[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3pnda2tyljdwi":3,"$f1fn4bvlmx2a6v":232,"page-template:\u002Farticles\u002Fdarden-connect-venture-program:{}":253},{"content":4,"navigationFallbacksEnabled":35,"previewEnvironmentEnabled":35},{"siteKey":5,"siteName":6,"tagline":7,"seo":8,"errorPage":21,"siteModals":36,"customSettings":37,"globals":42},"darden-report","Darden Report","News and knowledge from the UVA Darden School of Business.",{"title":9,"description":10,"image":11},"Darden Report - The Latest News and Ideas from UVA Darden School of Business","The Darden Report offers the latest news, research, and stories about the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.",{"src":12,"alt":13,"aspectRatio":14,"width":15,"height":16,"bynderDat":17},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002F189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a\u002FGoodwin-Grounds-autumn","goodwin grounds","6048 \u002F 4024",6048,4024,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":19,"name":20},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu","189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a","Goodwin-Grounds-autumn",{"statusLabel":22,"title":23,"summaryBeforeHomeLink":24,"homeLinkLabel":25,"homeHref":26,"summaryAfterHomeLink":27,"searchEnabled":28,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"seo":31},"Error 404","Wa-who?","We cannot locate a page at this address. Try searching using the input below or starting from the ","homepage","\u002F",".",true,"Search Darden Report","Search...",{"title":32,"description":33,"robots":34},"Page Not Found",null,{"noindex":28,"nofollow":35},false,[],{"algoliaEngagement":38},{"activeSeconds":39,"scrollRatio":40,"idleSeconds":41,"mediaPercent":39},20,0.5,60,{"masthead":43,"menuOverlay":59,"footer":191},{"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"topicsLabel":44,"subscribeLabel":45,"menuLabel":46,"searchLabel":47,"topics":48},"Trending","Subscribe","Open menu","Open search",[49,51,53,55,57],{"label":50,"href":26},"Tariffs Q&A",{"label":52,"href":26},"AI Datacenters",{"label":54,"href":26},"Productivity Boom",{"label":56,"href":26},"CES 2026",{"label":58,"href":26},"Colorado Water Rights",{"overlayLabel":60,"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"quickLinks":61,"topicsLabel":62,"topics":63,"browseLabel":121,"browseLinks":122,"connectLabel":154,"connectLinks":155,"registerLabel":172,"registerCta":173,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"searchSubmitLabel":189,"closeLabel":190},"Site menu",[],"Topics",[64,71,77,83,89,95,102,109,115],{"id":65,"label":66,"href":67,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":68,"imageSrc":69,"imageAlt":70},"2PGBfQ54OTbNUe92lTxC30","Artificial Intelligence","\u002Ftopics\u002Fartificial-intelligence","Research and expert perspective on intelligent systems, automation, and the changing economics of decision-making. Darden faculty explore how organizations can evaluate emerging tools, govern responsible adoption, and use AI to improve judgment, productivity, customer value, and competitive advantage without losing sight of people and institutional trust.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Feadee323-faa1-436f-979b-40761fb64624\u002FAI-Primary-Topic-Vertical","Surreal AI-Generated Cosmic Landscape – Generative AI, Art and Human Creativity",{"id":72,"label":73,"href":74,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":75,"imageSrc":76,"imageAlt":73},"7hvQgsg6I0A9QRkXKcNJrN","Data & Analytics","\u002Ftopics\u002Fdata-analytics","Data & Analysis examines how leaders turn information into sharper questions, stronger evidence, and better decisions. Darden insights cover analytics, experimentation, forecasting, risk, and interpretation, helping organizations separate signal from noise and translate complex findings into practical choices across strategy, operations, markets, and society.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbbea14b9-cfe3-415b-bcab-f97f753f6c54\u002FData-Analytics-Primary-Topic",{"id":78,"label":79,"href":80,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":81,"imageSrc":82,"imageAlt":79},"7hztN5kb1RdsP9iGiC05dV","Entrepreneurship","\u002Ftopics\u002Fentrepreneurship","Economic and social advancement require leaders who embrace an entrepreneurial outlook and a commitment to innovation. Darden thought leadership emphasizes that an entrepreneurial mindset is about more than starting a new business venture; it encompasses the opportunity-seizing and action-oriented behavior essential for sustained growth in organizations of all sizes.