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Redirected

095 Manu Edakara | Accelerating Business

Redirected

Andrew East

Business

5 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 April 2021

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Continuing our Forbes 30 under 30 series, I got to talk to Manu Edakara. As Program Director at iVenture Accelerator, Manu manages a startup ecosystem across three University of Illinois campuses, supporting students’ innovative ideas for transforming the state’s economy and education. Its entrepreneurs have raised $11 million—and inspired other departments and universities to replicate the academic model. For his part, Edakara co-founded three startups and a nonprofit still operating in the Chicago area. Read about Manu in Forbes ▶ https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5dcf200de0af7b0006b1754a/manu-edakara-27/?sh=4c51d33a6271 Thanks so much for watching! Continue the conversation over on Instagram here ▶ https://www.instagram.com/theredirect...​ Follow My Twitter ▶ http://www.twitter.com/AndrewDEast​​ Follow My Instagram ▶ http://www.instagram.com/AndrewDEast​​ Like the Facebook page! ▶ http://www.facebook.com/AndrewDEast​​ Snapchat! ▶ @AndrewDEast

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome back to Redirected. My name is Andrew East and this is a show where we sit down with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, really anybody who has experienced a change or pivot in life.

0:17.5

I call these changes redirections and at some point or another we all go through them.

0:22.0

My story is going from studying engineering and college to playing in the NFL to failing to play in the NFL to now doing digital media full time.

0:31.0

So I wanted to hear from people who have made it through these changes well so that I could glean some wisdom from them and share that wisdom with you.

0:39.0

I hope to do that in a way that's entertaining and also educational, maybe a little bit inspirational as well.

0:46.0

So thank you for tuning in. Before we get started, if you could press the subscribe button on whatever platform you're listening to, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, whatever it is.

0:56.0

And give the show a rating. I would love to hear your feedback and things you think I'm doing well, things you think I'm doing poorly.

1:03.0

Today we sit down with a special guest, Manu Atacara. And Manu is the program director of the I Venture Accelerator Program at the University of Illinois.

1:14.0

He's the youngest ever to be in a role like that at the University of Illinois. And he's one of the best speakers that I've had the pleasure of speaking with.

1:24.0

He shares some incredible insight on what he's learned from being the son of immigrants to being homeless and then ultimately finding his way into the entrepreneurship space.

1:35.0

And he talks with us about what he's gleaned from these different founders and entrepreneurs and investors. And so I'm thankful Manu could share his wisdom with us.

1:45.0

I hope you enjoy the show. Again, if you haven't subscribed to the show or given a rating, please do so now. And let's just go ahead and roll into it with Manu Atacara.

1:54.0

Manu, thanks so much for joining us. It's a pleasure to meet you.

1:57.0

It is a real pleasure to meet you today on November 4th.

2:01.0

It's a good distraction from everything going on. But you were just telling me you met my wife at some point. I'm curious.

2:09.0

I did. So I, again, I'm not like a crazy athlete or anything, but I used to do gymnastics in high school. So I always had a sport. And she actually spoke at the University of Illinois when I was here in undergrad.

2:22.0

So we got a chance to see her and that was really cool. And now, you know, what is it five years later I'm talking to you, which is kind of really neat.

2:29.0

Yeah, who's taller? You were Sean. Definitely. Well, I'm not all the kind of room, but I think I might have a couple of inches.

2:38.0

Yeah, I got to ask. So I was looking at your videos that you've posted on in the manuscript.

2:45.0

Manu script. I guess is how you might pronounce it on your YouTube channel. I saw you did the Murf challenge.

2:51.0

Yes.

2:52.0

I was going to ask if I work out. I'm where so it's for those listening who haven't done the Murf. It's run a mile, hundred pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 yards, squats, run another mile.

...

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