On Thursday, October 21, five lucky entrepreneurs will present their concepts at Duck Tank, the pitching competition that has become one of the signature events presented by the Oregon Executive MBA Alumni Board.

Making the most of their far-reaching professional networks, board members have assembled an outstanding lineup of judges and speakers for the event, all drawn from the region's startup and venture capital universes. (See below for details about this starry group.)

“Duck Tank is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to get feedback from leading members of the entrepreneurial and venture capital communities. At the same time, the event provides a way for participating judges and speakers to get better acquainted with what the Oregon Executive MBA has to offer," said alumni board president Mike Livermore, MBA '19.

The driving force behind this year's event is alumnus Ibrahim Ban, MBA '18, who is a senior technologist at Intel and has also served at Intel Capital Portfolio Management group.

“My own interest in innovation and entrepreneurship made Duck Tank a natural fit for me to get involved with. It is very satisfying to offer this opportunity to the region's up-and-coming entrepreneurs," said Ban, who is also a founding partner of Oregon Sports Angels, the member-based investor organization building the next generation of sports companies.

University of Oregon alumnus Jordan Kent, the sports broadcaster and entrepreneur who emceed the event in 2019, will return to oversee this year's competition.

The event is open to UO students, alumni, and community members with options to attend in-person or participate virtually. 

“We are thrilled Duck Tank is returning after the alumni board chose to postpone it in 2020 due to COVID-19. It's so exciting to watch the live pitches and hear immediate feedback from established industry professionals," said Oregon Executive MBA director Rachel Todd.