The panel discussion featured Nate Abbott and Natty Zola of Everlater, Sarah Schupp from University Parent, and Daniel Epstein of the Unreasonable Institute. After giving a short pitch about each of their companies, they discussed the challenges and rewards of starting a business, with the uncertainty of success and the long hours contrasting dramatically with the sense of ownership and excitement of being an entrepreneur. Members of the audience listened attentively and asked great questions, getting motivated to start their own ventures. Check out more pictures here!

Next week same time same place is Pitch Night, when ideas will fly and teams will form! See you there: ATLAS 100 at 6pm on Wednesday, November 3rd. Register to attend here and click on the email icon at the top right of this page if you’d like to pitch a business idea!

Now in its third year, the CU New Venture Challenge is an established part of the vibrant Boulder start-up community, helping connect students with the resources they need to become successful in the entrepreneurial world. Join us for our kick-off event on Wednesday, October 27th at 6pm in ATLAS 100 to find out how you can be a part of it.

-          Learn how to write a successful business plan

-          Meet mentors with deep expertise in your area

-          Connect with students across campus to form a team with diverse skills

-          Compete for over $25,000 in prizes

-          Increase your ability to find jobs in the Boulder start-up community

Participants like Streat Chefs, last year’s winner, and Everlater, whose founders went on to become TechStars graduates and receive an initial round of funding, got some of their first lessons in entrepreneurship with CU NVC. Other teams also gained valuable insight into the start-up process and made great connections with mentors in their field of interest, leading to enhanced job opportunities after graduation. While not everyone can be the next Mark Zuckerberg, everyone can gain experience with entrepreneurship and apply that knowledge to future career opportunities in a dynamic industry!

Register for the kick-off event on Wednesday, October 27th at 6pm in ATLAS 100 to take the first step on an exciting path.

How to Pick a Business from Paul Berberian on Vimeo.

A Washington lawyer friend recently told me about layoffs at his firm. I asked him who was getting axed. He said it was interesting: lawyers who were used to just showing up and having work handed to them were the first to go because with the bursting of the credit bubble, that flow of work just isn’t there. But those who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables.

That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education.

Description: “How do investors gauge whether a company is one from a pool of thousands worth their resources? KPCB partner Beth Seidenberg shares her firm’s five measures for financial fortitude.”