2004 Olin Cup Entrepreneurship Competition kicks off April 1 at Olin School of Business

Washington University in St. Louis will launch its 2004 Olin Cup Entrepreneurship Competition with kickoff events on April 1 and April 13 on the Washington University Hilltop and Medical campuses. The Olin Cup Kickoff events are free and open to the public. Washington University’s Skandalaris Entrepreneurship Program sponsors the Olin Cup Competition, that later this year will award a total of $70,000 in seed investment to the winners. Throughout the year, the Competition will hold over 50 workshops and other events, to promote learning, collaboration, and team formation. The events contribute to the goal of the Competition, to support the creation of new ventures.

Venture capital funding validates a startup, research shows

GuptaLessons learned by startups during the dot-com hiring frenzy may have lasting benefits, according to a study conducted by Washington University Olin School of Business professor Mahendra Gupta. His paper, “Venture Capital Financing and the Growth of Startup Firms,” which focuses on the role human capital plays in starting a company, has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Venturing. Journal editor Sankaran Venkataraman called the paper noteworthy in its comprehensive examination of how human capital relates to success, the internal processes of a firm, and team characteristics. Companies able to get venture capital funding had an advantage over those who were able to find funding resources but not thru v.c. funding.