at the Foster School in the Venture Capital Investment Practicum (ENTRE 542) offered each Fall.
UW last won an Entrepreneurs’ Choice Award at the VCIC Regional Finals in 2018. This year’s team finished just behind Brigham Young University and topped competitors from FGV Brazil, the University of Minnesota, the University of Rochester, and Arizona State University.
The Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is the world’s largest venture capital competition, featuring top MBA students from 70+ prestigious business schools in 13 countries on three continents.
