Tulane Innovation Institute launches Fall 2025 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Webinar Series with a two-part session on Venture Funding Basics
Tulane Innovation Institute's innovation and entrepreneurship webinars are free and open to anyone to attend. These webinars will be hosted by expert guests who will discuss a wide range of concepts, including fundraising, startup marketing, insurance, legal considerations, and market research.

The first webinar of the Fall 2025 season is scheduled for Wednesday, August 27, at 11 a.m. (CST), and will explore Venture Funding Basics - Part One - with the managing partners of 1834 Ventures. Evan Nicoll, a Tulane entrepreneurship professor, and Patrick Hernandez will discuss how to determine if venture funding is the right fit for a business. 1834 Ventures recently announced the launch of their inaugural $20 million fund that concentrates on investing in startups developed by Tulane alumni and faculty, as well as the New Orleans community. Their first close was $4.4 million, involving 30 investors from 11 states, leveraging Tulane’s national alumni network. As of now, the fund has backed its first two companies, and they are actively exploring new opportunities. 1834 Ventures is working with the Tulane Innovation Institute and Tulane Ventures to provide programming and founder readiness training, while also collaborating on co-investments.
This webinar will be followed by Venture Funding Basics - Part Two - on Wednesday, September 10, at 11 a.m. (CST), hosted by Tulane Ventures capital analyst, Marco Melero. This webinar will discuss what Tulane Ventures offers, including funding and access to SSBCI resources. Melero, a Tulane alum, manages deal flow, due diligence, and portfolio support for early-stage companies funded by the Tulane Ventures $10 million seed fund. Melero will provide practical tips on how startups can apply for Tulane Venture funding.
Additional scheduled Fall 2025 webinar topics include: insurance best practices for startups, navigating Tulane’s market research database, customer data collection and tracking, and customer discovery open office hours. The Innovation Institute also provides a library of past webinars available online for anyone to learn about founding a startup.
The webinar series also provides current and aspiring startup founders with an opportunity to network with other founders in the Tulane and New Orleans community. Sign up for the Tulane Innovation Institute’s newsletter for the latest updates, and RSVP here to attend the webinars.

Marco Melero, pictured with Sharon Goldsmith, Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs for the Tulane Innovation Institute, who will present Customer Discovery | Open Office Hours on November 5, 2025.