2024 Coric Family Speaker Series
Join us on Tuesdays throughout the semester to hear successful entrepreneurs tell their story.
Black Entrepreneurship in Winston-Salem
Formerly known as Black Food Friday, Black Entrepreneurship in Winston Salem is an opportunity for students in ENT 304: Black Entrepreneurship in America to meet the Black innovators in their own backyard. Black entrepreneurs of all levels and industry are welcome to join our class for a meal and to share their entrepreneurial journey while networking with other business owners, faculty, staff, and students.
- Mar 21, 2024 | 12:30-1:45
- Mar 28, 2024 |12:30-1:45
- Apr 25, 2024 | 12:30-1:45
If you are an entrepreneur interested in joining a session, contact Dr. Ariel D Smith.
Entrepalooza 2024 Recap: A Night to Remember!
The Wake Forest University Center for Entrepreneurship wrapped up another exciting Entrepalooza on April 11, 2024 generously sponsored by Melissa (’97) and Carney Hawks. The event kicked off with Startup Lab Demo Day at Brendle Auditorium, where student entrepreneurs took the stage to deliver investor-ready pitches. Their innovative ideas and dedication to turning visions into reality left the audience inspired and energized. We were excited to hear from SAFErgy, UpNext, Cape Tide Hard Tea, Plant Plate Pursuit, BLVD, Global Hair League, Art for All, and Cinch!
Following the pitches, we had the pleasure of hearing from keynote speaker Ricky Van Veen (’03), VP of Strategic Partnerships at Meta and co-founder of CollegeHumor and Vimeo. Ricky captivated the crowd with insights from his entrepreneurial journey, sharing experiences from scaling digital businesses to his current role shaping the future of Generative AI at Meta.
Entrepalooza 2024 was a celebration of innovation, creativity, and community. We look forward to seeing what our talented entrepreneurs do next!
Deacon Springboard Pitch Day Recap
The Wake Forest University Center for Entrepreneurship wrapped up another exciting Deacon Springboard pitch day on April 11, 2024. The students showcased months of hard work and dedication through their company presentations. With mentorship from industry experts and support from a vibrant entrepreneurial community, students delivered polished pitches after rigorously testing, validating, and refining their business ideas. This year, we had the opportunity to showcase 21 different companies composed of all the students in Deacon Springboard.
From customer discovery to prototyping and constructive pivoting, these students are now well on their way to launching their ventures. With their sights set on Deac Tank and potential seed capital, they’ve proven that turning a business idea into reality is far from impossible.
We can’t wait to see where these future entrepreneurs go next! A special thank you to Louis Foreman of the CFE team for leading and guiding the students down a successful path. We look forward to the 2025 presentations!