The inaugural Founders Week, held Oct. 17-19 at Research Park, was an inspiring celebration of innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“Entrepreneurship is a team sport,” said EnterpriseWorks Director of Entrepreneurship Gerald Wilson. “Founders Week is a recognition that we are all co-founders of the future of Illini Entrepreneurship.” Wilson was a key proponent in organizing the event, working closely with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Illinois Ventures, the Technology Entrepreneur Center, and more partners across campus.
Founders Week highlighted the university’s role in fostering groundbreaking ventures, which consistently ranks in the top five nationally for number of companies founded, founders, and capital raised. The event brought together founders, Illini Angels, active investors, ecosystem leaders, faculty, and students interested in entrepreneurship.
View the event booklet for more event highlights and relevant resources
Thursday, October 17
The Founders Week celebration kicked off with a Summit on Capitalizing New Ventures on Thursday, Oct. 17. Speakers led discussions on capital formation, attraction, and allocation to fund companies. The Summit was followed by a Founders Sandbox at, including a pitch workshop. Simultaneously, a campus tour took attendees through spaces on campus that are inventing the future, including the Institute of Genomic Biology, the Integrated Biology Research Lab, and EnterpriseWorks.
That evening, the first “live” TechRise pitch competition in central Illinois invited historically underrepresented founders to compete for a $25,000 cash prize. Finalists included:
- Finalist: Oscar Azofeifa, PowerBox Technology, CEO
- Finalist: Aryan Indarapu, AVEA Robotics, CEO
- Finalist: Shrikar Lekkala, MetaFrazo, CEO & Founder
- Finalist: Ohm Vyas, ShotHawk<Co-Founder
- Winner: Tessabella Magliochetti, AmnioAlert, President & Co-Founder
Thursday’s events concluded with EnterpriseWorks’ 20th Anniversary Homecoming Dinner.
Friday, October 18
On Friday morning, Illini Angels held its meeting to foster community for experienced entrepreneurs and investors who invest in and mentor Illini founders. If you are interested in learning more about or joining this group, contact Paul Magelli. Later that morning, the Founders Technology Showcase began. This all-day event included panels, fireside chats, and more highlighting the hottest technologies being spun out of university research labs.
Following the Founders Technology Showcase, a networking reception and startup expo allowed participants to meet more companies and turn Illini pride into a connected community
Saturday, October 19
The final day of Founders Week included an Illinois Football Tailgate at EnterpriseWorks preceding the Illinois football game against Michigan at 2:30 p.m. Find more event photography in <href=”https://researchpark.illinois.edu/image-gallery/founders-week-2024/”>this media gallery.
