Key Takeaways
- • Miami University's Farmer School of Business Venture Capital Investment Team placed second at the VCIC Global Finals, held at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, tying with a University of California-Berkeley team among 10 finalists.
- • The team, composed of Elena Hentz, Liam McAllister, Logan McGuire, Tommy Sullivan, Tyler Williams, and Shayla Williamson, earned its finals berth by winning the regional VCIC competition at the University of Florida.
- • FSB teams have finished in the top three in eight of the competition's 10 years, and placed second globally in 2024.
- • The VCIC simulates venture investing: teams assume the identity of a venture firm, conduct 36 hours of due diligence on three seed-stage companies, and defend an investment recommendation before a panel of current VC investors.
Summary
The Farmer School of Business Venture Capital Investment Team from Miami University took second place at the VCIC Global Finals, held at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, according to the university's announcement. The team tied with a University of California-Berkeley team for the No. 2 position among 10 finalists.
The team members are Elena Hentz, Liam McAllister, Logan McGuire, Tommy Sullivan, Tyler Williams, and Shayla Williamson. They qualified for the finals by winning the regional VCIC competition at the University of Florida earlier this semester, continuing a run of regional wins in every year the competition has been held. FSB teams have placed in the top three in eight of the competition's 10 years and most recently finished second in the world in 2024.
The VCIC is a three-day competition in which teams assume the identity of a venture firm. On day one, each team receives a profile of its fund and business plans for three seed-stage companies, then has 36 hours to conduct due diligence on the companies, founders, and market and prepare a term sheet. On the final day, teams evaluate company pitches, hold a one-on-one Q&A with founders, and have two hours to finalize their decision. Each team then defends its recommendation to a panel of current venture capital investors, who assess the logic of the decision and negotiate final terms with the selected company's founders.
Hentz said the team had begun individual preparation in January, followed by 11 weeks of Wednesday evening sessions and several Saturday training sessions. Advisor Theresa Sedlack praised the team's questioning and composure, and said the members developed strong team culture and mutual trust throughout preparation. Team members described the experience as a significant learning opportunity, with McAllister calling VCIC the most impactful learning experience of his time at Miami.
The team members are Elena Hentz, Liam McAllister, Logan McGuire, Tommy Sullivan, Tyler Williams, and Shayla Williamson. They qualified for the finals by winning the regional VCIC competition at the University of Florida earlier this semester, continuing a run of regional wins in every year the competition has been held. FSB teams have placed in the top three in eight of the competition's 10 years and most recently finished second in the world in 2024.
The VCIC is a three-day competition in which teams assume the identity of a venture firm. On day one, each team receives a profile of its fund and business plans for three seed-stage companies, then has 36 hours to conduct due diligence on the companies, founders, and market and prepare a term sheet. On the final day, teams evaluate company pitches, hold a one-on-one Q&A with founders, and have two hours to finalize their decision. Each team then defends its recommendation to a panel of current venture capital investors, who assess the logic of the decision and negotiate final terms with the selected company's founders.
Hentz said the team had begun individual preparation in January, followed by 11 weeks of Wednesday evening sessions and several Saturday training sessions. Advisor Theresa Sedlack praised the team's questioning and composure, and said the members developed strong team culture and mutual trust throughout preparation. Team members described the experience as a significant learning opportunity, with McAllister calling VCIC the most impactful learning experience of his time at Miami.
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