The Ilitch School’s BELL Lab hosts Women in Venture Capital and Tech panel and keynote event
The Mike Ilitch School of Business offers students access to the expertise of industry leaders through its faculty, mentorship opportunities and special events. As a part of its mission, the Belinsky Entrepreneurial Learning Lab (BELL) at the Mike Ilitch School of Business is hosting Women in Venture Capital and Technology, in partnership with the Wayne Women in Tech and Wayne Women in Business student organizations.
The event, which took place on February 6, 2025, featured a panel discussion on the challenges, opportunities and careers available for women in venture capital and technology. The panelists consisted of Brenda Jones, CEO of Ulendo Technologies Inc, Laura Khoury, CEO of Shoptelligence, Gianna Manchester, Product Manager at Alchamie, and Katie McBride, an Early Stage Investor at LP in Belle Impact Fund. The panel was moderated by Nancy Philippart, General Partner and Co-Founder of Belle Investment Funds. A reception followed the discussion.
The event was organized by Kevin Ketels, Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programs, and an Associate Professor of Teaching of global supply chain management. Commenting on the outcome of the event, Ketels said “This great discussion highlights the need for more women to consider careers in venture capital and technology. Our panelists were kind enough to share their journey and to help inspire the next generation of talent.”
This is the latest in a series of programs to further integrate the Ilitch School with the Detroit business community. The Ilitch School also hosted a Non-Profit Knowledge Exchange, bringing representatives from non-profit organizations to the Ilitch School to network, and participate in student-led workshops. The Ilitch School also hosts the Future of Venture Capital series, bringing venture capitalists from around southeast Michigan to the Ilitch School for a keynote address, and panel sessions on topics from AI, to the next generation of VC talent.
More information on the offerings from BELL Lab can be found on our website.
The Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business prepares students for challenging and rewarding careers, advances the boundaries of scholarly and practitioner knowledge, and enhances the economic vitality of the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and beyond through its programs, research and community engagement. Established in 1946, the business school was renamed in 2015 in recognition of a $40 million gift from Mike and Marian Ilitch. Thanks to this lead investment, the school moved to a new state-of-the-art building in the heart of the District Detroit in 2018, and academic programming and collaboration with city businesses are expanding. For more information, visit ilitchbusiness.wayne.edu.