It was great to see the New York entrepreneurial community and the next generation of entrepreneurs gather at this year’s Columbia Business School (CBS) Fall Venture Fair, which was held on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. Approximately 40 student business teams were showcased to more than 100 guest attendees from the New York entrepreneurial community, including, seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers, accountants and financial advisors. After a few brief opening remarks by the CBS faculty members who helped organize the event, guests were invited to meet with student teams at their dedicated booths setup throughout the room. As student teams showcased their business ideas, guest attendees were encouraged to provide feedback on the students’ investor pitch and to provide informal guidance with respect to the development of the students’ business plans.

The scope of business ventures represented at the event varied considerably. The companies ranged from early stage ventures still working on a beta test of their product to fully operating small businesses with product presently available on the market. The breadth of product offerings were also extremely varied and included everything from mobile apps and other technology platforms to skin care products and ready-made cold brewed iced coffee for home and office use.

Overall, it was a great event that was enjoyed by all participants. Student teams greatly benefited from, and seemed very grateful for, all of the invaluable unbiased feedback received from experienced professionals. Guest attendees seemed equally as excited to participate in the event as they were provided a unique opportunity to get a first look at some of New York City’s next generation of entrepreneurs and their cutting edge business ideas. For those of you in the New York entrepreneurial community, this is an event to be on the lookout for in 2015.