Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management
Mayo Center - Events - Venture Capital Conference
Venture Capital Conference
2026 University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference
Save the Date!
Sands Family Grounds | Arlington, VA
24 April 2026 | 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management at the UVA Darden School of Business will hold the 3rd annual University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference (UVAVCC) on 24 April 2026.
More information about the 2026 event will be announced this fall.
Spotlight on UVA Venture Capital Conference
Experience Darden Podcast, Episode #303
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ben and Paige Foote. Ben is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and he and his wife Paige, a registered dietitian and athlete, have a venture called Noogs. We talk with Ben and Paige about the inspiration for their venture, how Darden has helped them grow Noogs, their participation in Darden’s Venture Capital Investment Competition and the UVA Venture Capital Conference, what’s next for Noogs and more.
2025 Sponsors
2025 Partners
PAST EVENTS
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2025
The Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management was pleased to host the Second Annual University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference (UVAVCC) on 28 March 2025 at Darden Sands Family Grounds (Rosslyn, Virginia). This year’s conference featured market commentary from NVCA about trends in the Venture Capital industry. Panel sessions covered topics such as Investing in AI and Opportunities in FinTech. New this year was workshops on Protecting Innovation & IP as well as an Introduction to Angel Investing. We also held sessions on corporate venture capital and fundraising. UVAVCC concluded with a networking reception open to all conference participants.
Agenda
9 a.m. Check In & Grab and Go Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Opening Session
VC Market Outlook and Washington DC Policy Update- Bobby Franklin (President & CEO, NVCA)
11 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Assessing the Current VC Fundraising Environment Panel:
- Moderator Scott Headd (Senior Director, Sands Capital)
- Zach Beecher (Partner & Head of Growth Strategy, America's Frontier Fund)
- Matt Bressler (General Partner, Lookout Ventures)
- Kristi Craig (CIO, National Geographic)
- Caitlin Mavraganis (Managing Director, Selby Lane)
Investing in AI Panel:
- Moderator Bob Creeden (Managing Director, UVA LVG Seed Fund)
- Welton Chang (Founder & CEO, Pyrra)
- Kristie Han (Principal, Canapi Ventures)
- Greg Kotchick (Principal, SineWave Ventures)
- Nadia Masri (Founder & CEO, Aris Data)
Introduction to Angel Investing Workshop:
- Rich Diemer (Managing Director, CAV Angels)
12:15 p.m. Networking Lunch
1:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Unique Aspects of Investing as a CVC Panel:
- Moderator Billy DuVal (Associate, Cooley Law)
- Jeff Flynn (Partner, Citi Ventures)
- Mike Hauser (VP & Managing Partner, SAIC Ventures)
- John Richmond (Investment Manager, LM Ventures)
- Mira Witzig Borja (Director of Markets Strategic Investments, Citi)
Opportunities in FinTech Panel:
- Moderator John Imbriglia (CEO, Crowd Street)
- Susannah Burrage (Head of Portfolio Management, Zeal Capital)
- Jay Long (COO and Co-founder, Parlay Protocol)
- Arti Srivastava (Impact Investor, Citi Ventures)
- Casey Williams (Partner, Fenway Summer)
Protecting Innovation & IP Workshop:
- Josh Gabriel (Senior National Intelligence Officer, FBI)
3:00 p.m. Keynote Session
- Nick Superina (Co-founder & General Partner, Harmonic Growth Partners)
- Mike Ward (Co-Founder & Managing General Partner, Harmonic Growth Partners)
4:00 p.m. Rooftop Networking Reception Thank you to our 2025 UVA Venture Capital Conference Sponsors!
Thank you to our 2025 UVA Venture Capital Conference Partners!
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2024
The Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management hosted the University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference (UVAVCC) on 12 April 2024 at Darden Sands Family Grounds (Rosslyn, Virginia). This year, UVAVCC explored the current landscape of Venture Capital and how market conditions affected the space from an LP, GP and entrepreneurial perspective. Panel sessions focused on various investing sectors such as cyber security, defense technology, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods. Program speakers detailed approaches and ideas for how LPs invest given current market conditions and how entrepreneurs can successfully pitch to VCs. UVAVCC closed with a networking reception open to all conference participants.
2024 Conference Media
- Entrepreneurship Thrives at Darden: 2024 University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference
- A Pickleball Hobby Became Their Business. How Darden Is Helping Them With Next Steps
- Darden Alumni Leaders Share Venture Capital Insight
- Spotlight on UVA Venture Capital Conference (Experience Darden Podcast, Episode #255)
PROGRAM (PDF)9:00 a.m Opening Session
VC Market Outlook and Washington DC Policy Update with Bobby Franklin (President & CEO, NVCA)10:45 a.m. Industry Breakout Sessions
Defense Technology Panel:
- Moderator Jim Cheng (Co-Founder, CAV Angels)
- Matt Kemph (Vice President, In-Q-Tel)
- David Kervin (CEO, Proteus Space)
- Alison Perez (Ventures Portfolio Manager, Lockheed Martin Ventures)
- Steve Smoot (General Partner, Lavrock Ventures)
Healthcare Panel:
- Moderator Elena Loutskina (Professor, Darden School of Business)
- Jennifer Bae (Executive Director of Global Innovation, American College of Cardiology)
- Emily Durfee (Venture Capital Investor, Healthworx/CareFirst)
- Benjamin Holmes (CEO, Nanochon)
- Adair Newhall (Partner, StepStone Group)
12:00 p.m. Lunch and Keynote Session
Fireside Chat with Jason Rathje (Director of the Office of Strategic Capital, U.S. Department of Defense)
1:30 p.m. Industry Breakout Sessions
Cyber Security Panel:
- Moderator Alex Ledoux (Associate, Paladin Capital Group)
- Adam Bixler (Principal, Squadra Ventures)
- Rick Gordon (CEO, Tidal Cyber)
- Ryan LaSalle (CEO, Nisos)
- Mark McGovern (Partner, Sands Capital)
Consumer Packaged Goods Panel:
- Moderator Scott Ukrop (Managing Director, NRV)
- Harrison Fugman (Founder, The Naked Market)
- Brian Goldberg (Founder & Managing Director, Redbud Brands)
- Kristin Gunther (Partner, Revolution Growth Partners)
- Maxx Karr (Managing Director & Partner, Yeti Capital)
- Taylor Sankovich (Senior Principal, 301 INC.)
3:00 p.m. LP & VC Breakout Sessions
Hot Topics for Limited Partners Panel:
- Moderator Scott Headd (Senior Director of Business Development and Client Relations, Sands Capital)
- Caitlin Mavraganis (Managing Director, Selby Lane Capital)
- Zach Ruchman (Director of Private Investments, WMS Partners)
- Ben VanGelder (Director of Private Investments, Georgetown Endowment)
- Saul Waller (Managing Director, Columbia Partners Private Capital)
How to Successfully Pitch to VCs Panel:
- Moderator Bob Creeden (Managing Director, UVA Licensing and Ventures Group)
- Gerry Brunk (Managing Director, Lumira Ventures)
- Haley Bryant (Principal, The Hustle Fund)
- Lisa Friedlander (Co-founder, Citrine Angels)
- Nick Moran (General Partner, New Stack Ventures)
- Dan Preiss (Principal, Ardent Venture Partners)
4:15 p.m. Networking Reception Thank you to our 2024 UVA Venture Capital Conference Sponsors!
- CAV Angels
- Platform Capital Management
- Sands Capital
- UVA Licensing & Venture Group
- Hogan Lovells
- New Stack Ventures
Thank you to our 2024 UVA Venture Capital Conference Partners!