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fa8e8e5fe-f1d5-478b-8877-31b8b0c43f0c\u002FThe-Importance-of-Courage",{"id":84,"label":85,"href":86,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":87,"imageSrc":88,"imageAlt":85},"2dPcCN1FQ26ZIFcvdIsh4","Global Economies & Markets","\u002Ftopics\u002Fglobal-economies-markets","Faculty insight on trade, markets, policy, global business, and economic change. This topic connects macroeconomic forces with organizational decisions, examining how leaders navigate uncertainty, regulation, capital flows, geopolitical shifts, and cross-border opportunity while building resilient institutions in markets that are increasingly interdependent.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fd6db5e0d-c0fe-4e51-8f38-5e995d232d04\u002FA-Quick-Queue-or-a-Long-One-Waiting-in-Line-Around-the-World",{"id":90,"label":91,"href":92,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":93,"imageSrc":94,"imageAlt":91},"7mgp2vBjTofDsgB34ap4nb","Ethics & Society","\u002Ftopics\u002Fbusiness-ethics-society","The multidisciplinary study of Business, Ethics & Society focuses on sustaining, growing and sharing value, not just for businesses and their shareholders, but for stakeholders and the societies in which they operate. This vein of study encompasses ethical decision-making, examination of how business can and does impact society, implications for policy, principles of moral and institutional leadership, and the tenets of stakeholder theory.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F326ec289-e377-49ca-81ff-8a78a16d7e6d\u002FEthics-and-Society-Primary-Topic",{"id":96,"label":97,"href":98,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":99,"imageSrc":100,"imageAlt":101},"18nXfYyrV3JAT3y57GWhcK","Leadership & Management","\u002Ftopics\u002Fleadership-management","Practical research for leading teams, organizations, culture, and change. Darden thought leadership explores how managers build trust, make difficult decisions, communicate purpose, develop talent, and guide people through uncertainty while sustaining performance and strengthening the human systems that make organizations work.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F6557a226-8bac-44d0-83c1-0efdfe88b396\u002F11-Key-Characteristics-of-a-Global-Business-Leader","various colors of blocks stand in an equality and inclusive space, in the style of precisionism influence, silhouette figures, superimposed text, nul group, disfigured forms, miniature illumination, consumer culture critique --ar 128:85 --stylize 50 --v 6 Job ID: 2731b55d-e2b8-4468-81be-bb16e507686f",{"id":103,"label":104,"href":105,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":106,"imageSrc":107,"imageAlt":108},"5JMdm6cuNXm8p9L15kOLSX","Marketing & Sales","\u002Ftopics\u002Fmarketing-sales","Ideas for understanding customers, building markets, and communicating value. This topic examines consumer behavior, brand strategy, sales effectiveness, pricing, segmentation, and digital channels, helping leaders connect insight to action and create relationships that support growth across changing audiences and competitive environments.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F146f2b70-b04a-4495-853d-c5b78196f276\u002FMarketing-Primary-Topic","Marketing Primary Topic",{"id":110,"label":111,"href":112,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":113,"imageSrc":114,"imageAlt":111},"siVfdjcE5Xfd4pbT1jeWD","Operations & Technology","\u002Ftopics\u002Foperations-technology","Research on systems, digital operations, supply chains, and technology-enabled performance. Darden faculty examine how organizations design processes, manage complexity, improve reliability, and use new tools to create efficient, adaptable operations that support strategy, customer experience, and long-term organizational resilience.