Wooster has a local chapter of the Northeast Ohio Student Venture Fund (NEOSVF). NEOSVF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit investment fund that is focused on investing in high-growth potential startups in the Northeast Ohio region. Twice a year, students meet with a selection of regional early-stage entrepreneurs and choose one to work with for a semester. These students conduct due diligence on these pre-revenue technology startups, evaluating their products, market, and management teams. At the end of the semester, the students make a recommendation to the Fund Directors to either invest in the company or deny funds depending on the information they have uncovered. This real world experience teaches students how investors evaluate business opportunities while also preparing them to make their own pitches to investors in the future.
