From Anheuser Bush to Liquid Death

​Startup University: From Anheuser Bush to Liquid Death

​Startup University is a semester-long speaker series connecting college students with founders, operators, and builders shaping the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky startup ecosystem.

​This session features a candid conversation with Anson Frericks on his path from leading finance, sales, and marketing at Anheuser-Busch to building and backing high-growth consumer companies. Anson will share lessons from operating inside one of the world’s largest beverage companies and then stepping out to co-found Strive Asset Management, one of the fastest-growing ETF firms in the country, which surpassed $1B in assets under management within its first year.

​Anson is also the founder of Athletic Capital, a private equity firm that partners with growth-stage consumer brands, and an early investor in companies like Liquid Death. Drawing from his experience across private equity, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurship, he’ll discuss brand building, mission-driven execution, and what it really looks like to leave BigCo to help scale disruptive businesses.

​Hosted at SparkHaus, the series blends honest conversation, actionable insights, and intentional networking to help students build meaningful relationships before they graduate.

​What to Expect

• ​45 minutes of conversation and insights on startups and the ecosystem

• ​45 minutes of Q&A and informal networking with speakers and peers

​Event Details

​📅 Friday, Feb 13
⏰ 9:00 - 10:30 AM
📍 SparkHaus - Lagoon Media Room
👥 Open to college students from all universities and all majors

​Sessions will be recorded and archived, and select sessions will be live-streamed for regional universities unable to attend in person.
Once registered, a virtual attendance link will also be sent via email.

​Whether you’re startup-curious or already building, this series is your on-ramp into the startup ecosystem.