On Thursday, September 28, the 17 winners of the 2023 Most Fundable Companies® (MFC) competition were announced at a showcase held at the Villa Graziadio Executive Center on the Malibu campus. MFC is an annual program offered by the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship aimed at promoting business development and startup funding pathways for startups. Among this year’s winners was his AGED (Active Genomes Expressed) Diagnostics Corp. of Bethesda, Maryland. Valqari, LLC of Lombard, Illinois. ViCardia Therapeutics, Inc., San Francisco, California, both achieved MFC’s highest rating, Platinum designation.
“What sets MFC apart from other startup events is that we are more than just a pitch competition,” said Craig Everett, executive director of MFC and professor of finance at Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business. “Rather than just looking for the most attractive new ideas, we use a unique due diligence process to find the best startups for external funding.”
Designed as part of the Graziadio Business School’s ongoing efforts to foster entrepreneurship, MFC is a free resource that helps entrepreneurs assess their readiness for private investment. All startups that complete the program’s pre-qualification process and eligibility survey will receive a customized report with feedback on how to structure and position their business for improved investment opportunities. Companies on the 6th Annual MFC List are located across the country and include companies from a variety of industries, including healthcare, biotechnology, media, software technology, and consumer products.
Dean Deborah Crown
Graziadio Business School.
“This year’s best-financed companies represent innovative business concepts and decisive leadership,” said Deborah Crown, dean of Graziadio Business School. “The incredible acumen of these founders and their unwavering commitment to meeting high quality standards sends a resonant message to investors: Here are companies poised to drive profitability and prosperity. There is.”
After a keynote address by Jason Nazar (MBA ’05, JD ’07), co-founder and co-chairman of Clovers.ai, an online platform that powers online recruiting and interview processes, attendees heard from numerous business leaders. I heard. Experts including Cary Singleton, co-founder of the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship; Vince Monteparte (MBA ’01), his partner in venture at Sway Ventures and a board member at Graziadio School. Clemens Kownacki (MBA ’00), Associate Dean of Full-Time Programs and Professor of Finance at the Graziadio School. MFC Program Manager Amy Wood, and Crown and Everett.
The MFC competition evaluates companies based on several variables, including financial projections, market opportunity, intellectual property, competitive advantage in the market, and strength of management team expertise.
“We are thrilled that over 3,000 companies participated this year, making MFC one of the largest startup competitions in the world,” Everett said. “Since his founding of MFC in 2018, award winners have collectively raised more than $250 million.”
A complete list of MFC honorees and a record of the event can be found on the 2023 Most Fundable Companies website.