Mark Koslow

I'm a senior at Duke University, studying computer science and economics. Raised in a small town in central Pennsylvania, I grew up largely unaware of the budding tech revolution.

It's incredible how much can change in just a few years. Since my freshman year, I've dedicated a great deal of my academic experience to coding and entrepreneurship studies. I've grown to love the entrepreneurial spirit of the Bay Area and truly appreciate the power of technology to improve people's lives. A mentor of mine once told me, "A few years ago, you needed land, capital, equipment, and manpower to build anything on a large scale. Now, you just need a laptop and a wifi connection." That message truly resonated during my first job as a software developer at a startup in Palo Alto. It was my first experience building something that provided a service that people could use in their everyday lives, and it was exhilarating.

Since then, I've dedicated myself to gaining the necessary skills to build great products. I had the incredible opportunity of taking a class with HBS professor Clay Christensen about his pioneering Theory of Disruptive Innovation. (If you're interested, there is a post on my blog explaining his theory.) At Duke, I've gotten to play the role of VP of Entrepreneurship for Duke Business society, and am an active member of Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship. As a side project, I'm working on an exciting new app that provides an intimate, fun and engaging way for groups of people to communicate. More details to come!

In my free time, you can usually find me reading, exercising, listening to music, traveling, or spending time with friends and family. Duke has provided me with a truly incredible circle of friends, and I'm trying to soak in every moment with them during my last year here. Despite all the great opportunities at Duke, my family remains the most important part of my life. My parents are the most incredible, supportive people that I know, and my older brother and older sister are still my two best friends.

Thanks for reading, and please don't hesitate to reach out!