RIT student entrepreneurs immersed in start-up culture on Silicon Valley trip

Students Christine Van and Jennifer Liu have some big ideas for developing a “smart fridge,” and an RIT-funded spring break excursion to the heart of entrepreneurship and innovation is giving them the tools and inspiration to take their idea to the next level.

Van and Liu joined 14 other budding entrepreneurs, including five from RIT global campuses in Dubai, Weihai, Zagreb and Kosovo, at the inaugural RIT Venture Capital Forum held in Sunnyvale, Calif., in the heart of Silicon Valley. Through guest speakers, panel discussions and company visits, the fully-funded, three-day workshop, held over RIT’s spring break, provided students with an understanding of the process of early-stage fundraising and investing and the relationship between entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists that provide investment capital. Students also had the chance to network at an alumni gathering. The forum was co-sponsored by RIT Venture Fund and RIT’s Albert J. Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and hosted by software developer Juniper Networks.

“Through pitching to real industry professionals, I learned two things: the concept of minimum viable product to satisfy early customers, and ‘team’ is your best asset,” said Van, a third-year new media design major from San Francisco. Van is hoping to commercialize her idea for an intelligent refrigerator that keeps track of what one eats in an unobtrusive and intuitive way. The “smart fridge” would suggest recipes, send reminders when homeowners are low on food, send an alert when food has spoiled, and help build healthy and balanced diets for users. She is planning to exhibit the product at Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival.

Gregory Van Laeken Students also visited companies such as Precursor Ventures, Juniper Networks and Plug and Play Tech Center, which connects large corporations to start-ups through accelerator programs.

“I believe that the most successful projects are outcomes of the contributions of different skill sets that share the same vision. I was able to meet new people and learn from them. This was truly a highlight of my RIT education, and I can’t fully describe in words how thankful I am for this opportunity,” she added.

RIT alumna Kailey Bradt ’15, ’18 (chemical engineering, product development) knows firsthand the importance of networking with experienced entrepreneurs. Bradt, who was a featured speaker at the conference, is the founder of OWA (Out of This World Amazing) Haircare and received assistance getting her business off the ground using resources available throughout RIT’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. She worked with coaches at the Simone Center and also received start-up funding from RIT’s Venture Fund, which provides investment capital to entrepreneurial ventures with a strong connection to the RIT community.

“For me, it has been invaluable to sit down and have a conversation with founders who have done it before,” said Bradt. “Anyone can listen to podcasts or interviews about starting a business, however, it isn’t as relatable as having a conversation with someone. Not everyone can sit down with that founder and ask them their pressing questions. That’s how I approached interacting with the students at the summit. I did not stand in the front of the room; I sat down with them. I had as much as an opportunity to learn from them as they did from me.”

Other RIT alumni presenters included Don Eagleston ’73 (photography), president/CEO of Sunnyvale Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce; Tad Hunt ’97 (computer science), product manager at Google; Mark Oney ’81 (electrical engineering), serial entrepreneur and senior vice president of product operations at EmployeeChannel Inc.; Narayan Viswanathan ’92 MS (software engineering and management), managing director of enterprise operation at Deloitte Consulting; and Adam Botzenhart ’08 (public policy) senior litigation and enforcement counsel at LinkedIn.

Gregory Van Laeken, an investment manager for the RIT Venture Fund, accompanied the students.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have such a strong and committed alumni base in Silicon Valley,” he said. “There is tremendous value is getting advice from someone working on their third or fourth, or even eighth, start up. However, when students realize that the person speaking started out sitting in many of the same classrooms as they do, the connection becomes that much stronger and the lessons become that much more valuable.”

Genghui “Chris” Qu, a management information systems student studying at the Weihai, China, campus of Beijing Jiaotong University, enjoyed visiting the United States and experiencing the start-up cultures of Silicon Valley companies like Juniper.

“I learned more about enterprise in the United States, which really shocked me because I can’t imagine such things and ideas could be finished by a university student.”

In addition to touring accelerator programs, networking with executives and learning about raising capital, Kevin Greenauer, a fourth-year new media marketing student from Rochester, N.Y., was able to relate to relate to real-world business topics based on his experiences as a mentor to high school students enrolled in RIT’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship programs. He also enjoyed meeting fellow RIT students from around the world.

“I made some really great friends on this trip and this program was very likely the best experience I’ve ever had during my time at RIT,” he said.

“We were thrilled to partner with the RIT Venture Fund to provide such an extraordinary learning opportunity for our students,” said Richard DeMartino, Simone Center director. “We look forward to making this an annual event alongside our many other programs and competitions.”