Eve Qian, a Johnson Cornell Tech MBA student, joined the Green Technology Innovation Fellows Program (GTIF) to strengthen her entrepreneurial judgment and explore opportunities in the green tech space. Partnered with Henry Williams ‘26, a doctoral student at the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the team began working on the commercialization of Serida Inc.
Serida Inc. is an agrivoltaics deployment software that enables solar developers to design agrivoltaic systems through advanced microclimate modeling and crop algorithms—essentially integrating solar farming into traditional farming.
A core component of the GTIF program is a 6-credit workshop course, NBA 5185: Green Tech Innovation in Practice, paired with fundamental entrepreneurship courses. During one of these workshops, Matt McGraw, Managing Partner at Anthropocene Ventures, gave a talk about Venture Capital and its role in advancing green technology.
Inspired by the session, Eve shared,
“I’ve always been intrigued by Venture Capital and considered it a potential career path that would allow me to blend my finance background with my passion for supporting entrepreneurs.”
After a brief conversation with Matt, Eve took the opportunity to pitch herself for an internship.
“While this wasn’t something Matt had explicitly offered, I felt there was little to lose by taking the initiative. I genuinely believed my diverse experience could add value. I was positively surprised to find out Matt was receptive to my proposal and appreciated my proactive attitude.”
From Classroom to Competition
Following the completion of the GTIF program, Eve and Henry continued developing Serida Inc., applying their insights to external competitions. Their efforts paid off:
- In April 2024, Serida Inc. won $22,000 from the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Bonus Prize in the EnergyTech University Prize competition.
- Most recently, the team reconvened for the Ready! Contest in the American-Made Solar Prize Round 8, winning $50,000 to advance their technology and support the solar industry’s adoption of agrivoltaic solutions.
“Choosing to continue working with Serida felt like a natural next step,” Eve reflected. “After over a year of collaborating with this dedicated team, this project has evolved into something much greater than just a chapter. It’s now a cause I deeply care about, and I am fully dedicated to doing everything within my power to contribute to making it happen.”
Why MBAs Should Consider the Green Technology Innovation Fellows Program
When asked why other MBAs should consider the GTIF program, Eve emphasized the program’s collaborative environment and its expansive network.
“I found immense passion in working as part of a team to build a new business from the ground up, all while receiving unwavering support and encouragement from the invaluable network this program provides.”
She continued,
“The connections I made throughout the GTIF program opened up unexpected and exciting opportunities. Beyond securing a VC internship, I was offered positions in strategy, consulting, and even as a co-founder, all thanks to the connections the program helped facilitate.”
Interested in Applying?
The Green Technology Innovation Fellows program is open to two-year MBA students in the final year of their degrees. The program begins in August 2025, with monthly workshops held throughout the academic year.
Upcoming Information Sessions:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
Apply now: https://bit.ly/GTIF25
Questions? Contact techinnovation@cornell.edu