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff36239ad-c7bf-46fe-93b2-e6df18cb2fef\u002FOperations-Technology-Primary-Topic",{"id":116,"label":117,"href":118,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":119,"imageSrc":120,"imageAlt":117},"4NDEiXoxAt8TlDGLBWYCqu","Strategy","\u002Ftopics\u002Fstrategy","Frameworks and evidence for competition, growth, transformation, and long-term enterprise decisions. Strategy insights from Darden help leaders assess where to play, how to win, when to change course, and how to allocate resources in ways that create durable advantage amid uncertainty.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff8c81a7f-2b2c-4d37-964e-84382b3b1ef5\u002FBeyond-Strategy-3-Lessons-and-4-Ingredients-of-Execution","Browse",[123,127,131,135,139,143,146,150],{"id":124,"label":125,"href":126,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"49UXns6sWSYS1QfelJsnUS","Articles","\u002Farticles",{"id":128,"label":129,"href":130,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"5h02IsSCwqwqdvAeEfC2uq","Podcasts","\u002Fpodcasts",{"id":132,"label":133,"href":134,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3i2eJKSFhZolFdIe3c6t5V","Videos","\u002Fvideos",{"id":136,"label":137,"href":138,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"7x4aolsVH0DQFMby9iunAJ","Media Features","\u002Fmedia-features",{"id":140,"label":141,"href":142,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3rM0mhH3WJY4ThjFiyfnoV","Experts","\u002Fexpert\u002Fdirectory",{"id":144,"label":45,"href":145,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1pq8d8gTugtnM0goPxBXVR","#subscribe",{"id":147,"label":148,"href":149,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2G9kuRukBaUj9ddCJur1rC","Give","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.givecampus.com\u002Fcampaigns\u002F20048\u002Fdonations\u002Fnew",{"id":151,"label":152,"href":153,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1ql3y6NAQuUglXnn3dKJPy","About","\u002Fabout","Connect with Darden",[156,160,164,168],{"id":157,"label":158,"href":159,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2EPrW3IELdCZUN4AdZc5aU","Facebook","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FDardenMBA",{"id":161,"label":162,"href":163,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"382CfbeZQiqklJrRmCGew4","Instagram","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fdardenmba\u002F",{"id":165,"label":166,"href":167,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5IPd9qziZHiSSLmZ9ypypW","LinkedIn","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fedu\u002Fschool?id=19605",{"id":169,"label":170,"href":171,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5DpGLgbQS541wvmzk7yAn4","YouTube","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fuser\u002FDardenMBA","Featured Event",{"id":174,"previewOnly":35,"href":175,"external":28,"accessibleLabel":176,"openInNewWindow":28,"image":177,"date":186,"startDateTime":187,"endDateTime":188,"title":179},"3sGe8qongAY1Kc95z4h0Oh","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fexecutive-education\u002Fstrategic-data-analytics-for-competitive-advantage","Test",{"src":178,"alt":179,"aspectRatio":180,"width":181,"height":181,"bynderDat":182},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fc9667467-ef6d-41ff-91ee-3f9665adc4b7\u002FDriving-Ethical-Innovation-in-the-Age-of-AI","AI-Powered Data Analytics","1 \u002F 1",700,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":183,"name":184,"preset":185},"c9667467-ef6d-41ff-91ee-3f9665adc4b7","Driving-Ethical-Innovation-in-the-Age-of-AI","square-medium","Nov 10-13","2026-11-10","2026-11-13","Submit search","Close menu",{"homeHref":26,"links":192,"subscribeHeading":227,"subscribeLabel":45,"imageSrc":228,"imageAlt":229,"institutionalLabel":230,"copyright":231},[193,197,201,204,207,211,214,217,219,223],{"id":194,"label":195,"href":196,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6GCwvduoNlDEeO6nq1laFq","For The Media","\u002Ffor-the-media",{"id":198,"label":199,"href":200,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2lqtlsCRCghroHk8jgcCi0","Publications","https:\u002F\u002Fstore.darden.virginia.edu\u002F",{"id":202,"label":203,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4rcubVXgLnQBYxJ833G7DO","Press Releases",{"id":205,"label":206,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6ColvvcR2M2zggiQQ0l965","In the Media",{"id":208,"label":209,"href":210,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"61sOurYMjR8U4mU5omcUjP","Apply to Darden","https:\u002F\u002Fapply.