Our recent conference, supported by sponsors including Detroit Venture Partners and the Zell Lurie Institute, was a resounding success with over 70 students and 12 venture partners in attendance. Keynote speaker Jon Oberheide, co-founder of Duo Security, and Scott Ring from Bessemer Venture Partners provided insightful speeches on career choices and entrepreneurial self-belief, resonating deeply with the audience of young entrepreneurs and students.

The event's highlight was the presentation of select Midwestern startups, like Intros.ai and Manifest, showcasing their innovative solutions. This led to targeted one-on-one meetings between investors and founders, facilitated by the expressed interests and investment criteria. These meetings sparked significant interactions, with venture partners like Meritech, 1517, and Alumni Ventures initiating promising connections with startups, underscoring the conference's effectiveness in driving entrepreneurial engagement and collaboration.