Reunions 2023 Tiger Entrepreneurs Conference & Startup Competition

The 2023 Reunions Tiger Entrepreneurs Conference & Startup Competition features panel discussions, workshops, a fireside chat and startup competition.

Friday, May 26

Agenda:

9:00 AM to 9:30 AM: Friend Center Upper Atrium

Check-in and Coffee/Breakfast:

9:30 AM to 10:20 AM: Friend Center Lower-Level Bowls (004, 006, 008)

Concurrent Session 1: Inside the Classroom: How We Teach High Tech Entrepreneurship at Princeton with Chris Kuenne ’85 P17 P23, Keller Center Lecturer

In this 50-minute MasterClass, Keller Center Lecturer, Chris Kuenne will lead an abbreviated class focused on Harvard Business School’s FreshTec case. Prior students from Chris’ EGR 491 class will participate in the class for roughly half the time to show how Chris uses the case method to teach the following principles:

• What is an ecosystem and how does it work?
• How do profit margin, risk and market forces affect the power dynamics across the players in the ecosystem?
• What is the biggest challenge in commercializing FreshTec’s product?
• Among the growers, brokers and retailers, who is best positioned to create and capture value through FreshTec’s product?
• Following the 25-minute case study demonstration, Chris and his former students will open the session up to questions from the audience.

When you register for the conference, you will have the opportunity to download a digital copy of the HBS case study, if you have an interest to read it prior to this class.

Concurrent Session 2: Workshop: How to Perform Customer Discovery to Find True Product:Market Fit with Genevieve Bellaire ’11, Founder & CEO, RealWorld.

10:30 AM to 11:20 AM: Friend Center Lower-Level Bowls (004, 006, 008)

Concurrent Session 1: Social Impact Experiences Through Summer Internships, moderated by Emily Sharples, Class of 1969 PICS Program Director, will moderate this discussion and Q&A.

Throughout the year, Princeton Entrepreneurship Council is organizing a number of alumni events focusing on social entrepreneurship and social impact ventures. For this Reunions conference, we thought it would interesting to invite several undergraduates who have participated in a summer internship opportunity offered by PICS (Princeton Internships in Civic Service).

PICS is now part of a new and broader Princeton initiative called LENS (Learning and Education Through Service), designed to enable every Princeton undergraduate to have the opportunity to participate in a paid service internship.

Learn about these types of internship opportunities and hear from undergraduates joining us at this session who will describe their experiences and interests in investing a summer in the social impact space.

Concurrent Session 2: Workshop: What First Time Founders Need to Know about Raising Venture Capital in Today’s Market with Luke Armour ’13, Founder & Managing Partner, Chaac Ventures.

Concurrent Session 3: Generative AI: The Good, The Bad and the Precarious Edges

Join Arvind Narayanan, Professor of Computer Science and affiliated with the Center for Technology Policy, and others who will lead a discussion on the advances and pitfalls of GPT and Generative AI technologies. It’s all the rage since OpenAI (whose stated mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence – AI systems that are generally smarter than humans – benefit all of humanity) released ChatGPT and followed by many competitive offerings across a range of use cases and industry sectors.

10:30 AM to 1:00 PM: Friend Center Lower-Level

Startup Showcase. Engage with and learn more about Princeton startups and then vote for your favorite. Each founder will staff a table at which you can discuss one-on-one his/her startup. Three startups with the most votes will then participate in the Pitch Competition later in the afternoon.

If you are a Princeton founder interested in participating in the Startup Showcase, please apply here. The application window closes May 8th.

11:30 AM to 12:30 PM:

The VC Industry: In Turmoil or a Prime Opportunity?  Friend Center Lower-Level Bowls (004, 006, 008)

This panel of VC professionals and startup founders (TBA) will discuss the headwinds facing the VC industry and the entrepreneurs seeking capital. Starting with the pandemic, current economic forces and rising interest rates are leading to downward valuation adjustments and banking industry turmoil which are contributing to new uncertainties for the startup sector. The panelists will discuss ways to cope with these pressures and share perspectives as to what is next on the horizon.

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM: Friend Center Lower-Level

Lunch. Grab lunch and engage with Princeton startup founders at the Startup Showcase.

1:00 PM to 1:45 PM: Friend Center Auditorium 101

Fireside Chat: Join a discussion and Q&A with Craig Arnold, Vice Dean for Innovation and a VIP alumnus (TBA).

1:45 PM to 2:45 PM: Friend Center Auditorium 101

Pitch Competition. The three finalists (as voted by attendees during the Startup Showcase) will pitch to the audience and compete for the grand prize. A panel of judges (TBA) will then select and recognize the winner. Hosted by Mayra Ceja ’03 and Eric Sharret ’02.

2:45 PM to 3:45 PM: Friend Center Upper Atrium

Closing Cocktail and Networking Reception. We welcome the entire Princeton entrepreneurial community to gather and celebrate Princeton founders, funders and the entrepreneurially curious. Co-hosted by Princeton Entrepreneurship Council, Princeton Alumni Angels and Princeton Entrepreneurs’ Network.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://bit.ly/reunions23tec

Sponsored by the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council
Princeton Entrepreneurs’ Network