An Evening at Connect Night
The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation hosted its annual Connect Night at the Atlanta Tech Village earlier this semester. More than 100 students, alumni, faculty, and local Atlantans interested in the three pillars of entrepreneurship, innovation, and investing met over drinks and refreshments to network.
I was grateful to work with Amelia Schaffner, director of the center, as one of the center’s fellows this semester to help plan this wonderful event. Some highlights of the evening included keynotes from Amelia Schaffner and Robert Kazanjian, as well as an introduction to the newly launched Peachtree Minority Venture Fund.
Miguel Vergara 22MBA provided attendees with information regarding the new fund, which was set up to not only provide Emory students with first-hand venture capital experience, but also to grant funding to minority business owners in the community. Emory alum and entrepreneur, Andrew Rodbell, was on site to provide attendees with cans of his canned alcoholic drinks from his new beverage company Post Meridiem, and attendees snacked on hors d’oeuvres while networking and looking out at the Atlanta skyline.
The highlight of the evening for me was meeting many of this year’s cohort of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EiRs). I was grateful to have been selected as the student ambassador to the EiRs, and as such, I was introduced to this extraordinary cohort by email this summer. Meeting several of these experts in person was a treat. The 14 EiR’s provide mentorship to students in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation, and investing.
After the COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately cancelled this annual event in 2020, Connect Night was a wonderful success.
