Clifford Holekamp

Area of Expertise:

Entrepreneurship

Awards/Honors:

• Top 100 St. Louisans to Know, Small Business Monthly, 2017
• Mayor''s Innovation Award, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, 2016
• Arcus Award for Achievement in Entrepreneurship, St. Louis Regional Chamber, 2015
• Top 100 Entrepreneurship Professors Worldwide, Hot Topics, 2015
• Heroes in Education, Small Business Monthly, 2014
• Outstanding Director Award, St. Louis Business Journal, 2014
• Top 100 St. Louisans to Know, Small Business Monthly, 2014
• 40 under 40, St. Louis Business Journal, 2011
• Distinguished Alumni Award, Washington & Lee University, 2011
• Outstanding Entrepreneur Award, St. Louis County Economic Council, 2007
• Rising Star Award, St. Louis County Enterprise Centers, 2007
• 30 under 30, St. Louis Business Journal, 2003
• Five to Watch, Inc. magazine, 2003
• Kupke Entrepreneurism Award, Washington University, 2001
• Olin Cup Business Plan Competition, Second Place, 2001
• IBM General Manager''s Marketing Excellence Award, 1998
• IBM General Manager''s Marketing Excellence Award, 1997

Cliff Holekamp grew up in Los Angeles and worked as an account executive for IBM in Nashville before coming to Olin, first as a student. After developing the concept in Olin''s entrepreneurship program, he founded a chain of healthcare centers which he later sold to a private equity group. Prof. Holekamp was the founding director of the Entrepreneurship Platform, was the co-founder and architect of the social entrepreneurship programs at Olin and at the Brown School of Social Work, and has launched several new entrepreneurship courses including programs in Hungary and Israel. In addition to teaching, Prof. Holekamp is a co-founder and general partner at Cultivation Capital, an early stage venture capital firm.