Across and beyond Grounds there are a number of student communities supporting entrepreneurial initiatives. The UVA Alumni Association suggests that student self-governance “requires that students take responsibility for themselves as constituents and as representatives of the University community.” UVA's Dean of Students refers to this self-governance as “the entrustment of much decision making to students.”

In line with the history and culture of student self-governance at UVA, students and the organizations they manage (CIOs, or Contracted Independent Organizations) are considered key partners in the University's Entrepreneurship efforts. In fact, a great proportion of UVA's entrepreneurship programming is managed in part, if not entirely, by students. What follows is a list of UVA's most active, Entrepreneurship-focused students organizations:

Business Innovation & Design Club

The Darden Business Innovation & Design Club exists to foster a community around, promote the ideals of, and encourage career paths that incorporate design methodologies in leading organizations, solving business challenges, and facilitating innovation.

Enactus

Enactus students apply business skills to community projects to address social, economic, and environmental concerns both in Charlottesville and in the greater global community.

Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group

Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital (aka, EVC) is Darden’s forum for sharing and gaining ideas about starting and building new ventures. The Club provides an opportunity to meet successful entrepreneurs, sponsors educational lectures on the many facets of starting a business, helps students formulate business plans for the spring Business Plan Competition, and assists students in career searches.

Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

The Virginia Emerging Companies and Venture Capital team (aka, ECVC) is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurial initiatives across Grounds, connecting law students with students from other schools and serving as a hub for those interested in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial law.

Forge

Forge develops the skills, networks, and entrepreneurial ability of talented UVA students through experiential programs and tight-knit community. The organization offers 10-week programs in everything from entrepreneurship to photography to data science.

HooHacks

HooHacks is a team of UVA students who run HooHacks, Virginia's biggest hackathon and one of the 50 biggest collegiate hackathons in the US. HooHacks also plans Ideathon, a tech entrepeneurship networking event. Their goal is to make learning and using software development in UVA and other colleges more accessible and fun!

SEED

Student Entrepreneurs for Economic Development (aka, SEED) is a social impact consulting group comprised of over 50 students at the University of Virginia. In affiliation with the McIntire School of Commerce and Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, their goal is to support the training and professional development of our members. Since 2006, SEED has provided dozens of clients, for-profit and non-profit, with management consulting and strategic advisory services.

Technology Club

The Darden Technology Club (aka, DTC) is an industry-oriented club dedicated to connecting members to opportunities at tech companies, providing industry knowledge from thought leaders, offering hands on skills training, and providing mentorship and recruiting support.

Virginia Entrepreneurship Organization

Virginia Entrepreneurship Organization (VEO) is a community for ambitious student builders at the University of Virginia. At their core, VEO supports students who are working on side-projects and startups—those who are looking to build their first version of their product and onwards.

Virginia Venture Fund

The mission of Virginia Venture Fund (aka VVF) is to educate students about early stage investing by hosting hands on workshops with industry professionals, completing due diligence for partner VC firms, deal sourcing for our network of investors in the Mid-Atlantic region, and advising UVA student startups.