The Auburn University KickStart Fund, a designated fund within the Auburn University Foundation, has received a grant from Truist Foundation that will help provide direct, non-dilutive funding to select Auburn-affiliated companies exhibiting best-in-class potential for success.
The Truist Foundation grant marks the first corporate donation to the AU KickStart Fund, which is designed to bridge the gap between new business formation by students, faculty and local area residents and initial seed or Series A funding. The AU KickStart Fund will be administered under the governance and oversight of the Harbert College of Business and the New Venture Accelerator.
Dan O’Keefe, entrepreneur-in-residence at Auburn’s New Venture Accelerator (NVA), who is leading the establishment of the AU KickStart Fund, highlighted the importance of this commitment by Truist Foundation to keeping the initial momentum going strong, especially during the traditional holiday and end-of-the-year giving season.
“We’ve made great progress since announcing the AU KickStart Fund in June,” says O’Keefe, “with Auburn alumni stepping up in a big way. Truist Foundation’s recognition of the opportunity to support Auburn entrepreneurs and the alignment between our vision and their mission in the community is a great example of how partnering with the AU KickStart Fund can help young entrepreneurs launch their businesses.”
“We are proud to support Auburn University’s KickStart Fund,” said Alex Bumpers, Truist market president for Auburn and Montgomery. “Our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities and we look forward to working closely with Auburn’s New Venture Accelerator to help support entrepreneurship.”
Full story: Auburn’s KickStart Fund receives grant from Truist Foundation – Yellowhammer News
