In a world saturated with content and constant noise, the Founders Forum at the UVA McIntire School of Commerce is built around something refreshingly simple: direct access. Access to founders who have built global brands. Access to alumni who once sat in McIntire classrooms and are now scaling ventures of their own. Access to the unfiltered stories behind success.
What began as an assignment in Professor Chip Ransler’s Entrepreneurship course, challenging students to reach out to prominent business leaders and invite them to class, has grown into a signature event. On Feb. 25, 2026, the third annual Founders Forum, hosted by UVA McIntire’s Galant Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, brought innovators from across the U.S. to Breeden Commerce Grounds for a full day of conversations under the theme “Human Connection in a Digital World.” The goal for the event was clear: equip students with insights and relationships that move ideas from theory to action.
2026 Founders Forum at UVA McIntire Showcases Leading Entrepreneurs
The morning opened with parallel sessions that reflected the expanding boundaries of entrepreneurship. After a warm welcome from McIntire Interim Dean Amanda Cowen, attendees entered rooms set around Shumway Hall’s expansive atrium for in-depth discussions. In “Influencer Tech: New Creator Business Models,” Eddie Micklovic (A&S ’22) of Nero and Sam Spelsberg (Engineering ’21) of Delphi explored how creators are building companies in real time, from livestream-driven platforms to AI-powered digital profiles. The session aimed to show students that the next generation of business models will be built at the intersection of community and code.
Across the hall, “Better for You: Building Plant-Based Food Brands” featured Mike Kirban of The Vita Coco Company and Chris Kirby of Ithaca Hummus and Guillermo’s. Kirban shared how he helped scale coconut water Vita Coco into a global leader, while Kirby described turning a farmers market stand into the leading premium hummus brand in America. Their conversation centered on differentiation and disciplined growth in competitive consumer markets and overcoming missteps.
Late-morning sessions shifted to experience-driven brands. In “Elevating IRL: Creating New Art and Beauty Services,” Louisa Schneider of Rowan and Susan Tynan (A&S ’98) of Framebridge discussed building companies around milestone moments and emotional resonance in people’s lives. Meanwhile, “Fashion in 2026: Building New Iconic Men’s Brands” brought together Mike Faherty of Faherty and Howler Brothers Co-Founders Chase Heard (A&S ’01) and Andy Stepanian (A&S ’97) to examine how creative vision and operational focus build enduring apparel brands.
Susan Tynan (A&S ’98) of Framebridge and Louisa Schneider of Rowan speak with Abby Fifer Mandell during the “Elevating IRL: Creating New Art and Beauty Services” session.
Attendees then convened in the atrium for “Lessons from Legends,” with McIntire alumnus Reggie Aggarwal (McIntire ’91), Founder and CEO of Cvent. Aggarwal spoke about building Cvent into a global meetings technology provider, while Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Just Ice Tea, emphasized mission-driven growth. Galant Center Director Abby Fifer Mandell spoke with Goldman on scaling companies with purpose and resilience.
For the next major session, Ransler led the “Reinvent Food” conversation that brought business partners Tom Cortese, Co-Founder of Peloton and CEO of Counter Service, and Chipotle Founder and Executive Chairman & Chief Concept Officer of Counter Service Steve Ells. Ells described building Chipotle into a $40 billion global brand and his decision to reimagine fast food once again with Cortese, focusing on premium sandwiches; Cortese highlighted the importance of elevated user experiences and supportive operational precision for employees.
Chip Ransler leads the “Reinvent Food” conversation that brought business partners Tom Cortese, Co-Founder of Peloton and CEO of Counter Service, and Chipotle Founder and Executive Chairman & Chief Concept Officer of Counter Service Steve Ells.
The final concurrent sessions brought entrepreneurship closer to home. “Scaling UVA Startups: From Local to Legendary” featured Joe Linzon (McIntire ’15) of Roots Natural Kitchen, Matt Loftus (Darden ’16) of Rhoback, and David Roselle (McIntire ’23) of DoorList, each sharing how UVA served as an early proving ground. In “We Like to Party: Building a Big Booze Brand,” Wilson Craig (A&S ’16) of Waterbird Spirits and Kat Hantas of 21Seeds Tequila discussed scaling beverage companies and navigating growth toward acquisition.
Livestream conversations with Kat Cole of AG1, Kathleen King of Tate’s Bake Shop, and Merrilee Kick of BuzzBallz extended the reach of the day, offering candid reflections on leadership and scale.
Student Perspectives on the Entrepreneurship Event
For second-year student Ashish Nattami, a Computer Science major minoring in Business Entrepreneurship at McIntire, the diversity of founders was what made the event stand out.
Ashish Nattami
Sitting in on the Cortese/Ells conversation as well as with local founders was of particular interest to Ashish. “I got to hear from both sides of the entrepreneurship spectrum, from people who’ve built massive companies to founders who are earlier in their journeys,” he says.
What surprised him most was the sustained hunger to build. “The founders were so passionate about what they’re building. Steve Ells is about a decade older than my dad and has a net worth of over a billion dollars, yet he’s still working on a new startup venture in New York,” Ashish says. “Seeing that kind of drive even after someone has already ‘made it’ was inspiring.”
Ella Burbige
Ella Burbige, a pre-Commerce first-year student, says the Forum offered a rare opportunity for her to build relationships before even applying to McIntire. After learning outreach strategies in her Introduction to Entrepreneurship class, she connected with Kirban and helped bring him to the event.
“I was so excited after Mike agreed to speak at the Founders Forum, especially considering how busy he is running the market-leading company in the coconut beverage industry,” she says.
Spending time with him beyond the panel left a lasting impression. “Mike explained that he and his business partner initially knew very little about coconut water, yet he believes his lack of prior knowledge allowed them to approach the industry with a more creative perspective,” Ella recalls. “His message emphasized that you don’t need to know everything about an industry to make a difference within it.”
Ella Butensky
Fourth-year Commerce major and Management and Marketing concentrator Ella Butensky found clarity in the founders’ honesty about timing.
“My most impactful takeaway from the Founders Forum came from hearing founders speak honestly about entrepreneurship and timing,” she says. “As someone planning to begin my career in consulting, hearing that gaining experience first can actually make someone a stronger founder really stuck with me.”
Ella was particularly drawn to the conversations about brand building rooted in empathy and lived experience. “This experience showed me how storytelling and empathy can come together to create experiences that connect deeply with people,” she notes.
As the Founders Forum continues to grow, it reflects a defining strength of McIntire: the ability to connect students with leaders who are still hungry to build and grow businesses and ideas. That momentum carries forward this spring with a revamped Galant Challenge Program and its signature pitch event, the Galant Challenge Showcase, which takes place on April 23, 2026.
