The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and CMC Alumni Association are planning the inaugural Angel Summit, an event gathering CMC entrepreneurs of all stripes. Though the event won’t take place until the spring semester, during Alumni Weekend on May 1 on the CMC campus, CIE is asking interested alumni, current students, parents and other interested participants to start planning for the event now.
“Many CMC alumni and parents are involved in angel investing and some have affiliations with local angel groups,” says CIE Director and Von Tobel Professor of Economics Janet Kiholm Smith. “Similarly, many recent CMC graduates have started new ventures with high growth potential and are seeking early-stage investments.”
According to Smith, the goal of the CMC Angel Summit is two-pronged. First, it aims to bring together these two groups for a half-day summit to facilitate the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and serve as a possible platform for financing. Second, it will provide a networking opportunity for entrepreneur-minded alumni, parents, and current students.
The event will start with a panel discussion on “Best practices for Angel Investing,” followed by an ABC-inspired “Shark Tank” pitch event for new venture ideas at the start-up stage. “We plan to solicit business ideas from alumni and students (no geographic limitations),” Smith says. To contact the Center, go to www.cmc.edu/cie.