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fapply\u002F",{"id":212,"label":213,"href":149,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"563xnF7I5F2UYWYwJc5eXE","Support Darden",{"id":215,"label":216,"href":153,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"2BySyFumqkDGPDVmTtMYai","Contact Us",{"id":218,"label":152,"href":153,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4QSVOSvmRnltRwfr5rLoSS",{"id":220,"label":221,"href":222,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"75C0Q1ojWWmESgYLsm9bQk","Privacy Policy","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fprivacy-policy-copyright",{"id":224,"label":225,"href":226,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"35rcom3AAkYzApoNSavl1g","Search Darden","\u002Fsearch","Get Darden news, research, and thought leadership in your inbox.","\u002Fimages\u002Fdarden-report-footer.png","Autumn foliage over a brick courtyard at the UVA Darden School of Business.","UVA Darden School of Business","Copyright ©2026 The Rector and Visitors Of The University Of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.",{"enabled":28,"complete":28,"capacity":233,"label":44,"stale":35,"items":234},4,[235,241,245,249],{"contentId":236,"contentType":237,"label":238,"href":239,"source":240},"3cfnF0kekl1bxtXRgMRn1F","article","Inside the Thinking Behind…","\u002Farticles\u002Finside-the-thinking-behind-uva-dardens-new-student-housing","algolia",{"contentId":242,"contentType":237,"label":243,"href":244,"source":240},"61xGycZknWivEK2Vffla2V","How AI Is Transforming…","\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-ai-is-transforming-healthcare",{"contentId":246,"contentType":237,"label":247,"href":248,"source":240},"legacy-article-11266","IHG CEO on Leadership Lessons","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-most-important-leadership-skill-ihg-ceo-elie-maalouf-learned-at-darden-might-surprise-you",{"contentId":250,"contentType":237,"label":251,"href":252,"source":240},"2GBmzAadCKzwTWJggqmArB","Christopher Fuller Named CMCO","\u002Farticles\u002Fchristopher-fuller-named-chief-marketing-and-communications-officer-at-uva-darden",{"path":254,"template":255,"content":256,"context":512},"\u002Farticles\u002Fdarden-connect-venture-program","articlePage",{"id":257,"title":258,"slug":259,"path":254,"modifiedAt":260,"summary":261,"publishedDate":266,"topics":269,"authors":272,"insightsFrom":273,"topper":274,"bodyBlocks":283,"outro":467,"seo":504},"legacy-article-3957","Darden Connect: Batten Institute Offers New Immersion Program in Major Entrepreneurial Ecosystems","darden-connect-venture-program","2026-09-24T22:08:21.199Z",{"plainText":262,"inlines":263},"Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation launched Darden Connect this year with programs in the San Francisco Bay Area and Austin, Texas, designed to help students understand the fast-paced venture environment.",[264],{"type":265,"value":262},"text",{"display":267,"dateTime":268},"03 April 2019","2019-04-03T18:59:23.000Z",[270],{"id":271,"label":79,"href":80},"entrepreneurship",[],[],{"id":275,"variant":276,"title":258,"subheadline":33,"topic":277,"image":278},"legacy-article-3957-topper","small",{"id":271,"label":79,"href":80},{"src":279,"alt":280,"aspectRatio":180,"width":181,"height":181,"bynderDat":281},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbdcf65f9-26c2-48a4-ac77-fb1ca5105c4b\u002F3957-jpg","3957-jpg",{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":282,"name":280,"preset":185},"bdcf65f9-26c2-48a4-ac77-fb1ca5105c4b",[284],{"id":285,"contentType":286,"region":287,"render":288},"legacy-article-3957-body-0","richText","body",{"component":289,"props":290},"RichTextBlock",{"content":291},{"blocks":292},[293,314,319,324,331,336,341,360,365,371,376,381,386,391,396,401,406,418,423,428,440,445,451,456,462],{"type":294,"content":295},"paragraph",[296,299,304,307,311],{"type":265,"value":297,"marks":298},"The ",[],{"type":300,"value":301,"href":302,"external":28,"marks":303},"link","University of Virginia Darden School of Business","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":305,"marks":306},"’ ",[],{"type":300,"value":308,"href":309,"external":28,"marks":310},"Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fbatten-institute\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":312,"marks":313}," has