MBA Students Take First in Regional Venture Capital Investment Competition

PROVO, Utah – May 13, 2014 – A team of Brigham Young University MBA students proved their investment savvy as they won first place in the regional Venture Capital Investment Competition. They then moved on to participate in the competition’s Global Finals last month, receiving entrepreneur’s choice for their ability to evaluate businesses and make investment deals.  

“We were in elite company, and it was an honor to be there,” says Gary Williams, the team’s faculty adviser. “BYU’s performance validates the quality not only of the students but also of the education they receive at the Marriott School. It’s great brand recognition for BYU.”

In the regional competition, the Marriott School’s team went head-to-head with six other teams to evaluate two startups, decide which one to invest in, and work out a mock investment deal. Following two days of research, students squared off at the University of Texas at Austin. Within just a few hours, they heard pitches, made decisions, and closed deals. BYU came out as the winner after facing a panel of judges for a Q-and-A session.

The global competition, held April 10-12 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed a similar format, but raised the stakes by requiring teams to evaluate four startups. BYU competed against ten of the world’s best business schools to snag the award, coming in behind Columbia University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of North Carolina.

“The level of competition was intense,” says team member Cheryl Anderson. “To be competing against these top tier schools was exciting, and we were happy to do so well.”

The Marriott School’s team consisted of second-year MBA students Cheryl Anderson, from Portland, Ore.; Ben Brown, from Pendleton, Ore.; Daren Mann, from Visalia, Calif.; Derek Pando, from Round Rock, Texas; and first-year MBA student Cason Green, from Mission Viejo, Calif.

Team members say their work with Cougar Capital, the Marriott School’s student-run venture capital fund, as well as their ability to work together, helped them succeed.

“Our preparation in class and in Cougar Capital paid off dividends,” Mann says. “We couldn’t be happier with how we did.”

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.