Wharton Stories: Venture Initiation Program

A split image with three sections: a banana, mug, and CBD bottle on a surface; two individuals smiling in casual clothing in front of a brick wall; a person in a flight suit standing next to a jet.
Veteran co-founders Chase Hobby, WG’20, and Evan Seale, WG’20, recall how their time in the armed services played a pivotal role in their desire to pursue entrepreneurship at Wharton.

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom

A black and white chessboard with white pieces.
“If you are a smart individual who can detect patterns and opportunities, you don’t need to come from a pedigree to found a startup,” Wharton alum and Steignet founder, A.J. Steigman said.

How a Chess Champion and Wharton Grad Excels at Entrepreneurship

Headshot of a person with long hair, wearing a dark sweater, standing in front of a glass building. Blue geometric shapes are on the left side.
Collecto is an online luxury retailer that offers an unparalleled gifting experience through distinctive product curation, exceptional gift presentation and bespoke customer service.

Collecto: An Unparalleled Gifting Experience

Two young men stand together and smile at the camera. They are both wearing black suits.
ZEV helps automotive dealerships sell more electric vehicles (EV) by providing resources and education for consumers on new EV technology. Our software-as-a-service platform provides tools and advice to help customers understand EV range, charging, cost of ownership, and tax breaks. We help dealerships provide world-class customer service and increase electric vehicle sales.

ZEV: Helping Dealers Sell Electric Vehicles

A.J. Steigman
Serial entrepreneur A.J. Steigman, WG’18, who came to Wharton to launch his next venture, Steignet, counts down the top 10 resources Wharton and Penn offer to entrepreneurs.

Top 10 Ways Wharton Can Help You Launch Your Startup

Two people are standing in front of the Wharton School''s Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall, smiling. The image has blue geometric designs.
For women in the U.S. who want a better skincare routine, aavrani is a luxury skincare company inspired by India’s ancient beauty rituals.

aavrani: Luxury Skincare Inspired by Indian Beauty Rituals

A person standing in front of a brick building with a sign that reads
Steignet is an arbitrage platform for the residential real estate market. Using machine learning and proprietary decision engines, Steignet will scan millions of housing units to identify real-time mispricings to generate superior alpha for our real estate investors.

Steignet: A Tactical “Bloomberg Terminal” for the Residential Real Estate Market

Thomas Cavett standing in an office. He has short, brown hair and is wearing a white collared shirt
After more than six years as a Special Forces medical sergeant, Thomas Cavett, WG’18, G’18, came to Wharton to work on the launch of an innovative traumatic injury detection device.

How This Lauder Vet Is Working to Create Life-Saving Devices for the Military

Anvith Ekkati, Colin Robinson, and Peter Zhu posing in front of a glass wall.
The Wharton and engineering students of Acention are developing mobile games that let users earn money while they play. The Venture Initiation Program accelerator is helping them launch.

Acention: Developing a New Model for Mobile Gaming — Play Games, Win Money