Attendees at a gathering of the Duke Entrepreneurial Leaders Network.
1 of 4
Attendees at a gathering of the Duke Entrepreneurial Leaders Network.
1 of 4
Attendees at a gathering of the Duke Entrepreneurial Leaders Network.
1 of 4
Attendees at a gathering of the Duke Entrepreneurial Leaders Network.
1 of 4
The Duke Entrepreneurial Leaders Network (ELN), a select group of Duke alumni and students committed to founding or leading innovation-driven ventures, has announced its 2026 cohort.
Fifteen new members were inducted earlier this month, bringing the total network to nearly 100 members spanning sectors including AI, health tech, deep tech, and life sciences.
“ELN is a selective program identifying uniquely talented technologists and business leaders from Duke's student and alumni community with the drive to build enduring companies. This cohort is a clear reflection of that standard,” said Jamie Jones, Director of Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Duke I&E).
Founded in 2020, ELN provides members with ongoing access to opportunities from Duke I&E, the Duke Office for Translation & Commercialization (OTC), the Pratt School of Engineering, and Triangle-area ventures. Members are invited to explore spinout opportunities from Duke IP, connect with Duke founders in need of executive talent, and engage with a community of entrepreneurial leaders making local and global impact.
For many, the value of ELN lies not just in the access it provides, but in the community of peers who share a deep-rooted drive to build and give back.
“While Duke has already provided an incredible ecosystem to grow my work, the ELN offers something particularly valuable: a network of entrepreneurs who are thinking seriously about how to build durable, high-impact companies,” said Ben Ncube, a 2026 ELN inductee.
“Working with members of the ELN as they continue to engage with the Duke community after they graduate provides a great pipeline for current and future startups,” said Robin Rasor, Associate Vice President for Translation & Commercialization. “ELN members are on the front lines of the transformative startups and groundbreaking research emerging from Duke University every year.”
Student Inductees
- Nicholas Allen Ph.D.'26
- Adam Berthold M.B.A.'26
- Robert Fusco Ph.D.'26
- Joshua Heebner M.B.A.'26
- Christopher Kaminski M.S.'24, Ph.D.'26
- A’nna Kelly Ph.D. '26
- Ben Jammaine Ncube M.S.'26
- Ben Neubert Ph.D.'26
- Kelly O'Keefe M.B.A.'26
- Shivank Srivastava M.B.A.'26
Alumni Inductees
- Jonathan Ark Ph.D.'23
- Will Cao Ph.D.'17
- Cindy Chen M.S.'20 Ph.D.'24
- David Fiflis Ph.D.'24
- Tri Vu M.S.'22 Ph.D.'24
ELN—a partnership between Duke I&E and OTC, with support from Duke Capital Partners—is part of a broader suite of programs that prepare and support entrepreneurial Duke students and alumni. These include courses like New Ventures: Develop, Design Health, and Duke Start-Up Ventures Clinic, as well as co-curricular initiatives like the Melissa & Doug Entrepreneurs, New Venture Fellows, Duke Capital Partners Associate Program, and the PhD Innovators Program.
“As we begin to scale the ELN, opportunities for members to connect with each other and the broader entrepreneurial community are what will allow Duke to remain on the forefront of technical innovation,” said Josh Cohen, Director of MBA Entrepreneurship Programs and Startup Recruiting at Duke I&E.
Read more about this year’s ELN cohort in the 2026 ELN Look Book.