Student Venture Capital Summit 2026
The Student Venture Capital Summit aims to bring together university students with a passion for venture capital and connect them with NKY and Cincinnati’s startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Agenda
9:00 – 9:30 AM | Doors Open & Breakfast
Coffee, breakfast, and casual networking with students and ecosystem leaders.
9:30 – 9:45 AM | Welcome & Kickoff
Opening remarks from Blue North and partners.
9:45 – 10:15 AM | Keynote Speaker: Roman Scott
Hear the story of a Stanford University student who raised $2 million to launch a nationwide accelerator, Breakthrough Ventures, that supports a "by student, for student" model for the next generation of innovators.
10:20 – 10:50 AM | Track Breakout Session #1
10:50 – 11:20 AM | Track Breakout Session #2
11:30 – 12:00 PM | Lunch
12:00 – 12:30 PM | Founder x VC Live Pitch: Grant Murray
A rare, unscripted look at how a founder delivers a live pitch to an investor, handling the pressure and navigating the tough questions that lead to a deal.
12:30 – 1:00 PM | Breakout Session #3
1:00 – 1:30 PM | Breakout Session #4
1:30 – 2:00 PM | Closing Circle
Final reflections, takeaways, and send-off to social hour.
2:00 – 2:30 PM | Cross-Campus Connections
Structured networking designed to help you meet peers across universities
Breakout Session Tracks
Foundations Track
Venture Capital 101 – An introduction to how venture capital works, from funds and deals to returns with Max Dworin.
Types of Funds & Funders – A breakdown of the different venture, angel, and institutional capital models with Christy Johnson.
Advanced Track
The Art & Science of Due Diligence – How investors evaluate startups using qualitative judgment and data with Joseph Delworth.
Portfolio Construction & Venture Math – Understanding how to build portfolios and think about risk, ownership, and returns with John McIlwraith.
Mixed Track
From Founder to Investor: Lessons Learned – Insights on transitioning from building companies to investing in them with Tim Metzner.
How Founders Raise Capital – What the fundraising process looks like from first pitch to long-term investor relationships with Paul Ehlinger.
Breaking into VC: Career Paths – An honest look at how people actually enter venture capital and what the job entails with Sean Kwiat.
Student Advantages to Get Into VC – Understanding how to leverage advantages of being a student to enter into VC with Rron Thaci.
Angel Investing – Exploring how angels invest individually, through syndicates, and in structured groups with Corey Myers & Mike Supeck.
Venture Fund Formation – What it takes to launch a fund, from capital commitments to operations with Brad Zapp.
Understanding Startup Valuations – How startups are valued at different stages and why valuation is more art than formula with Peter Schmidt.
Sourcing Strategies & Building Deal Flow – How investors find high-quality startups before everyone else does with Ilana Habib.
Late-Stage Investing: Growth Equity – A look at investing in scaling companies with proven traction and lower risk profiles with Kevin Gusweiler.
Value Creation: Portfolio Companies – How investors support founders beyond capital to drive growth and outcomes with Madeline Martini.
Term Sheets – An overview of key term sheet components and what they mean for founders and investors with Vance Van Drake.
How Syndicate Investing Works – How investors collaborate to share deals, risk, and ownership with Raechele Smalls & Robert Lamothe.
Registration
Spots are limited.
Questions? Email [email protected]