launched Darden Connect, a new immersion program custom-tailored for MBAs interested in understanding today’s fast-paced venture environment. Connect is a selective, multiday program offered to Darden MBA students that enables participants to learn firsthand about early stage ventures and make essential connections with leaders in the field. The program launched in November 2018 as a pilot.",[],{"type":294,"content":315},[316],{"type":265,"value":317,"marks":318},"“Connect fundamentally reshaped how I’m approaching my summer internship search and post-Darden career plans in the best way,” said Stephanie Hepp (Class of 2020). “People we met during the program were incredibly candid and transparent, giving a more honest view of the startup world and what part of the ecosystem might be best for me and my career.”",[],{"type":294,"content":320},[321],{"type":265,"value":322,"marks":323},"Following her Connect experience, Hepp was accepted into Darden’s new Mayo Alternative Investment Fellowship and will spend her summer working for Sands Capital Ventures in Arlington, Virginia.",[],{"type":325,"id":326,"level":233,"content":327},"heading","darden-connect-san-francisco-bay-area",[328],{"type":265,"value":329,"marks":330},"Darden Connect: San Francisco Bay Area",[],{"type":294,"content":332},[333],{"type":265,"value":334,"marks":335},"The inaugural Darden Connect in the Bay Area introduced a cohort of 10 Darden MBAs to key players in the world’s epicenter for innovation, technology and venture capital. Spending three days in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, where the Batten Institute maintains a full-time staff presence, the students participated in a highly curated venture-immersion experience. Visiting over a dozen early stage companies and venture capital firms, they met directly with founders, CEOs and investors, including private networking dinners with UVA alumni active in venture capital and entrepreneurship.",[],{"type":294,"content":337},[338],{"type":265,"value":339,"marks":340},"“As someone coming from a big company and trying to meet people and learn about VC and entrepreneurship, a program like Connect was invaluable,” said Zach Lynch (MBA\u002FMSDS Class of 2020), a dual-degree candidate also pursuing a master’s in data science with UVA’s Data Science Institute. “Back-to-back sessions with people to learn from and reach out to in the future provides a network I never would have accessed without this trip.”",[],{"type":294,"content":342},[343,346,350,353,357],{"type":265,"value":344,"marks":345},"Lynch has since been accepted into the Batten Institute’s 2019 ",[],{"type":300,"value":347,"href":348,"external":28,"marks":349},"Technology Venture Fellows","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fbatten-institute\u002Feducation\u002Fpracticum\u002Fventure-fellows\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":351,"marks":352}," program, where he will be sponsored by Jonathan Ebinger (MBA ’93), general partner of BlueRun Ventures and work for ",[],{"type":300,"value":354,"href":355,"external":28,"marks":356},"Kabbage","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.kabbage.com\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":358,"marks":359}," in Atlanta.",[],{"type":294,"content":361},[362],{"type":265,"value":363,"marks":364},"For Cameron Brock (Class of 2020), founder of Brock Endeavors, the opportunity to hear from both the founder and funder perspectives made Connect a meaningful experience, particularly meeting Jeff Yasuda, CEO of Feed.FM, a KEC Ventures portfolio company backed by Jeff Parkinson (MBA ’10). “To hear a founder like Jeff Yasuda speak honestly about his mistakes, about the do’s and don’ts of startups, and how to ‘know thy investor,’ alongside conversations with impressive Silicon Valley investors from Radar Partners, Costanoa Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners, was truly extraordinary. It was invaluable for an entrepreneur like me.”",[],{"type":325,"id":366,"level":233,"content":367},"darden-connect-austin",[368],{"type":265,"value":369,"marks":370},"Darden Connect: Austin",[],{"type":294,"content":372},[373],{"type":265,"value":374,"marks":375},"Building on the success of Darden