BYU Marriott Team Wins the VCIC

PROVO, Utah – Jun 21, 2019 – BYU Marriott sent five students to Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, for the Venture Capital and Investment Competition (VCIC). For the second year in a row, BYU came out on top, winning both the regional and national competitions of the event. 

The students won the regional competition held in Mountain View, which qualified them for the national competition held at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Team members were Clayton Coleman, a computer science major, from Cota de Caza, California; Riley Hughes, a finance major, from Lewiston, Idaho; Carmen Payne Mann, an accounting major, from Springville, Utah; Trever Shiffler, an accounting major, from Portland, Oregon; and Dylan Young, a finance major, from Orem. 

“The judges always comment that our students win because they outwork the competition,” says Taylor Nadauld, associate professor of finance at BYU Marriott and faculty advisor for this competition. “Our students have more detailed due diligence and ultimately work harder, so they have better data.” 

At the beginning of the competition, teams were given information about three different startup companies. Within twenty-four hours, team members had to learn about the three companies, conduct due diligence, and decide which company they would theoretically invest in. They also have to prepare a presentation that includes an investment proposal and thesis, which they give to a panel of judges. 

This is not the first time BYU students competed at the VCIC—and won both competitions. Last year, BYU Marriott students also took home the first-place trophy in both the regional and national events. “It’s hard to win two years in a row,” says Nadauld. “I knew this year’s students were well trained and understood the concepts, but you never know how it’s going to go. I am proud of the students for winning again this year.”  

In preparation for this competition, BYU Marriott students who want to compete at the VCIC are required to take the Venture Capital and Private Equity course from Nadauld, where they learn and develop the skills necessary to perform well. Even though participation in this class and competition are not required for graduation, many students take advantage of the opportunity to expand their knowledge and compete. 

 “The opportunity to work with incredible teammates and professors, meet with real entrepreneurs, and present our findings to a panel of judges who work at top private equity and venture capital firms was something that I could not have imagined,” says Shiffler. “It was definitely a highlight of my BYU Marriott career.”