Key Takeaways
- • Dartmouth Tuck MBA secured its first-ever global Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) title in May 2026, defeating teams from Chicago Booth, BYU Marriott, Colorado Leeds, Korea University, and National University of Singapore in the finals.
- • The six-person team—Valerie Abbruzzese, Olivia Greif, Will Holding, Jessie Huang, Erica Keyes, and Ethan Mulvey (all T'26)—advanced through the New England Regional and UNC Kenan-Flagler semifinals before winning the global championship.
- • The competition required teams to evaluate early-stage startups through external diligence, pitch deck analysis, and live founder conversations, demanding rapid industry analysis, collaborative decision-making, and polished investment communication under time constraints.
- • Tuck's success was supported by professor Jim Feuille and the Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital (led by Mark Hardie), who provided mentorship and financial backing through weekly practice sessions with real investors, founders, and alumni volunteers.
- • The VCIC represents the world's largest venture capital competition among MBA programs, drawing 75 business schools globally and serving as a competitive testing ground for early-stage investment evaluation skills.
Summary
Dartmouth Tuck MBA's six-person student team claimed the 2026 Global Venture Capital Investment Competition championship on May 19, 2026, marking the school's first-ever win in the international competition. The team competed against finalists from five other top-tier MBA programs—Chicago Booth, BYU Marriott, Colorado Leeds, Korea University, and National University of Singapore—in a competition that featured 75 MBA programs worldwide. The victory culminated a progression through regional and semifinal rounds, with the team first winning the New England Regional before advancing through the semifinals at UNC Kenan-Flagler.
The competition format required participants to evaluate early-stage startups using a combination of external due diligence, pitch deck analysis, and direct conversations with founders. The teams had to synthesize information rapidly, develop consensus on investment perspectives, and produce polished investment recommendations within tight timeframes. This demanded cross-functional collaboration, sector expertise development under pressure, and the ability to communicate investment theses effectively to evaluation panels. The Tuck team emphasized efficiency, teamwork, and the ability to quickly develop informed perspectives on unfamiliar industries as critical success factors.
The team's preparation extended well beyond the competition itself. Led by advisor Jim Feuille, the team participated in weekly Sunday practice sessions using live deal materials, which provided exposure to actual investment processes and networking opportunities with practicing venture capitalists, company founders, and Tuck alumni volunteers. The Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital, directed by Mark Hardie, provided financial support enabling this rigorous preparation schedule. This combination of structured practice, mentorship from industry practitioners, and institutional backing distinguished Tuck's approach to the competition.
The VCIC serves as a significant benchmark for MBA venture capital talent development, drawing competitors from prestigious business schools across 13 countries and three continents. For institutional investors and venture professionals, the competition represents a talent identification mechanism and a visible signal of an MBA program's venture capital curriculum effectiveness and student capabilities in early-stage investment evaluation.
The competition format required participants to evaluate early-stage startups using a combination of external due diligence, pitch deck analysis, and direct conversations with founders. The teams had to synthesize information rapidly, develop consensus on investment perspectives, and produce polished investment recommendations within tight timeframes. This demanded cross-functional collaboration, sector expertise development under pressure, and the ability to communicate investment theses effectively to evaluation panels. The Tuck team emphasized efficiency, teamwork, and the ability to quickly develop informed perspectives on unfamiliar industries as critical success factors.
The team's preparation extended well beyond the competition itself. Led by advisor Jim Feuille, the team participated in weekly Sunday practice sessions using live deal materials, which provided exposure to actual investment processes and networking opportunities with practicing venture capitalists, company founders, and Tuck alumni volunteers. The Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital, directed by Mark Hardie, provided financial support enabling this rigorous preparation schedule. This combination of structured practice, mentorship from industry practitioners, and institutional backing distinguished Tuck's approach to the competition.
The VCIC serves as a significant benchmark for MBA venture capital talent development, drawing competitors from prestigious business schools across 13 countries and three continents. For institutional investors and venture professionals, the competition represents a talent identification mechanism and a visible signal of an MBA program's venture capital curriculum effectiveness and student capabilities in early-stage investment evaluation.
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