Connect in the Bay Area, the Batten Institute expanded the program to other cities, including Austin, Texas, in March. Currently rated the No. 1 metro area in America to start a business, Austin is a fast-growing, vibrant venture ecosystem and the top-ranked place for women entrepreneurs.",[],{"type":294,"content":377},[378],{"type":265,"value":379,"marks":380},"Coinciding with the annual SXSW Conference, 11 Darden MBAs spent two days in the Connect program visiting local Austin startups, from Gold Rush Vinyl to Bypass Mobile, as well as investors at Next Coast Ventures and Mithril Capital Management. Students met with both founders and investors, even attending a local Austin UVA Club event where they were able to network with the broader University alumni community in Texas.",[],{"type":294,"content":382},[383],{"type":265,"value":384,"marks":385},"One of the highlights of the program was the visit to Mithril, where Managing Director Paul Leggett (MBA ’04) addressed the group alongside Darden classmates T.R. Harrington, founder of Darwin Marketing, and Matt Reintjes, CEO and president of YETI.",[],{"type":294,"content":387},[388],{"type":265,"value":389,"marks":390},"Harrington and Leggett expressed their feelings of kinship with the students in their pursuit of career opportunities considered off the beaten path at Darden. “Sometimes you find yourself making a decision that everyone around you thinks is wrong, but you know to your core that it is right for you,” said Harrington.",[],{"type":294,"content":392},[393],{"type":265,"value":394,"marks":395},"“The key is to follow your own path, one that aligns your optimization of resources and time with your principles,” Leggett added. “That journey isn’t always easy and it takes courage. You may feel different at times as we all do, but have the conviction to move forward decisively when all of your experience and knowledge suggest your plan ahead is different but not wrong.”",[],{"type":294,"content":397},[398],{"type":265,"value":399,"marks":400},"The three alumni also touched on talent being a foundation for success with any company and a key investment. “We look for competence, confidence, humility and creativity” said Reintjes. “Talent is key.”",[],{"type":294,"content":402},[403],{"type":265,"value":404,"marks":405},"“The wealth of knowledge between Paul, Matt and T.R. was awe-inspiring,” said Cara Jankowski (Class of 2020). “The true Darden pride was awesome to see. Hearing their advice about navigating the space throughout their careers and their paths getting there was something I will carry with me moving forward.”",[],{"type":294,"content":407},[408,411,415],{"type":265,"value":409,"marks":410},"Jankowski, also a Batten Institute 2019 Technology Venture Fellow, will spend her summer in Austin working for ",[],{"type":300,"value":412,"href":413,"external":28,"marks":414},"Bright Health","https:\u002F\u002Fbrighthealthplan.com\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":416,"marks":417}," through her TVF sponsor, Adair Newhall (MBA ’09) of Greenspring Associates.",[],{"type":294,"content":419},[420],{"type":265,"value":421,"marks":422},"“As someone who is interested in both early stage companies and VC, Darden Connect was truly the best of both worlds,” Jankowski said. “In San Francisco and Austin, we were able to talk to entrepreneurs about their personal journeys and businesses, as well as hear from VCs about their investment strategies, industries and areas of focus. I couldn’t recommend this program more for anyone interested in startups, building your own company or VC — or all three.”",[],{"type":294,"content":424},[425],{"type":265,"value":426,"marks":427},"Darden is experiencing growing interest from top prospective MBA students who are looking to pursue historically nontraditional MBA career paths into the venture space, during or immediately after business school. As Darden’s Batten Institute continues to deliver on its mission to provide the world’s best educational experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, the institute plans to continue expanding Connect to additional markets in the 2019–20 academic year, such as New York, Atlanta and Denver\u002FBoulder.",[],{"type":294,"content":429},[430,434,438],{"type":265,"value":431,"marks":432},"Robyn Swift is based in San