Reflections on NYSE NextGen Bootcamp
By Abby Bouchon, Senior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Biology with double minors in Chemistry and Entrepreneurship, NYC Innovation Fellow interning at Women Innovate Mobile, an accelerator specifically focused on female co-founded tech startups in the mobile sector, @AbbyBouchon
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the NYSE Euronext NextGen Bootcamp as a student representative from Startup America. The program offers young adults a more in-depth understanding of financial markets, and I was curious to learn more about how global trade affects Silicon Alley’s startup scene. I am currently interning at Women Innovate Mobile, an accelerator specifically focused on female-founded (or co-founded) tech startups in the mobile sector, and I jumped at the chance to represent both Startup America and my awesome internship. WIM’s official Demo Day for our first class of startups was around the corner, and preparations were already in full swing, so I signed up to attend just one day of the NYSE Bootcamp.
This past Monday morning, I put my most professional (ish?) slacks on, boarded the subway and was swept down to a suit-and-tied Wall Street. The NYSE building was easy to find, and I soon found myself in a large room filled with young adults aspiring to careers in finance and business. Scott Cutler, EVP and Head of Global Listings at NYSE Euronext, kicked off the bootcamp. He stressed the importance of innovation within the NYSE and how he accepted his current position with one condition: “I don’t want to be a part of an institution; I want to help it grow and I want to change it.” His role as EVP helped attract “companies of the future” to list, including many Internet startups that successfully turned explosive growth into huge tech IPOs.
Next up was Alvin Hall, who gave a two-part overview on global financial markets and trading. Alvin is an accomplished financial adviser, but he described himself as a “reluctant entrepreneur” who lives by the maxim “be open to the possibility of what’s in front of you, and learn to grab the right opportunity.” Entrepreneurship and the chance to teach financial literacy were both examples of these opportunities, and he flawlessly demonstrated his skills as he wove through complex history, regulations and terminology concerning the NYSE.
Janna Hodge, the Senior VP of Sales and Relationship Management, concluded the afternoon with an in-depth explanation of the NYSE Euronext cash flow.
My favorite part of the afternoon included an epic trip to the NYSE trading floor to view the Closing Bell. I could feel the energy and the balance between risk and reward that our Designated Market Maker described as we toured the trading floor. The rush of people and chatter reminded me of the chaotic preparations that Women Innovate Mobile’s three startups, Appguppy, Loudly and SQL Vision were making back in the office as they prepared for Demo Day. Seeing the Closing Bell and the resulting applause was invigorating.
Thank you so much for this iconic experience, Startup America. As Alvin Hall said, you provide the right opportunities to startups to help them develop and grow. As an aspiring entrepreneur, I certainly count my day at the NYSE Euronext NextGen Bootcamp as an incredible tool for future startups!
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Opinions and statements expressed by guest bloggers are theirs alone, not opinions of The Startup America Partnership.
