Last month’s De la Vega Innovation Lab pitch competition participants met with alumni and campus partners in a speed-networking-style event where they were able to ask questions, rehearse their pitches and get critical feedback.
Ten student businesses that were slated to compete in our De La Vega Innovation Lab pitch competition Saturday, April 20, participated in a mentor roundtable event days before the competition with six phenomenal industry leaders.
Modeled after a speed dating event, students shuffled around the lab to meet with each mentor, share their business model, present their pitches and receive constructive feedback.
None of this would have been possible without the event’s dedicated mentors, including:
- Jiten Sood, accounting controller at Newcastle Investors
- Gio Rodriguez, founder of PreMil and The Garage
- Dina Weiss, chief investment officer, Redwing Financial
- Keith Wakeman, CEO of SuperBetter
- Jada Samuels, founder of Jada Juice
- Ceno Carson, startup specialist and venture capitalist
Becca Husar, associate director of innovation and partner development and coordinator of the pitch competition and incubator program’s many parts, said the event showcased what is most exciting and fulfilling about her work with NIU business students.
“The energy and excitement in the De La Vega Innovation Lab last night was palpable! The students gained more than just feedback on their business ideas; they made new connections and expanded their perspectives by learning from mentors from various industries and backgrounds. I am hopeful that this event will leave a lasting impact on the students as they pursue new ventures in the future” she said.
Jiten Sood, who served as a mentor, said his experience left him feeling that the future is bright.
“The De La Vega lab fosters the creative Huskie spirit in the students, which was impressively demonstrated during the mentor roundtable event,” he said. “Providing constructive feedback during conversations with the students should prepare them for the upcoming pitch competition and beyond.”
Marketing student James Huynh was grateful to be involved in this unique opportunity.
“I want to credit Becca Husar and the De la Vega Innovation Lab for reigniting a long-held passion and organizing all those workshops/events to get me where I am today,” he said. “These events really helped me realize my true career aspirations and made me realize what genuinely energizes me.”
For more information on the De La Vega Innovation Lab, go to go.niu.edu/innovation-lab.
