The University of San Diego’s Student International Business Council (SIBC) recently hosted an engaging forum featuring student teams from USD, Notre Dame, and Benedictine College, focused on identifying high-growth investment opportunities born from the structural landscape of the INVEST Act. Designed to modernize capital access and stimulate innovation, the act particularly benefits small businesses and emerging growth companies outside traditional coastal tech hubs. The forum brought together alumni, donors, and industry professionals to serve as judges, evaluating how each team isolated scalable companies with strong competitive advantages, robust leadership, and viable paths toward commercial profitability.
Each college offered a distinct perspective by evaluating a specific geographic footprint defined by the U.S. Census map. The USD team analyzed the Pacific and Mountain divisions, strictly excluding highly saturated hubs like California and Washington to uncover hidden gems in underfunded regions. Their analysis evaluated key market size metrics—including Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) frameworks—to identify five high-potential startups. By evaluating national and state-specific regulatory landscapes alongside clear risk mitigation strategies, the students mapped out actionable corporate investment profiles perfectly aligned with the core mandate of the INVEST Act.
I have learned a lot about leadership and broadened my perspective on international business. My project and SIBC have given me the resources to become a stronger professional through engaging prompts, dynamic conversations, and opportunities to present to industry professionals and donors. I have been part of SIBC since my freshman year; it is an organization that has shaped me into an ethical and confident business leader. Thanks to SIBC, I am where I am today.
IBC gave me experience of presenting an investment thesis to a professional panel of judges and defend it. The buyside project I participated in gave me great experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative due diligence, and considered other macro level factors while aligning with the specific task we were instructed to which was the INVEST act. Finally, SIBC gave me experience in working in a team , conducting interviews and research, getting feedback and delivering a presentation following strict guidelines.
- Conchi Gordillo