Title:A ‘hidden gem’ for startups

Since 2017, Georgetown Ventures (GV), a student-run, nonprofit startup accelerator program, has helped over 100 founders improve their businesses.

Each semester, students connect with up to 10 startups and work as a cohort to help them overcome challenges. GV provides each startup with creative, technology, and strategy consultants as well as a project manager. On Demo Day, the teams present their outcomes.

Austin Ward (B’27) joined GV in Fall 2024. His first role was working as a strategy consultant for The Pitch Place, a website where freelance journalists and editors can connect more efficiently.

“I was drawn to GV because I like working with people who have an entrepreneurial spirit,” says Ward. “As I got more involved, I also found a community that’s unlike any other club or organization on campus.”

In the spring semester, Ward joined a different startup as a project manager. He worked with Doce, a marketplace app that connects small businesses with customers through unique gifting experiences.

“The founders for Doce noted that the virtual gifting experience can often feel impersonal, so we worked with them on branding,” says Ward. “It’s really great to work with founders who are passionate about bringing their companies to life. Many of the founders in these past two cohorts have been either current undergrad students or have other full-time jobs so that’s really inspiring. I’ve learned what goes into getting a startup off the ground.”

Carys Winter (B’27) came to Georgetown looking to get involved with startups.

“Georgetown Ventures has been central to my Georgetown journey. It’s especially important to me as a Georgetown McDonough student because I can apply what I’ve been learning in my classes,” says Winter. “I’m a big believer that you learn the most from the people you surround yourself with and I’m thankful to have found such hard-working and interesting people.”

GV exposes students to a variety of startups, some founded by current students and others by professionals in the Washington Metropolitan area. Winter has worked on everything from an EV charging station to a dating app.

Ashwin Jaiprakash, co-founder of Eazy, a start-up that used GV’s services, raves about the program.

“Georgetown Ventures helped us create a new logo and narrow down our messaging,” says Jaiprakash. “I was really impressed by how well-run it is, especially considering that they are students. They were all intelligent and enthusiastic. They helped keep us accountable to our goals and worked with us to drive forward our ideas. This program is a hidden gem in DC.”