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Episode 5: Per Welinder ('99) & Dinesh Moorjani Hosted by Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Rod Kurz What does a global pandemic mean for a global economy? The world is more interconnected than ever, and under normal circumstances, that can be a good thing for entrepreneurs—global customers, global talent, global supply chain. But the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in that and left us with a lot of questions. Our next two guests are the perfect people to answer them. Dinesh Moorjani is a serial tech entrepreneur, CEO, and investor. He was the founder and CEO of Hatch Labs, co-founder of Tinder, served as an advisor to the global private equity firm Warburg Pincus, and has held leadership roles at IAC and Samsung, in both the U.S. and Asia. We’re also proud to have him as a member of UCLA Anderson faculty. A native of Sweden, Per Welinder came to the U.S. at the age of 18, as a professional skateboarder—in fact, a two-time World Champion in freestyle. After managing his own career, he approached fellow skate legend Tony Hawk with a business plan, and the rest is history. The two of them went on to found Birdhouse Skateboards, which would become the industry leader. He’s co-founded a number of other lifestyle brands over the years, and today he serves as General Partner for Welinder Shi Capital, a speciality fund focused on lifestyle, tech, and culture. He’s also a proud Anderson alum and is active in the Venture Accelerator at Anderson. Learn more about the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson: https://bit.ly/34FSMtU Follow Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: https://www.facebook.com/PriceCenter

Episode 4: Ksenia Yudina ('14) and Baron Davis Hosted by Entrepreneur-in-Residence Rod Kurtz Are tough times actually the best time to plan for the future? Ksenia Yudina ('14) is the founder and CEO of UNest, a mobile app that makes it easy for families to save for college. UNest is an Accelerator startup, and Ksenia is an Anderson alum. Baron Davis is also a proud Bruin. He was an All-American guard for UCLA, who went on to become an NBA All-Star during a 13-year career. More recently, you’ve probably seen him as a studio analyst for The NBA on TNT. But off the court, Baron has become a serial entrepreneur and investor, with an impressive portfolio. One of those investments happens to be in... UNest. Learn more about the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson: https://bit.ly/34FSMtU Follow Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: https://www.facebook.com/PriceCenter

Episode 3: Al Osborne Jr., Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean and Professor Hosted by Entrepreneur-in-Residence Rod Kurtz What does the long view tell us about the future of entrepreneurship, especially at such an uncertain time? While all our guests are distinguished in their own ways, Al Osborne is in a league of his own. Al is UCLA Anderson’s senior associate dean for external affairs, where he oversees key areas like resource development, alumni relations, corporate initiatives, and executive education. He’s professor of Global Economics, Management, and Entrepreneurship. He’s the founder and faculty director of the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He also served as Anderson’s interim dean in 2018 and 2019. Learn more about the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson: https://bit.ly/34FSMtU Follow Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: https://www.facebook.com/PriceCenter  

Episode 2: Theo Lee ('17) and Chris Oh, KPOP Foods Hosted by Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Rod Kurtz Is now the perfect time to turn your passion into a business? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we're all navigating unchartered waters right now, but entrepreneurs at all stages, from startup to fast growth, are forging ahead. Theo Lee is the co-founder and CEO of KPOP Foods, a Los Angeles maker of Korean sauces and snacks. Theo is a Double Bruin, earning both his undergrad degree and MBA at UCLA. During a career in the banking world, Theo kept thinking about his passion for food, fueled by so many great family meals during his childhood. He finally decided to pursue it as a business. Chris Oh is a celebrity chef and restaurateur, founder of Seoul Sausage Company, winner of Food Network’s “Great American Food Truck Race,” and serves as Head of Product for KPOP Foods. Learn more about the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson: https://bit.ly/34FSMtU Follow Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: https://www.facebook.com/PriceCenter

Episode 1: Rob Dyrdek, Founder and CEO, Dyrdek Machine Hosted by Entrepreneur-in-Residence Rod Kurtz How do you build a truly sustainable company? Is there really a formula to it? Welcome to the premiere episode of "Accelerate," a new podcast from the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reimagine almost everything about business—and the entrepreneurs who are weathering the storm are the ones who are connecting and conversing, almost crowdsourcing solutions during this unprecedented time. With so many fascinating conversations going on, we wanted to reach out to some of the smartest business minds in the Anderson orbit, and share those conversations with you. After all, this kind of thoughtful dialogue and real-time learning are at the core of what Anderson and the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation have been doing for decades.  Rob Dyrdek is founder and CEO of the Dyrdek Machine, based in Los Angeles. Rob got his start as a professional skateboarder, founded his first company at the age of 19, and since then, has become a serial entrepreneur and investor, successful TV personality, executive producer, and beyond. You might know him from his multiple shows on MTV over the past decade, including the wildly successful Ridiculousness, which he created and is now entering its 19th season. But off camera, his day job is running the Dyrdek Machine, a venture studio founded in 2016 that seeks out bright ideas—and then designs, shapes, builds, and invests in them, acting as co-founders, to create successful businesses. Its wide-ranging portfolio includes Outstanding Foods, Momentous, and Superjacket, which was recently acquired for nearly $100 million. Learn more about the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson: https://bit.ly/34FSMtU Follow Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: https://www.facebook.com/PriceCenter