Genesis welcomed students, founders, and future investors to an engaging panel discussion on Building & Investing in Startups. Held on campus at UT Austin, the event featured industry leaders from both Silicon Valley and the Austin startup ecosystem, offering firsthand insight into how startups are built—and backed.
Our expert panel included:
Alex Moore – Partner at 8VC and first employee at Palantir
Jim Curry – Founding Partner at BuildGroup
Jan Ryan – Serial Entrepreneur and VC
Nick Spiller – Investor at Capital Factory
Over the course of the hour, panelists unpacked their journeys through venture capital, what they look for in founders, and how students can break into the space. Topics ranged from early-stage fundraising to the realities of scaling a startup and the future of innovation in Texas.
Genesis partnered with Texas Venture Group to host a collaborative Startup & VC Student Mixer, bringing together some of UT Austin’s most passionate entrepreneurial communities. With support from Momentum, Convergent, Texas Blockchain, and Product@TX, the event welcomed students across disciplines who are building startups, exploring venture capital, or simply curious about the innovation scene at UT. The atmosphere was casual and high-energy — students mingled over refreshments, swapped ideas, and met like-minded peers from across the Forty Acres. Whether attendees were first-time founders or just getting started, the mixer created a welcoming space to connect, collaborate, and get plugged into the broader startup ecosystem on campus.
In partnership with the Tejas Club, Genesis closed out the semester with Tejas Tank — UT’s very own take on Shark Tank. Held on December 4th at the historic Tejas House, the pitch competition brought together student founders, top VCs, and the broader startup community for an evening of high-stakes pitching and inspiring ideas.Over the course of the night, selected student teams pitched their startups live to an expert panel of judges:
Alex Moore – Partner at 8VC & first employee at Palantir
Marcelo Vieira – Exited founder & VP at SchooLinks
Nick Spiller – Venture Principal at Capital Factory
After an impressive round of pitches, Loman AI took home the top prize, earning a cash award and a coveted Capital Factory Golden Ticket — granting them direct access to CF’s startup ecosystem.From AI-driven tools to new consumer tech, the competition showcased the creativity and drive of student entrepreneurs at UT Austin.