Dakota Venture Group
Entrepreneur Specialist, Center for Innovation; President, Dakota Venture Group
Emily O’Brien a native of Lakeville, MN and a graduate of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Entrepreneurship and Business Management and pursuing her Master’s in Entrepreneurship.
Emily has had the privilege to be a part of many different organizations at UND. She held positions in her sorority; Gamma Phi Beta as VP of Risk Management, Recruitment, Panhellenic Council VP, Chair of Greek Judicial Advisory Board, and currently holds positions in the School of Business and Public Administration Student Advisory Board as President, and also serves as the President in Dakota Venture Group.
Currently, she works as an Entrepreneur Specialist with the Center for Innovation helping entrepreneurs with their business ventures.
Emily was also a part of the team that helped establish 1 Million Cups Grand Forks, developed by the Kauffman Foundation. She is now working on Startup Weekend Grand Forks, which is powered by Google for Entrepreneurs. Additionally, Emily is hoping to help establish a Co-Working Space in Greater Grand Forks, creating entrepreneur synergy, providing workstations, meeting space, office services, technology infrastructure, and programming for independent professionals, freelancers, visiting business people, telecommuters, micro-business owners, and startups. Emily is also working on planning a Student Venture Capital Summit-bringing together Student Venture Funds and professional leaders from all over the U.S.
Emily serves on the GF Herald Advisory Board, GF & EGF Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Committee, and UND School of Entrepreneurship Professional Practice Advisory Council.
She has a passion for helping startup companies, nonprofits, investing, event planning, and working with others. Emily strives to learn all that she can, that pushes her to continue to grow her knowledge and contributing to that entrepreneur ecosystem is an opportunity that she truly values.