In this episode, I talk with Jacob Schpok, executive director of university initiatives for Elevate Ventures. University initiatives is branded under the name Elevate Nexus, rolling out new programs and investment vehicles to grow entrepreneurship and start-up activity across the state, through engaging higher education institutions. Elevate Nexus is broken into a couple of different components: identifying best practices across the state with higher education institutions, figuring out where these institutions currently are with supporting entrepreneurs, and then cross-pollinating these ideas.

Topics in the episode

How elevate engages with universities

How much of Elevate’s investment dollars are directed to the university initiatives

Details of the seven pitch competitions Elevate is launching across the state

Qualifications of pre-seed and seed level investment opportunities

Expectations of a pitch at the competition

Problems of pitch competitions, and how Elevate Nexus is addressing those

Importance of having data that your roadmap is based on primary or secondary research

Contact info

Elevatenexus.com

Newsletter for more information

Email: [email protected]