Notre Dame's Winning Team at the VCIC
ESTEEM 2025 student Kate O’Farrelly discusses how her ESTEEM experience led her to compete on an international stage
The University of Notre Dame took home the top prize at the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) in Boston earlier this month, beating out competing teams from Babson College, Dartmouth, and Johns Hopkins University to be crowned regional champions. ESTEEM student and Naughton Fellow Kate O’Farrelly was one of six members of the winning team that will progress to the Global Final in Chapel Hill, NC in April, where they will face universities from around the world in a two-day test of venture capital know-how.
For Kate, the VCIC provided an opportunity to foster a longstanding passion for the investment industry. With a bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance from University College Dublin (UCD) and experience as an analyst at a Dublin investment company already under her belt prior to joining ESTEEM, Kate had the knowledge and the passion to earn herself a place on Notre Dame Venture Capital’s highly competitive graduate team.
David Murphy, Executive Director of ESTEEM and Student Entrepreneurship at Notre Dame, captured the sense of pride felt by staff and students of the program: “We are thrilled for Kate and her VCIC Team - what a great accomplishment to win this very competitive competition against some top ranked universities. Supporting students to expand their horizons and challenge themselves is a cornerstone of the ESTEEM program.” He continues: “When Kate approached me with a question regarding funding support for her to be able to travel to Boston for a few days to join her team in fully participating in the competition, it was an easy "yes - go!; we will support you 100%; full stop!"”
David goes on to say: “When we in ESTEEM say that we don't just teach entrepreneurship - we do it - this is one example of how we deliver on that commitment. It is in the ESTEEM ethos - deep in our DNA - to act; to fully support our students in their quest to learn, to innovate, to get out of their comfort zone and compete at the highest level; to fix things that matter.” The value of having the backing of everyone at ESTEEM is something Kate certainly doesn’t take for granted: “This is what ESTEEM wants their students to do; they really do want students to take part in different things outside the classroom. If it weren’t for ESTEEM, I would not have been able to take part in this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.”
The sincere support of the faculty was just one reason that Kate was initially drawn to the ESTEEM program. She explains the entrepreneurial spirit was also a major draw: “When I initially read about ESTEEM, what really attracted me were the entrepreneurial and technical innovation elements, reinforced by the capstone project. I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship, thinking outside the box, and I always want to learn about new areas.” The exposure students gain through ESTEEM, she says, allows them to “expand [their] horizons and explore alternative areas or career paths” following graduation, enabling them to reach their full potential. Kate also highlights the invaluable support of the Naughton Fellowship (https://naughton.nd.edu/) in allowing her to pursue her studies at Notre Dame: “Studying in the US is something I always dreamed of. Being fortunate to receive a Naughton Fellowship has given me a once in a lifetime opportunity to study at Notre Dame. I am extremely grateful to the Naughton Fellowship Program for this opportunity. Without it, I would not be here.”
The efforts of ESTEEM faculty to support their students is something that Kate is “incredibly grateful for,” now eight months into the eleven month program: “The faculty are so supportive, very hands-on and willing to help in any way possible. They really do genuinely want students to succeed both in and out of the classroom, and want to help out in any way possible.” She says students are “encouraged 100% of the way” to get out and seize opportunities in the IDEA Center - the Notre Dame entrepreneurial hub under which ESTEEM is housed - and beyond, from industry-backed capstone projects to self-starter ventures and everything in between.
Even before her arrival onto campus last June, Kate was already keeping an eye out for exciting opportunities that ESTEEM may open the doors to: “When I found out I was coming to ESTEEM, I thought, ‘this is a really unique opportunity, how can I make the most of it?’ I had seen there were a few past ESTEEMers that were involved [in NDVC], so I linked up with them and asked what it was about. So since coming here, I had my eyes on joining it as a club, (...) just to do something outside of the classroom.” A natural curiosity and competitive spirit led her to apply for the competitive graduate team, having identified it as a fantastic opportunity to further her VC knowledge: “I’m the kind of person who puts my hand up for everything, [and] I knew it would be a great opportunity and learning experience, which has been every step of the way.”
In addition to advancing her skills in a competitive environment, the VCIC provided Kate with the unique opportunity to work with other top graduate students at Notre Dame. Working with a team of varying backgrounds was a great experience, she says, and may have been a key component of their success: “The team was great. [With] a mix of first and second year MBA students, [with] various backgrounds and work experiences (...) We all worked really well as a team.” Her experiences in ESTEEM, she believes, also proved a major boon: “ESTEEM has really helped with the competition, [the curriculum] added a huge amount of knowledge (...) Even within the IDEA Center, seeing different startups and being around that you start to learn more about the founder perspective.”
Kate and the team are deep in preparations for the Global Final, where they will compete against regional winners from across the US, Europe, and Asia. In the face of stiff competition, the budding venture capitalist can find assurance in the unwavering support of the ESTEEM program: "On behalf of all of our faculty, staff and fellow students, we are very proud of Kate and her VCIC teammates and we will continue to support her every step of the way in this exciting journey,” David says. “I want to express our sincere thanks to Kate - as well as the rest of her team - for all of their hard work and perseverance in this competition - and we wish all of them the very best as they move on now to compete in the Finals at the national level in North Carolina later this spring. Go Irish!"
About the ESTEEM Graduate Program:
Over the course of this 11-month Master of Science degree (in Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) program at the University of Notre Dame, students from technical backgrounds are equipped with the skills and experience to launch new businesses, become innovators within large corporations, and be leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. Students are immersed in an entrepreneurial sandbox, where they get their hands dirty with entrepreneurship and innovation through a cutting-edge curriculum, a capstone commercialization project for an emerging technology, and outstanding out-of-the-classroom experiences.
To learn more about the ESTEEM Graduate Program or to apply please go to our website.