Andrew Simon

MBA candidate at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. One year internship at NC IDEA and IDEA Fund Partners. Serial Entrepreneur. Diehard Cincinnati Bengals fan. Rugby player. Avid traveler.

Andrew Simon’s Experience

Young Entrepreneur in Residence

NC IDEA

(Non-Profit; Venture Capital & Private Equity industry)

January 2010 — Present (9 months)

NC IDEA (www.ncidea.org) assists early stage start-ups with seed and early stage funding through traditional venture capital, as well as pre-venture stage funding via a grants program.

• Built channel sales strategy and affiliate marketing plan for software startup. Developing ROI analysis for core market segment. Working directly with founder and CEO on fundraising and sales.
• Developed pro forma financial projections with bottom up market analysis, sales and cost projections for medical device startup. Building multiple models forecasting projected sales, growth and cost figures for human and vet markets, with direct and channel sales models and with PMA or 510K regulatory pathway.
• Designed customer ROI for different products in multiple verticals for $2M software firm. Calculated Cost of Customer Acquisition (CAC) and Lifetime Value of Customer (LTV) analysis to assist the company with new sales and marketing strategy.
• Led evaluation of over 100 business plans for $200,000 in grants, focusing on factors such as market opportunity, IP protection, innovation, competitive advantage and management team.
• Preformed due diligence and investment review on potential venture capital investments in life sciences and IT.
Business and Strategy Consultant

General Nano, LLC

(Nanotechnology industry)

September 2009 — Present (1 year 1 month)

General Nano LLC (www.generalnanollc.com) is an emerging technology start-up out of the University of Cincinnati with a unique and patented CNT (carbon nanotube) growth and thread spinning process.

• Led team of 5 MBA students to devise commercialization strategy. Identified target customers, developed partner-heavy business model and determined competitive position for firm with USAF and NSF funding.
• Completed broad market analysis to determine applications and market feasibility for (CNT), which have uses in aerospace and defense, sensors, telecommunications and solar industries.
MBA Candidate, Class of 2011

Fuqua School of Business

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

July 2009 — Present (1 year 3 months)

Double concentration in Finance and Entrepreneurship. Co-President: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club. Co-President: Duke Grad Rugby. Co-Founder: International Consulting Experience (ICE). Admissions Fellow.
Founder and Editor

Who Dey Revolution, LLC

(Sports industry)

April 2008 — Present (2 years 6 months)

• Founded a website (www.whodeyrevolution.com) devoted to chronicling the historic mismanagement of the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Direct all marketing, web design, business development, and content, overseeing a team of 13 unpaid writers.
• Built website to become the most trafficked independent Bengals website with 1,000,000 page views in less than one year. Profiled in ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Cincinnati Enquirer, NFL Network, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Founder and President

High 5 Consulting, LLC

(Public Relations and Communications industry)

February 2007 — August 2009 (2 years 7 months)

High 5 Consulting worked with corporations, trade associations, non-profit organizations and political groups to address their most critical communications and public policy challenges.

Managed corporate fundraising campaigns that totaled $7M. Supported teams that secured $300M in federal funding. Managed PR campaigns that increased exposure by over 1,000%. Communications consultant on 2 successful election campaigns. Awarded "Best Marketing Campaign" by the Florida Economic Development Council.
Founder and CEO

THE High 5 Group

(Internet industry)

July 2007 — July 2008 (1 year 1 month)

THE High 5 Group worked to launch a social networking site targeted at expatriate sports fans in America's largest cities.
Deputy Regional Political Director

Republican National Committee

(Political Organization industry)

August 2005 — December 2006 (1 year 5 months)
Field Director

Bush/Cheney '04

(Public Relations and Communications industry)

2004 — 2004 (less than a year)

Andrew Simon’s Education

Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

MBA , Corporate Finance; Entrepreneurship , 2009 — 2011 (expected)

Activities and Societies:

Co-President: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club. Co-President: Duke Grad Rugby. Co-Founder: International Consulting Experience (ICE). Admissions Fellow.
Bates College

BA , Political Science, Economics , 2000 — 2004

Activities and Societies:

Bates College Republicans - President, Men’s Rugby - President, Bates Student - Forum Editor, Member of Dean’s List, Senior Thesis: "Effect of International and Foreign Precedent on Supreme Court Decision-Making"
Indian Hill High School