Written by Shoemaker Scholar Davis Joseph 2020-2021
Year and Major:
Wade Fletcher is a sophomore double majoring in Computer Science and Finance.
What’s your favorite food and why?
Grits, I’m Southern so it’s pretty self-explanatory.
Tell me about yourself.
I’ve been around entrepreneurship and venture capital for most of my life. It’s weird to say, but frankly, I think I’m built for it haha. Like most seven year old’s, I started a lemonade stand but unlike many kids my age my dad walked through the finances of it. That’s where my entrepreneurship spirit started to take shape. All my life really from then on, I’ve always been doing side projects and “hustling”. A lot of what I do is because I try to be in the right place at the right time and I’m always looking for what to do next.
What’s wrong with the student VC ecosystem?
I looked at the current players in the student VC ecosystem and they primarily focused on elite Ivy League schools. There’s so many more schools here in the U.S. with amazing student innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs that are often overlooked because they don’t have the prestige of being a part of a top U.S. school. We really wanted to change that.
What does UndercoverVC do?
https://undercover.vc/
We’ve built a student venture capital network and fellowship program to create equitable access and opportunity for student entrepreneurs nationwide. We want to connect talented but overlooked student entrepreneurs to investors.
Is there any advice you have for budding entrepreneurs?
The best thing I like to see with entrepreneurs and their startups is that they move fast. My advice is that if you see an opportunity to do something awesome, seize it, and seize it quickly. People worry too much about the small stuff. Build the thing and sell it. Make it and get it out there.
“Rome wasn’t built in a week, but a lot of amazing startups were built in two.”
What’s one of your favorite lessons you learned the hard way?
Know the heck outta your Cofounders. Know their parents, their daily routine, almost everything. You should know them like a sibling because you have to have the same commitment to what you’re founding as they do. I’ve heard of and had falling outs with good people because we didn’t have the same priorities and it’s not worth the heartache.
If you are an entrepreneur here at IU actively looking for funding feel free to connect and talk to me.
wade@undercover.vc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadefletch/