Ideas with Impact
UNB Faculty of Management

A team of students from the University of New Brunswick's faculty of management are wearing big smiles after winning third place at the 2025 Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC).

The team, consisting of Aman Goel, Kevin Chick, Md. Nuruzzaman Rashed, Omotola Ogundaini, and Pawan Kumar, also brought home the Entrepreneurs Choice Award for their outstanding performance.

This is the fifth year in a row the faculty has showcased its student talent at the prestigious VCIC, which is organized annually by the University of North Carolina and hosted by the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

Over an intense 48-hour period, UNB’s students had the exciting opportunity to analyze real-world startups and present their investment pitches to a panel of experienced venture capitalists, mirroring the real challenges faced in the industry.

In addition to the MBA team, a team of BBA students with the faculty of management also participated. While they didn’t win any official prizes, they put in an impressive effort against tough competition from teams across Canada, including the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the University of Alberta.

The UNB students who took part in the VCIC are enrolled in the experiential Venture Assessment course, which teaches them how to conduct due diligence in assessing ventures for startup funding.

They work closely with staff from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) to evaluate new ventures in their portfolio ; they also make investment recommendations for the Fraser Student Venture Fund. Established in 2019 by alumnus Charles Fraser (BBA ’68), this fund enhances business students’ entrepreneurial education at UNB by giving them hands-on venture capital experience.

This year’s VCIC participants were mentored by dedicated faculty of management staff (who are also alumni), Ryan Reid (MBA ‘12), Manager of the International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (IBEC), and Akash Das (MBA ‘23), Experiential Learning Program Officer.

The success of these students at the VCIC not only highlights their incredible talent but also underscores the power and support of the UNB community including alumni and the business community. Their achievements are a testament to the university's commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration in our students.

Photo: In addition to winning third prize at the 2025 Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) this team of UNB faculty of management MBA students earned the Entrepreneur’s Choice Award. The students and mentors are (L-R): Akash Das, Kevin Chick, Omotola Ogundaini, Pawan Kumar, Aman Goel, Md. Nuruzzaman Rashed, and Ryan Reid.

Learn more about UNB’s faculty of management and the International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (IBEC).

Media contact: Liz Lemon-Mitchell, Lizabeth.Lemonmitchell@unb.ca

Links: Fraser Student Venture Fund