Francisco and serves as director of West Coast Initiatives for Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. For more information about Darden Connect, please contact Swift at ",[433],"italic",{"type":300,"value":435,"href":436,"external":28,"marks":437},"SwiftR@darden.virginia.edu","mailto:SwiftR@darden.virginia.edu",[433],{"type":265,"value":27,"marks":439},[433],{"type":294,"content":441},[442],{"type":265,"value":443,"marks":444},"Read below for a list of Darden Connect speakers and hosts during the Bay Area and Austin programs.",[433],{"type":325,"id":446,"level":233,"content":447},"san-francisco-bay-area",[448],{"type":265,"value":449,"marks":450},"San Francisco Bay Area",[],{"type":294,"content":452},[453],{"type":265,"value":454,"marks":455},"Andy Bugas (MBA ’86), Radar Partners\n David Burke, Makena Capital Management\n Jeff Cleary, Cleary Bikes\n Ed Colloton, Bessemer Venture Partners\n Kevin Compton, Radar Partners\n Jonathan Ebinger (MBA ’93), BlueRun Ventures\n Sean Foote (MBA ’93), Co=Creation=Capital\n Cathy Friedman (MBA ’86), GRAIL Inc.\n Jackie Glynn (MBA ’93), Glynn Capital Management\n John Glynn, Glynn Capital Management\n Whitney Hagan (MBA ’18), VSCO\n Matt Kaness (MBA ’02)\n Tiffany Lee (MBA ’16), EverAI\n Doug Mackenzie, Radar Partners\n Jerry Nemorin (MBA ’08), LendStreet Financial\n Charlie O’Connell (MBA ’08), Frisco Brandy\n Robert Pollak, SV Angel\n Meaghan Rose, Rocksbox\n Jim Schinella (MBA ’93), UJet\n Mark Selcow, Costanoa Ventures\n John Shaughnessy (MBA ’07), LiveRamp\n Katy Shields, VSCO\n Michael Walton, EverAI\n David Wehrs, Bessemer Venture Partners\n Emily Westerhold, VSCO\n Jeff Yasuda, Feed.FM",[],{"type":325,"id":457,"level":233,"content":458},"austin",[459],{"type":265,"value":460,"marks":461},"Austin",[],{"type":294,"content":463},[464],{"type":265,"value":465,"marks":466},"Melissa Bridgeford, Stylust\n Aneesh Dhawan, PurPics\n Ricky Garcia, Next Coast Ventures\n T.R. Harrington (MBA ’04), Darwin Marketing\n Caren Kelleher, Gold Rush Vinyl\n John Kingsbury, Mithril Capital Management\n Paul Leggett (MBA ’04), Mithril Capital Management\n Brandon Lloyd, Bypass Mobile\n Dagney Pruner, Next Coast Ventures\n Matt Reintjes (MBA ’04), YETI",[],{"tags":468,"pressContact":473,"bios":503},{"topics":469,"storyType":471},[470],{"id":271,"label":79,"href":80},{"label":472,"href":126},"Article",{"id":474,"heading":475,"body":476,"image":486,"action":494,"contactLabel":496,"contactId":497,"contactName":498,"contactTitle":499,"contactEmail":500},"1JXqEbL3azVV5umnM8ChNj","About UVA Darden School of Business",{"blocks":477},[478,482],{"type":294,"content":479},[480],{"type":265,"value":481},"The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences.",{"type":294,"content":483},[484],{"type":265,"value":485},"Darden's graduate degree programs and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact.",{"src":487,"alt":488,"aspectRatio":489,"width":490,"height":491,"bynderDat":492},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fc88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22\u002FDarden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","Darden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","8354 \u002F 5569",8354,5569,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":493,"name":488},"c88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22",{"label":495,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"Learn More","Press Contact","2KGmVfjHQigGuWjTI4aCKw","Lauren Foster","Senor Director of Communications",{"label":501,"href":502},"fosterl@darden.virginia.edu","mailto:fosterl@darden.virginia.edu",[],{"title":258,"description":262,"image":505},{"src":506,"alt":280,"aspectRatio":507,"width":508,"height":509,"bynderDat":510},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fwidescreen-large\u002Fbdcf65f9-26c2-48a4-ac77-fb1ca5105c4b\u002F3957-jpg?io=transform%3Afill%2Cwidth%3A1200%2Cheight%3A630&quality=75","1200 \u002F 630",1200,630,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":282,"name":280,"preset":511},"widescreen-large",{"canonicalPath":254,"identity":513},{"id":257,"contentType":237,"title":258,"path":254,"publishedAt":268,"modifiedAt":260,"topics":514,"authors":516,"eligibility":517},[515],{"id":271,"label":79},[],{"searchEngines":28,"followLinks":28,"internalSearch":28}]