What a Difference a Decade Makes

As Values and Ventures turns 10, TCU gives contestants the opportunity to explore the business community beyond campus.

by

What began as a pitch competition with just a handful of teams has, 10 years later, grown to reach over 300 students across 38 states and 10 countries. That growth is what TCU’s Neeley School of Business gets to celebrate at its 2020 Values and Ventures, a competition made specifically for undergraduate students to share and actualize business plans that do good for the community. Values and Ventures runs April 24 – 25, and this year, the grand prize has been raised to $100,000, with the overall total prize money doubled to over $200,000, thanks to endowments, sponsors and fundraising through TCU.

Also, for the first time this year, the Neeley School will be providing teams with learning journeys throughout the city. Through these field trips, contestants can explore Fort Worth while getting an inside look at industries that interest them.

“While they are here in Fort Worth, we want to give them as many experiences and opportunities as we possibly can,” says Matt Smilor, director of the Values and Ventures program. “While they are exploring and seeing how great the city is, we can also provide an inside look on these businesses, what the upcoming generation is doing, and of course, the competition.”

Local businesses will also be paired with a team to guide them through the process of presenting their business plan, as well as act as judges, reviewing and providing feedback on the different plans. The lineup of finalist judges includes Scott Schenkel, CEO of eBay, and Suzy Batiz, CEO and founder of Poo-Pourri. 

This year’s contest is also launching a high school innovation challenge to recognize students of all ages who are eager to make a difference. Students from over 65 districts will be able to pitch their ideas to potentially earn college scholarships, as well as build connections with TCU and the Neeley School.

Values and Ventures is the brainchild of Dallas entrepreneurs Nancy T. Richards and Lisa Barrentine, who wanted to encourage their children to create opportunities for themselves instead of waiting for a role to open for them. With high unemployment rates for college graduates, Richards and Barrentine also wanted to teach other students these same lessons, so they partnered with TCU’s Neeley School of Business to launch the competition. 

“We hope to see this competition and other programs that have been started across the U.S. like this one foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and ultimately small businesses that will become successful, creating jobs and adding value to a dynamic economy,” says Richards. “We had a vision, and TCU’s progressive leadership helped make this vision a reality.”