DURHAM – The music was loud, but it didn’t matter. Those attending Big Top’s College Night just talked over the thumping beats to be heard.
In total, around 300 college students from around the state packed into American Underground’s Main Bullpen on Tuesday for the event.
It’s fifth year running, the event was billed as an opportunity for students to check out the local startup scene and hunt for summer internships.
Free beef sliders and energy drinks were on offer, but attendees seemed more interested in networking.
Among them was graduate student Arusha Dubey.
“I’ve talked to two companies so far,” said the 24-year-old who is studying for a master’s degree in engineering management at Duke University.
“I love working for startups, and I have some relevant experience. I just wanted to understand the culture here.”
The casual atmosphere was also a plus, she said. “I love the music. There’s no pressure on students. Everybody here is very friendly, and they’re answering our questions. I felt very comfortable the moment I stepped in.”
American Underground, a Google for Startups Tech Hub, is home to around 275 startups. Since its 2010 launch, it has also housed dedicated offices for universities like North Carolina Central and Duke University.
“One of the outcomes we are hoping for tonight is that the effort to engage college students becomes a push and a pull,” said Big Top’s Molly Demarest. “We can push opportunities and encourage startups to look local first by making it easy for startup candidates and employers to connect.
“The success of this region is contingent upon how well we are connected and the link between the startup community, code academies, colleges and universities is fundamental to that growth.”
It was little more than a year ago that The American Underground, which is owned by WRAL TechWire parent Capitol Broadcasting, acquired Big Top.
Since then, it has evolved from an events company and fledgling jobs platform, to a software company and leading online hub for local startups.