WORLD-CLASS FOUNDERS. REAL INSIGHTS.
We bring the best founders and operators to Cornell. No generic startup advice, just real builders sharing real experiences.
UPCOMINGEVENTS
Startup Hours: Every Thursday, 7:30 to 9:00 PM
STARTUP HOURS
Our weekly speaker series bringing founders, VCs, and operators to share unfiltered insights with Cornell builders. Every Thursday evening during the semester.
Past speakers include Scott Belsky (Chief Strategy Officer, Adobe), Reggie Fils-Aimé (President, Nintendo), and founders from 1517 Fund, Infisical, and more.
See All Events on LumaCOFFEECHATS
GRAB A COFFEE WITH US
Want to know what CEC actually does, what our members are building, or whether the club is right for you? Sign up for a one-on-one coffee chat with a member. No prep, no pitch, just a conversation.
Open to any Cornell student. We'll reach out to schedule a time that works for you.
Sign Up for a Coffee ChatWHAT TO EXPECT
- →20 to 30 minutes, on campus or over Zoom
- →Paired with a member whose interests line up with yours
- →Ask anything: projects, recruitment, classes, startups
- →Bring questions, not a resume
PASTSPEAKERS
Gabe Kleinman
Startup Hours
Operating Partner
Emerson Collective
Gabe walked through how investors evaluate ambitious ideas, drawing on helping build Obvious Ventures from the ground up and earlier leadership roles at Medium, IDEO, and CAA.
Leo Mehr '16
Startup Hours
Co-Founder
Lumos
Leo shared what high-growth startups look for in engineering candidates, and what it is actually like to recruit and build engineering teams, from leading Forward Deployed Engineering at Ramp to co-founding Lumos.
Micah Green & Max Owens
Robotics and the Future of Industry Panel
Founders & CEOs
Tailos & MAVRIK
Micah and Max joined a panel on the future of robotics, comparing notes on building hardware companies from the founder's seat.
Zak Slayback
Startup Hours
Partner
1517 Fund
Zak joined a special Monday Startup Hours for a conversation on venture capital and investing in young founders.
Andrea Ippolito
Startup Hours
CEO & Founder
SimpliFed
Andrea shared her journey building SimpliFed, a maternal care home platform transforming how new mothers access lactation and postpartum support.
Zak Slayback
Startup Hours
Partner
1517 Fund
Zak's first visit covered startups, fundraising, and deep tech, back when the club ran as Life Changing Labs.
Diego Aragon
Startup Hours
Head of Growth
Juno
Diego discussed scaling growth at Juno, a VC-backed student loan negotiation platform helping borrowers save thousands on their student debt.
Tony Dang
Startup Hours
Co-Founder
Infisical
Tony talked about building Infisical, an open-source secret management platform, and the journey of technical co-founders in developer tools.
Heather Henyon
Startup Hours
Founding Partner
Mindshift Capital
Heather, a Cornell alumna, shared insights on venture capital, founding the Women's Angel Investor Network, and investing with impact.
Rosena Sammi
Startup Hours
Founder
The Jewelry Edit
Rosena shared her story building The Jewelry Edit, a sustainable and story-driven jewelry brand redefining modern luxury.
Kai Keane
Startup Hours
Chief Product Officer
Disclo
Kai shared how Disclo builds software for employers to collect, verify, and manage health disclosures and employee accommodation requests.
Tim Barry '93
Eclectic Convergence 2024
CEO, Co-Founder & Chair
VillageMD
Tim, the 2024 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year, shared how VillageMD is transforming primary care delivery across the United States.
Liza Landsman '90
Eclectic Convergence 2024
CEO
Stash
Liza discussed democratizing investing through Stash, making wealth-building accessible to everyday Americans.
Scott Belsky '02
Eclectic Convergence 2024
Chief Strategy Officer & EVP, Design and Emerging Products
Adobe
Scott shared his perspective on building creative tools at scale and the future of design and AI at Adobe.
Mark Tatum '91
Eclectic Convergence 2024
Deputy Commissioner & COO
NBA
Mark discussed leadership and innovation at one of the world's most iconic sports organizations.
Aaron Holiday MBA '12
Eclectic Convergence 2024
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
645 Ventures
Aaron shared his journey co-founding 645 Ventures and investing in early-stage technology companies with product-market fit.
Ponsi Trivisvavet
Eclectic Convergence 2024
CEO
Inari
Ponsi discussed leading Inari, a pioneering agricultural biotech company using gene editing to develop more sustainable seed products.
Greg Morrisett
Eclectic Convergence 2024
Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean & Vice Provost
Cornell Tech
Dean Morrisett shared his vision for Cornell Tech and the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and academia.
Reggie Fils-Aimé '83
Eclectic Convergence 2023
Retired President & COO
Nintendo
Reggie shared lessons from leading Nintendo of America through its most iconic era, including the launch of Wii and Nintendo Switch.
Barry J. Beck '90
Eclectic Convergence 2023
Founder
Bluemercury
Barry discussed founding Bluemercury and building a luxury beauty retail brand that was later acquired by Macy's.
Susan Sarich '91
Eclectic Convergence 2023
Founder & CEO
SusieCakes
Susan shared her journey building SusieCakes from a single bakery into a beloved multi-location brand.
Heather Friedland '99
Eclectic Convergence 2023
Chief Product Officer
Ancestry
Heather shared how Ancestry is leveraging technology and data to help millions of people discover their family histories.
Jim Cavalieri '91
Eclectic Convergence 2023
SVP
Salesforce
Jim discussed enterprise software innovation and leadership at one of the world's largest SaaS companies.
Jennifer Dulski '93, MBA '99
Eclectic Convergence 2023
CEO & Founder
Rising Team
Jennifer shared her journey from leading teams at Facebook and Google to founding Rising Team, a platform for building high-performing teams.