Tulane Innovation Day Honors Green Wave Innovation Network Mentors

Kimberly Gramm with Guillermo Morales

March 17, 2026

Tulane Innovation Day opened with a conversation between a mentor and the entrepreneur he once guided, setting the tone for a day that celebrated mentorship. Bong Suh, who mentored Brett Hurt when Hurt was building Coremetrics, shared the stage with the entrepreneur he once guided. Hurt later co-founded Bazaarvoice, taking it through a unicorn IPO, and most recently co-founded data.world, which raised more than $150 million before being acquired by ServiceNow in 2024. He is now CEO of Love Conquers Fear. Suh and Hurt discussed lessons from the dot-com era, emerging industries using AI, and the guidance that can influence a company's and a student's path.

Mentorship is central to the Tulane Innovation Institute's support of New Orleans startups, alongside entrepreneurial education and access to funding. That commitment is embodied in the Green Wave Innovation Network (GWIN), a community of Tulane alumni, parents, and local executives who volunteer their time and expertise to guide founders participating in the Institute's programs. The $50K Demo Day competition, part of the day's programming, showcased ventures that had all participated in the Startup Team Mentoring program and received guidance from the Green Wave Innovation Network (GWIN), making it a visible example of how mentorship shapes New Orleans startups.

In fiscal year 2025, more than 100 mentors across the country contributed over 1,600 volunteer hours - reviewing grant applications, judging competitions, making introductions, and offering insight and experience to help founders grow. This year, the Innovation Institute launched the inaugural GWIN Mentor Awards to honor those contributions and highlight the people who make mentorship a constant in the ecosystem.

"The Green Wave Innovation Network shows what is possible when a community rallies around founders," said Kimberly Gramm, PhD, David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer at Tulane University. "Our mentors give their time, perspectives, and networks to help entrepreneurs make smarter decisions and scale faster. Mentorship is one of the most important ingredients in venture creation - and our mentors truly are our secret sauce."

Peer-Nominated Mentor Award: Guillermo Morales
Guillermo Morales, PhD, MBA, CEO of Innoventyx, an international pharmaceutical and biotech consulting firm, brings 30 years of experience in drug discovery, development, and software innovation. He has held leadership roles including CEO, CSO, COO, CBO, VP, and director; co-founded multiple companies; raised millions in venture and government funding; and is the lead inventor on nine granted patents. Morales served 11 years as editor-in-chief of Molecular Diversity and is an NIH SBIR/STTR grant reviewer. Peers highlighted his generosity, knowledge, and consistent willingness to support mentees and colleagues beyond what was expected.