Bloomington Leader

Michelle Braun, a neuropsychologist and national leader in brain health, has emerged as the winner of the Silicon Valley Venture Challenge course while pursuing her MBA through Kelley Direct. The competition, held at Plug and Play in Silicon Valley, required students to present their business plans and pitch decks to a panel of angel investors, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs.

Course designer Donald F. Kuratko stated, "If they fail, they don’t graduate." He emphasized that this unique approach is unlike other business programs where professionals are invited to campus for evaluations or where pitches account for only part of the final grade. Kuratko noted that no other business school takes online MBA students to Silicon Valley with 100% of their grade based on pitch performance.

Braun described the experience as transformative: "It allowed me to experience something I’ve heard about hundreds of times, which is pitching to actual venture capitalists." She received feedback that helped her advance her venture focused on brain health and reducing Alzheimer's risk.

Her work has attracted interest from healthcare organizations eager to use its personalized plan features. Braun commented on the passion of the venture capitalists: "They were very passionate about the cause."

As a reward for winning the challenge, Braun received a $5,000 prize from Kelley MBA alumna Michele Honomichl. The course also encourages students to network with judges who are members of the Johnson Center’s West Coast Advisory Board.

Last year's winner Benton Miller mentored Braun. His venture RetrievAir offers pet-friendly air travel and will launch in several cities soon. Miller praised the course for expanding his perspective on innovation: "The course equipped me with tools and fostered resilience, creativity and collaboration."

Braun aims to package her research into a program by year-end while completing her MBA by May 2026. She expressed her desire to impact brain health positively: "I would love to help move the needle on brain health."

She continues advocating for science-based strategies against Alzheimer's through various platforms including public presentations and writing for Psychology Today.

Pursuing an MBA was a long-held goal for Braun due to Kelley's reputation in entrepreneurship. She remarked that Kelley offered experiences like the Silicon Valley Venture Challenge that aligned with her aspirations: "Everything I had been looking for at Kelley has come to life."