Key Takeaways
- • Tuck MBA's six-person team claimed the 2026 Global Venture Capital Investment Competition title, defeating 75 MBA programs worldwide and marking Dartmouth's first-ever global VCIC championship.
- • The competition required teams to evaluate early-stage startups through external diligence, pitch decks, and live founder conversations, demanding rapid industry assessment and polished investment theses under time pressure.
- • Team members Valerie Abbruzzese, Olivia Greif, Will Holding, Jessie Huang, Erica Keyes, and Ethan Mulvey advanced through the New England Regional and UNC Kenan-Flagler semifinals before defeating finalists from Chicago Booth, BYU Marriott, Colorado Leeds, Korea University, and National University of Singapore.
- • The team's preparation involved weekly Sunday practice sessions with live deal analysis supported by investors, founders, and Tuck alumni, coordinated by professor Jim Feuille and funded in part by the Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital under Mark Hardie's leadership.
Summary
The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth achieved a significant milestone on May 19, 2026, when its MBA student team won the Global Venture Capital Investment Competition, a prestigious international contest spanning 75 MBA programs across multiple continents. The six-member team—Valerie Abbruzzese T'26, Olivia Greif T'26, Will Holding T'26, Jessie Huang T'26, Erica Keyes T'26, and Ethan Mulvey T'26—captured the institution's first-ever global VCIC title after competing in the finals against regional champions from Chicago Booth, BYU Marriott, Colorado Leeds, Korea University, and National University of Singapore.
The competition tested fundamental venture capital competencies: teams evaluated early-stage startups using external diligence, analyzed pitch decks, and conducted brief discussions with company founders. This format demanded efficient time management, cross-functional collaboration to rapidly assess unfamiliar industries, and the ability to synthesize research into persuasive investment materials. The format mirrors real venture capital workflows where due diligence windows are compressed and investment decisions must be made with incomplete information.
Prior to the global finals, the Tuck team progressed through regional qualification and semifinal rounds at UNC Kenan-Flagler in North Carolina. Their preparation strategy relied on weekly Sunday practice sessions using live deal sets, which provided exposure to actual market dynamics and access to practicing venture investors, startup founders, and Tuck alumni willing to serve as advisors and evaluators. This intensive preparation regimen was coordinated by Professor Jim Feuille, who managed logistics and recruitment of external participants. The Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital, led by Mark Hardie, provided financial support enabling the team's participation and practice infrastructure.
The victory underscores Tuck's institutional capacity in venture capital education and positions its MBA program within the competitive cohort of top-tier business schools specializing in private markets instruction. The team's success reflects both individual analytical capability and the value of structured, mentor-intensive preparation in high-stakes investment decision-making contexts.
The competition tested fundamental venture capital competencies: teams evaluated early-stage startups using external diligence, analyzed pitch decks, and conducted brief discussions with company founders. This format demanded efficient time management, cross-functional collaboration to rapidly assess unfamiliar industries, and the ability to synthesize research into persuasive investment materials. The format mirrors real venture capital workflows where due diligence windows are compressed and investment decisions must be made with incomplete information.
Prior to the global finals, the Tuck team progressed through regional qualification and semifinal rounds at UNC Kenan-Flagler in North Carolina. Their preparation strategy relied on weekly Sunday practice sessions using live deal sets, which provided exposure to actual market dynamics and access to practicing venture investors, startup founders, and Tuck alumni willing to serve as advisors and evaluators. This intensive preparation regimen was coordinated by Professor Jim Feuille, who managed logistics and recruitment of external participants. The Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital, led by Mark Hardie, provided financial support enabling the team's participation and practice infrastructure.
The victory underscores Tuck's institutional capacity in venture capital education and positions its MBA program within the competitive cohort of top-tier business schools specializing in private markets instruction. The team's success reflects both individual analytical capability and the value of structured, mentor-intensive preparation in high-stakes investment decision-making contexts.
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