Darden Alum Named as CAV Angels Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Darden School of Business alumnus Katie Begando (MBA ’22), CEO and co-founder of Bluubird, has been named the new entrepreneur-in-residence at CAV Angels, a non-profit angel network with extensive connections within the University of Virginia entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As entrepreneur-in-residence, Begando will focus on supporting founders, students and investors while strengthening engagement across the network. She will also work closely with the CAV Angels Board and Executive Committee on strategic and operational initiatives as the organization continues to grow.

CAV Angels provides capital, education, mentorship and community support to the UVA entrepreneurial ecosystem. It funded $3 million in 2024 and has invested more than $26 million in 55 portfolio companies since its inception. The network has grown 10% year-over-year, now approaching 600 members, including 168 accredited investor full members.

Begando, who previously held advisory and strategic roles at FTI Consulting, Delta Air Lines, and Deloitte, is passionate about expanding access to entrepreneurship. She leads diligence efforts for prospective investments, recently overseeing teams analyzing an early-stage CPG brand and a Voice AI startup.

“By serving in this role, I have the incredible and rare opportunity to build a community with students, founders, investors and professionals passionate about UVA’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” she said. “I am able to witness the experiences of a founder and how different companies navigate different problems. I am also able to better understand what an investor cares about when analyzing an investment.”

Begando also credits her predecessor, fellow Darden alumnus Elizabeth Blankenship (MBA ’22), now a senior associate at Overlay Capital and a CAV Angels Board member, for her mentorship and guidance.