Hi. I’m Jim Shea, Director of Corporate and Venture Initiatives at Dartmouth College. Traditional corporate development at colleges and universities focuses on getting corporations to give us money for what we need. The new paradigm we’re pursuing aggressively seeks dialogue with corporations around areas of common concern, and build partnerships from which gift dollars fall. Or not. At a minimum, we get the partnership; get enough partnerships, you’ll raise enough money.
The venture side of our business is where the real opportunity lies. We help Dartmouth-related ventures (faculty-founded, student-founded, alumni-, parents-, you name it) to network into the companies with whom we have relationships, and to target new market niches. We look for the Next Big Thing, and the opportunity to be the first to make our corporate and venture communities aware of that company, that product, that market niche. We create value for them, in the belief that they will create value down the road for us.
May 25, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Hi,
I’m a 2009 graduate interested in venture.
I’ve been working as a PE analyst since graduation, and I’m starting a new job as a VC fund-of-funds analyst in June.
If you’d like any help with this site (esp. in regards to keeping it up to date)
I’d be happy to help.
Best,
Mac
May 25, 2010 at 4:30 pm
mac:
That would be great, except for the fact that Dartmouth’s budget crisis is resulting in the closure of the Office of Corporate and Venture Initiatives, effective May 31. I’m going to be checking with my colleagues this week as to how they want to deal with the blog, but for now, there’s no one on campus to maintain it.
All the best in your new career.
Jim