Aston Martin former Chairman and former CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez sat down with University of Virginia Darden School of Business Dean Scott Beardsley to discuss the future of the luxury automaker, including how new technologies like electric vehicles, self-driving features and connected car features will change the iconic vehicles known for their custom craftsmanship. Bez also discusses the importance of Aston Martin’s relationship with the James Bond movie franchise and what new products customers will see from the company in the future.

What makes startups successful? Professors Raul Chao from Darden and Batten Fellow Rahul Basole from Georgia Tech discuss their research project, Visualizing the Startup Genome. This study brings together innovation science and computational toolkits to understand how the core elements of startup activities such as recruitment and financing, as well as the sequence of these events, relate to performance. Their project analyzes structured and unstructured data, as well as other forms of data such as images and video, to gain insights useful for innovation leaders. They also discuss the importance of data visualization for effective communication with a variety of stakeholders. Hosted by Erika Herz from Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

In this interview, you'll hear how RelishMBA co-founder Zach Mayo took his project from idea to tested business model. If you have a new idea and you're just dying to get some software built, don't listen to this interview because that's not what happened. Zach and his co-founder put their idea through the paces with minimum viable product (MVP) vehicles like PowerPoint and curated emails. Their idea changed substantially during the process and so did (ultimately) their software. If you want to hear about a lean, disciplined approach to new product development, tune in!

Kim Morrish (MBA’93), Owner and Director of Ground Control Ltd. joins us as part of Darden's Leadership Speaker Series. Kim and her husband are directors and majority shareholders of Ground Control Ltd., the UK’s largest landscaping company with over £100 million in annual turnover. In 2016, Ground Control received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation for their leading edge technology that enables a rapid response to evolving customer demands. Additionally, Kim has launched several start-ups, acquired five businesses and enjoys backing promising entrepreneurs in new ventures. Kim holds a BA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Darden School of Business.