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FAU to Celebrate South Florida Entrepreneurs at Maverick Reception

Graphic illustration with a blue background and decorative palm leaves with the phrase FAU Tech Runway 2023 Maverick Reception.

FAU Tech Runway® is set to celebrate its 2023 Maverick Reception on Tuesday, Nov. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Boca Raton campus.


By chelsey matheson | 10/20/2023

FAU Tech Runway® is set to celebrate its 2023 Maverick Reception during Global Entrepreneurship Week on Tuesday, Nov. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at its headquarters, 901 NW 35th St., Boca Raton campus.

As FAU Tech Runway® approaches its 10th year in 2024, this year’s Maverick event will serve as a retrospective of the program’s impact on entrepreneurship and economic development in the South Florida region and beyond.

An expert panel, moderated by Kevin Cox, Ph.D., director of the at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, will discuss the current state of the South Florida entrepreneurship environment with an emphasis on available resources and funding, as well as efforts to encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs. Panelists are Jessica Del Vecchio, economic development manager for the City of Boca Raton; Tim Sperry, CEO and founder of Carbon Limit, and graduate of FAU Tech Runway®; Sam Nimah, CEO of TriVent Healthcare; and Fabiola Brumley, Palm Beach County president and senior public policy lead at Bank of America.

“This year’s Maverick Reception brings together pivotal figures who not only shape the regional economy but also deeply resonate with our program, the university, and the community at large,” said Jessica Beaver, associate director of FAU Tech Runway®.

The centerpiece of the event is a celebration of the graduates of FAU Tech Runway’s Venture program, which provides resources including mentoring, education, marketing assistance, capital-raising guidance, pitch practice opportunities, networking and more to entrepreneurs and early-stage companies. The program is part of FAU’s Innovation and Business Development, which benefits Florida’s entrepreneurial community and the university at large. Proceeds from the event will be reinvested in supporting future Venture participants. The application period is now open for Venture Class 13.

Graduates of the Venture program have made significant contributions to the economy of the region. Collectively, they have earned $308 million in revenue, raised $162.1 million in capital, and created 946 new jobs and 380 internships.

“FAU Tech Runway is a vital engine of growth and systemically important to the South Florida economy,” said Tyler P. Smillie, senior vice president at Bank of America Private Bank and chair of the FAU Tech Runway® Advisory Board. “Growing this business economy through mentoring and incubation programs takes a great deal of resources and talented individuals to execute effectively, and we are so proud of what FAU Tech Runway® has accomplished since its inception.”

Tickets for the 2023 Maverick Reception cost $76.88 per person. For tickets, event and sponsorship information, visit www.fau.edu/techrunway/maverick-2023.

-FAU-