Oct 5, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Warren Packard is the (solo) Founder and CEO of Recursive Robotics, a company with a mission to leverage robots to build robots for humans. Warren has also spent over 15 years as a venture capitalist, and his portfolio includes Tesla, SpaceX, Skype, and Box. In this session, Warren will cover: 1) The current state of AI development and the ramifications for the future 2) Leveraging AI to automate Tech and Ops processes in your startup This session will be incredibly valuable to those who want to build a tech startup or invest in the cutting edge of AI. The "AI for a One Person Unicorn" series is a set of speaker sessions that equip you with all the skills/tools required to build a successful company with an extremely lean team (maybe just yourself).
(Chicago Booth School of Business users only)
Oct 7, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Join the EVC community as our co-chairs discuss what EVC will be showcasing during the 2026-2027 academic year. During this kickoff, we will be providing our growing list of events, small group activities, and socials and our established partnership with Polsky Center. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, venture capital, or startups at Booth, then join us in the Harper Center in Room C25 at 12:00pm.
(Chicago Booth School of Business users only)
Events
All Chicago Booth students are encouraged to sync their calendars with the EVC group so you won't miss any events. Events may be scheduled on short notice and an integrated calendar is the best way to stay involved. The EVC Events Calendar is compatible with Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, and Tungle.
SeedCon
SeedCon, co-hosted with the The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is a conference designed to bring together successful entrepreneurs and seasoned venture capitalists to share ideas and advice, foster creativity, and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit within.
SeedCon took place on Friday, January 24, 2020 at 1871 in Chicago. Scott Case, founder of Priceline, was the keynote speaker.
Although the format of SeedCon may change from year to year, in the past, we have hosted discussion panels, keynotes, and fireside chats on topics such as lean startup methodology, the merits of incubator and accelerator programs, how to find technical talent, and much more.
Venture Capital Investment Competition
The Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) is a student-run event during the winter quarter, coordinated by the EVC Group and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The VCIC is intended to give students the experience of thinking and acting as venture capitalists and to identify top students to represent Chicago Booth at the regional and national intercollegiate MBA competitions. Serving as VCs during the competition, students interact with real, local startups and have the opportunity to be evaluated by experienced Partners, Managing Directors, and Investors from Midwest facing VC firms.
Chicago Booth VCIC teams have won the regional competition 6 times, including most recently in 2020, crediting Chicago Booth's internal competition with being an essential tool for their success.
Treks
Treks, an exclusive benefit of being an EVC member, offer an extraordinary opportunity for bonding with fellow classmates and making invaluable connections in the professional space.
The EVC group typically sponsors several unique treks, though the exact number of treks may change from year to year depending on demand and opportunity:
• VC Treks: SF, LA, NYC
• Startup Treks: SF, LA, NYC
As the number of Chicago Booth students interesting in developing their own start-ups or entering Venture Capital have grown, demand for these treks has far outpaced capacity. Students are now asked to complete a questionnaire application for all treks and are limited to one trek per calendar year. Priority is also awarded to those planning to make entrepreneurship or venture capital their summer internship or career upon graduation.
In the past three years, EVC Treks have visited the top VC Firms and emerging startups including
Lunch and Learns + Bootcamp Series
Life can get pretty busy at Chicago Booth and EVC wants to ensure that you can get your events without having to compromise class time. Hosted throughout the term, EVC will bring accomplished entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from throughout the country. These events are typically led by a moderator and opened up to Q&A for the final 15-20 minutes of the session. It's a great way to spend a lunch, meet like-minded classmates, and connect with seasoned experts.
We also run a weekly startup and VC bootcamp series in the fall to get all members up to speed, which is led by the co-chairs as well as outside professionals.
Recent notable speakers have included:
• Steven Galanis, CEO Cameo
• Sam Yagan, Founder OK Cupid
• Maria Katris, Founder of Built In
• David Rabie, CEO Tovala
• John Ciasulli, CEO Nubundle / Uptake
• Oliver Samwer, Founder Rocket Internet
