{"id":5502,"date":"2026-01-27T10:56:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T18:56:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/?page_id=5502"},"modified":"2026-03-16T14:39:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T21:39:20","slug":"entrepreneurship-for-social-good-preparing-purpose-driven-leaders-at-harvey-mudd-college","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/annenberg\/entrepreneurship-for-social-good-preparing-purpose-driven-leaders-at-harvey-mudd-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Entrepreneurship for Social Good: Preparing Purpose-driven Leaders at Harvey Mudd College"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<div id=\"right-sidebar\" class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-right-sidebar right-sidebar\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Annenberg Leadership Forum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Annenberg Leadership Forum is an integral part of Harvey Mudd College\u2019s commitment to encouraging students to lead with integrity. Endowed through a generous gift in honor of Trustee Howard Deshong III \u201989, P\u201922, P\u201924 from The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Fund for Leadership Development, this series brings to campus accomplished individuals who are recognized, world-class leaders in their fields of endeavor. <\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Noon\u20131 p.m., Lunch and Learn<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cWhy This Education Matters: Alumni Founders on Impact and Purpose\u201d<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Presented by the Harvey Mudd College Annenberg Fellows. Joseph B. Platt Campus Center, Green Room<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Join us for a Lunch and Learn workshop presented by the HMC Annenberg Fellows, who will share insights from their interviews with alumni entrepreneurs who are tackling complex challenges. We\u2019ll explore how Harvey Mudd\u2019s interdisciplinary rigor, liberal arts foundation and collaborative culture act as a unique &#8220;operating system&#8221; for leadership. The conversation will center on the deeper question of why we lead and how HMC has prepared them to navigate ethical complexities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5\u20136 p.m. Meet the Founders Reception<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Shanahan Center, Shakespeare Patio<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harvey Mudd was built on innovation. Now it\u2019s your turn to meet the people doing it. Join us for appetizers and refreshments at a casual reception featuring the Annenberg Forum panelists along with distinguished entrepreneurs and VCs in the Harvey Mudd network, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Aileen Lee P\u201928, founder of Cowboy Ventures<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Nihal Mehta, co-founder of Eniac Ventures<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Josh Jones \u201998, co-founder of DreamHost and HMC INQ<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Miles Bird CMC \u201913, founder and partner at StoryHouse Ventures<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Joshua Tatum CMC \u201921, co-founder and partner at StoryHouse Ventures<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6\u20137 p.m., Josh Jones \u201998, Nihal Mehta and Aileen Lee P\u201928 in Conversation with President Harriet B. Nembhard<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cPurpose in Enterprise: How Mission-driven Founders Navigate a Complex World\u201d<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Drinkward Recital Hall<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>What does it mean to lead with purpose in an era of rapid technological change? Through a moderated interview and audience dialogue, President Harriet Nembhard will be joined by a panel of entrepreneurs to explore the role of creativity, technical excellence, and social responsibility in building ventures to address the world\u2019s most pressing complexities. This forum offers a unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders who exemplify the collaborative entrepreneurial mindset central to the Harvey Mudd Mission. The conversation will move beyond the \u201chow-to\u201d of startups to focus on the \u201cwhy\u201d and will explore the fundamental values that drive leaders to build resilient companies and ethical teams.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forum Panelists<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper event-subject\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"358\" height=\"412\" class=\"wp-image-5513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Jones-portrait.jpeg\" alt=\"Josh Jones\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Jones-portrait.jpeg 358w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Jones-portrait-261x300.jpeg 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Josh Jones &#8217;98<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Josh Jones is a successful tech entrepreneur, having built dozens of companies, from software start-ups to international airlines. Josh graduated from Harvey Mudd in 1998 with degrees in computer science and math. As a sophomore, Josh founded DreamHost \u2013 a Los Angeles-based web hosting company that employs over 250 people. He also founded HMC INQ, a venture fund that supports, cultivates, and finances start-ups created by Harvey Mudd College alums, and now teaches entrepreneurship at Mudd and UCLA. Most recently he assembled top executives in the airline sector to relaunch Ravn Alaska, the largest regional air carrier in Alaska. The bulk of Josh\u2019s wealth is attributable to his investment in Bitcoin back in 2010. He also founded Did I Err Productions for media projects and Gondola Ventures, a leading force in advancing urban aerial and point of interest gondola systems in North America and abroad. He has been on several non profit boards and is active in pro-democracy and Basic Income advocacy. He lives in LA with his wife and four daughters whom he chauffeurs to basketball practice and games Monday to Sunday. All. Year. Long.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper event-subject\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"358\" height=\"412\" class=\"wp-image-5514\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Mehta-portrait.jpeg\" alt=\"Nihal Mehta\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Mehta-portrait.jpeg 358w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Mehta-portrait-261x300.jpeg 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nihal Mehta<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>At Eniac, we call Nihal the human Rolodex\u2014he\u2019s built thousands of connections with the world\u2019s top companies and brands, often the hard way. Since 1999, he founded five startups: Philly2nite \u2192 UrbanGroove \u2192 Chapter 7 bankruptcy; ipsh! \u2192 acquired by Omnicom (NYSE: OMC); buzzd \u2192 LocalResponse \u2192 acquired by BlueCava. The scars are real, and so are the stories.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Nihal started investing early, spotting breakout companies like AdMob (acquired by Google), Alloy, Brightwheel, Tala, and Uber. He and his wife are now active angel investors and LPs backing nearly 100 underrepresented founders and fund managers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>He\u2019s also deeply committed to giving back. Nihal co-founded Project Ahimsa, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to disadvantaged youth in India\u2014where his parents immigrated from in the early \u201970s. He also helped launch Help Main Street to support restaurants during the pandemic, and The 100k Pledge, a platform tracking economic empowerment in Black communities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>You\u2019ll often find Nihal running along the Hudson River with founders and the Pitch &amp; Run crew, or spending time with his wife Reshma\u2014founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First\u2014and their two boys, Shaan and Sai. Their bernedoodle Steve (RIP Stan) is always close by.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Nihal\u2019s also the engine behind Eniac\u2019s social events and the host of the Human Unicorn Pod, now streaming on Spotify and YouTube.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>He holds a BA in philosophy and a BSE in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper event-subject\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"358\" height=\"412\" class=\"wp-image-5515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Lee-portrait.jpeg\" alt=\"Aileen Lee\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Lee-portrait.jpeg 358w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2026\/01\/Annenberg-sp26-Lee-portrait-261x300.jpeg 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-mudd2021-wrapper mudd-wrapper\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aileen Lee <strong>P\u201928<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Aileen Lee is the founder and managing partner of Cowboy Ventures, an early-stage venture firm backing enterprise and consumer technology companies including Dollar Shave Club, Drata, Guild, and Ironclad. She is widely known for coining the term \u201cunicorn\u201d to describe billion-dollar startups and for co-founding All Raise, the nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the success of women and underrepresented groups in tech.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Aileen has been recognized on the Forbes Midas List, Fortune\u2019s Most Powerful Women, and TIME 100 Most Influential People. Prior to founding Cowboy Ventures, she was a partner at Kleiner Perkins for over a decade, served as the founding CEO of RMG Networks, and held operating roles at Gap Inc.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>She holds degrees from MIT and Harvard Business School. Aileen is also a proud mom of three and spouse to Jason, a CTO and passionate \u201ccar guy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Noon\u20131 p.m., Lunch and Learn \u201cWhy This Education Matters: Alumni Founders on Impact and Purpose\u201d Presented by the Harvey Mudd [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4690,"parent":4707,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-promo-header.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5502","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5502"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5583,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5502\/revisions\/5583"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/calendar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}