The following was written by Jessica Mo, Pava Center Venture Insights Intern
Throughout October, the Pava Center hosted and participated in several events bringing together both Johns Hopkins affiliates and the wider community. Here’s a recap of some of the October programs.
October 8: How Startups Get Started
This Pava Center-hosted panel delivered insights into operating startups from founders and early team members. For those interested in working in a startup, the panel offered advice about how to apply various work experiences to a startup team. For those already working in a startup and interested in advancing in their roles, the panelists discussed strategies to empower lean teams to reach their goals and foster personal growth in an evolving career path.
The panel was moderated by Margaret Roth, Squad Ventures operations team lead and co-founder of Yet Analytics. The panelists were:
- Amanda Allen: Chief Experience Officer at Scene Health
- Naomi Gordon: Research and Development Engineer at Kubanda Cryotherapy
- Megan Huey: Head of People at Priovant Therapeutics
- Steve Iannelli: Project Systems Engineer at Oceaneering
- Arya Satish: part of the founding team at Moodr Health
“This panel was an incredible evening of insights on building a company from the ground up—even if you are not the founder,” Satish said. “I enjoyed engaging with fellow panelists and students to discuss the dynamics of early-stage startups. Working at a startup comes with risks and challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to contribute to something truly meaningful. It’s not just working at a company but shaping its future—a rewarding experience far beyond the typical job description. The panel and discussions left me energized and grateful for the diverse ways we’re all working to make an impact.”
October 10: Fall 2024 Mix & Match Night
Co-hosted by HopStart and the Pava Center, this event sought to pair startup teams with interested collaborators. This speed networking event facilitated connections between connections among founders and enabled teams to engage with students interested in contributing to their ventures.
Siqi Yang, a marketing student at Carey Business School, shared, “I met founder Crystal Zheyu I gained a preliminary understanding of KaraOrchee at the How Startup Get Started.” She continued, “Later, at Mix & Match Night, I had the opportunity to develop a more comprehensive understanding and deeper recognition of the company.” After Mix & Match Night, Zheyu invited Yang to a coffee chat. They had a great meeting, which led to Yang joining KaraOrchee’s team as a Marketing Specialist. “I have always been passionate about entrepreneurship and am thrilled to be part of an exciting and dynamic startup like KaraOrchee,” Yang added.
October 15: All-Staff Retreat
Ten Pava Center-affiliated startup teams joined the Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) all-staff retreat for lunch before delivering presentations about their startups. Teams rotated between different tables to share about their ventures, ask for advice, and receive feedback from different staff members, representing many different backgrounds and skill sets.
Juan Fernandez, the CEO, and Co-Founder of SmartTIVA, said that attending the meeting led to a series of connections that resulted in a potential collaboration with the anesthesiology department at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Currently, he is drafting a protocol for a clinical trial for SmartTIVA’s closed-loop intravenous anesthesia system at Johns Hopkins.
“One of the values of networking that you get to see at some point is unexpected connections,” Fernandez said. “These are experts who have seen hundreds of startups who can differentiate the ones that will work from the ones that don’t work and can give you tips to direct you the right way but are not necessarily linked to your line of work. But sometimes they are. You happen to be at the same table with somebody who knows the right connection for you.”
October 18: Maryland Student Startup Networking Dinner
In collaboration with Upsurge Baltimore, Venture for T.H.E.M., USM, and Innovators of Progress, the Pava Center hosted student founders from across Maryland for a dinner and lightning-pitch event. Founders networked with potential mentors, other student entrepreneurs, and future collaborators. Winners of the pitch event received $100 microgrants.
“I’ve always wanted to attend a Pava Center event which brought together student entrepreneurs from schools all over Maryland,” Selena Shirkin, Pava Center peer mentor and CEO of Fetal Therapy Technologies said. “The Maryland Student Startup Networking Dinner allowed me to meet so many passionate student entrepreneurs and learn about their impactful ventures.”