Check Out Start Up Aggieland’s Shark Frenzy Season 2

Texas A&M’s student entrepreneur business accelerator, Start Up Aggieland, invites you to attend their second “Shark Frenzy” event this Saturday.

Marketing coordinator Shelly Brenckman says 20 student teams will enter the shark tank with ten venture capitalists to pitch their idea.

Brenckman says two teams will receive checks for their pitch.

There is no admission charge to attend Saturday’s event, which is from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center.

Click below for comments from Shelly Brenckman, visiting with WTAW’s Chelsea Reber.

 

Courtesy of Startup Aggieland

Approximately 450 students, former students, faculty and investors are expected to attend the second annual Silicon Valley Bank Shark Frenzy, recorded live at Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on Saturday, May 2, 2015. The “Shark Tank” sendup features ten respected venture capitalists from around the state, as well as from the East and West coasts, will enter the “tank” with 12 of Startup Aggieland’s student startups.

Managed by Professor Don Lewis, Startup Aggieland helps Texas A&M University students to leverage university resources to launch new ventures. Students retain ownership of their intellectual property as well as the equity in their companies. “Season 2” Shark Frenzy investors include:

• Ray Rothrock, CEO Red Seal & a Forbes Midas List Venture Capitalist – Palo Alto, CA
• Graham Weston, Chairman of Rackspace – San Antonio, TX
• Clinton Bybee, Managing Partner of ARCH Venture Partners – Austin, TX
• Bob Metcalfe, Inventor of the Ethernet, Founder of 3Com and InfoWorld – Austin, TX
• Brett Hurt, Vice Chairman of Bazaarvoice, CEO/Founder of Coremetrics – Austin, TX
• Sulu Mamdani, Managing Director of Silicon Valley Bank Venture Fund – Palo Alto, CA
• Jon Bassett, Venture Capitalist with Silverton Partners – Austin, TX
• Phillip Sanger, MD, Founder and Partner of TEXO Ventures – Austin, TX

Additionally, Silicon Valley Bank CFO Mike Descheneaux will be in the audience, along with several angel investor groups. Aggie 100 member Chris Valetta will fly in from New York City with his investor group. Chris will interview Anthony Wood, CEO of Roku, flying in from the Silicon Valley as special headliner at Shark Frenzy. Chris and Anthony will have a fireside chat on stage. Two “stealth sharks” will join the “tank” and be announced shortly before the event. Startup Aggieland’s Official Pitch Coach Chris Westfall returns as emcee for the evening.

All 24 student-owned ventures at Startup Aggieland are ranked by their progress in the program. Each venture gets either 45 seconds, 90 seconds or up to 180 seconds to pitch. The top six or seven student startups will step into the tank to dual with the sharks in a Q&A. One startup will be recognized by Brian Fenske, partner with the Law Firm of Norton Rose Fulbright. Brian will award a $5,000 investment prize to the startup of his choice to jumpstart the venture.

Parking is free and there is no charge to attend Shark Frenzy which is preceded by a complimentary reception for the public and a private backstage photo op for sponsors. After Shark Frenzy, Startup Aggieland will host a private VCs & VIPs Dinner to honor the sharks. Sponsors are eligible for complimentary dinner tickets.

WHO: Startup Aggieland at Texas A&M University, jointly sponsored by the Dwight Look College of Engineering, Mays Business School, College of Architecture and VP of Research

WHAT: Silicon Valley Bank Shark Frenzy, open and free to general public (no children under 12)

WHEN: 4 pm – 7 pm (followed by a private VCs & VIPs Dinner for sponsors from 7 pm–8:30 pm)

WHERE: Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University in Research Park

SPONSOR: Contact Shelly Brenckman (startupaggieland@email.tamu.edu)

 

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