Davidson College students traveled to Atlanta earlier this month for the prestigious Venture Atlanta Conference, representing the college’s Entrepreneurship Club. The delegation included sophomores Victoria Ochieng and Alp Niksarli, along with seniors Odysseas Koufos and Zuber Chawla. Ochieng, who serves as the club’s Vice President, documented the experience in a detailed recap. The trip, sponsored by The Hurt Hub@Davidson and the Alvarez Access Fund, aligns with our mission to expose students to real-world entrepreneurship opportunities beyond campus.
Venture Atlanta Conference Recap
By Victoria Ochieng ‘27
Introduction
When Liz Brigham, W. Spencer Mitchem Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, first brought up the idea of attending the Venture Atlanta Conference, excitement spread through the Davidson Entrepreneurship Club like wildfire, after all this was the Southeast’s largest venture capital event and was the perfect platform to immerse ourselves in innovation, entrepreneurship, and bold new ideas. For months, the E-board worked tirelessly behind the scenes—sorting out logistics, securing funds, and making sure this dream trip would become a reality. And now, after all the planning, it was finally happening. There we were, Odysseas Koufos ’24, Zuber Chawla ’24, Alp Niksarli ’27, and I, Victoria Ochieng ’27, standing on the cusp of an unforgettable experience—the Davidson Entrepreneurship Club at the 2024 Venture Atlanta Conference!
The Conference Experience
Walking into the 2024 Venture Atlanta Conference was an experience like no other. With over 1,600 founders, investors, and more than 50 companies, this was truly remarkable. Everywhere we turned, there were entrepreneurs pitching groundbreaking ideas, investors looking for the next big thing, and industry leaders sharing their insights. Over the two days, we attended pitch after pitch, watched ambitious startups present their ideas in hopes of securing funding, networked, and participated in various speaker events and panel discussions.
My key highlights include the point made by Coach Dawn Staley, who shared inspiring stories of her life as a coach and emphasized resilience and discipline. Another takeaway was the thought leadership on the resilience panel moderated by Claude Alan Woodruff of Founder Mental Health, which stressed that developing mental toughness, embracing failure, and fostering a strong support network of people who “get it”, are key to navigating the uncertainties of entrepreneurship. Beyond the pitches and speeches, networking with other attendees opened my eyes to the realities of making it in the startup world. I learned valuable lessons on how to stand out, what investors look for, and, most importantly, areas I need to improve to turn my entrepreneurial ideas into reality.
Talking of the Davidson Difference…
One of the most unexpected highlights of our Atlanta trip was meeting Davidson alumni at the “Welcome to the City” event, all thanks to Mbye Njie ‘04, our generous patron and fellow Wildcat. The odds of us being able to attend this event during our brief four-day trip were incredibly slim—less than 0.4%, considering that such social gatherings occur only once every two or three years. Yet, there we were, surrounded by people who had walked the same halls at Davidson and were now making their mark in the world.
Among the many incredible alumni, we had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Humphrey, an associate at Home Depot. Jennifer was generous enough to extend an invitation for us to visit Home Depot’s massive headquarters. We spent two hours touring the facility, learning about their innovative operations including their “inverted pyramid” model, where leadership supports employees from the bottom up, and we also walked away with Home Depot merch. Over lunch in their cafeteria, Jennifer shared insights into her career and the company’s culture, and how a global giant like Home Depot thrives through innovation and strong values.
Another highlight moment was connecting with Caroline Morgan Berchuck, an associate partner at McKinsey & Company. Caroline’s career path was nothing short of inspiring—From being a biology major, to working as an associate at McKinsey, then pursuing medical school to exploring innovation and building your startup, and now back to McKinsey. She talked to us about resilience and adaptability and encouraged us to leverage the advantages that Davidson offers, especially when it comes to writing and creativity. To any student who is wondering if their major is right for business or entrepreneurship, let Caroline’s story be your inspiration.
Exploring Atlanta’s Startup Scene
Through Mbye, we were also able to visit TechStars Atlanta. We were given an incredible insider’s look at one of the leading startup accelerators in the world. Witnessing the various stories of entrepreneurs who had successfully navigated the startup journey, inspired some of us like Alp who is now more than ever motivated to join such programs – he currently has his eyes on YCombinator – we will follow up with his progress a few years later. We capped off the trip with visits to iconic places like the Coca-Cola Museum.
Reflection and Gratitude
As I reflect on this incredible journey, the most important lessons I learned revolve around the power of showing up and seizing opportunities, even when they come in unexpected forms. Successful founders focus on their audience, embrace a growth mindset, prioritize customer success, and continuously innovate while maintaining a collaborative spirit. Also borrowing from this year’s Venture Atlanta Seed Category Pitch winner, Olumuyiwa Aladebumoye: TO ANY ENTREPRENEUR, IF YOU STAY CONSISTENT, YOU WILL WIN! This trip has inspired me to be a seeker—someone who hopes for more and actively reaches out to make connections. I am incredibly grateful to the Hurt Hub@Davidson, the Davidson Entrepreneurship Club, our Advisor, Amy Gascon, the International Student Experience Office, and our Davidson alumni, especially Mbye Njie, whose support made this trip possible. I also want to thank my fellow Entrepreneurship members Alp, Zuber, and Odysseas for their camaraderie; together, we navigated this experience and grew in ways we never imagined.
What’s Next?
I encourage all students to seize opportunities like this. The value of networking, innovation, and hands-on experiences cannot be overstated—they can incredibly shape your perspectives and introduce you to amazing connections. The Entrepreneurship Club is already planning to have several members attend TechStars at Flywheel Coworking in Concord. A few of us are also eyeing the Avinger Impact Fund and the Nisbet Fund—more on that later! Plus, we connected with entrepreneurs from Duke University and are excited about potential collaborations ahead.
