Eller Executive MBA Students Present Innovative Business Ideas for Natera’s ESG Program
On August 8, members of the Eller Executive MBA visited the Natera headquarters in Austin, Texas as part of their Innovation Immersive Experience.
Natera is a clinical genetic testing company that specializes in non-invasive, cell-free DNA testing technology, with a focus on women’s health, cancer and organ health.
During their visit, students had the opportunity to get a tour of the facility meet with the senior executive team and participated in a Hackathon that was designed by Paul Melendez, founder of the Center for Leadership Ethics in the Eller College of Management and University Distinguished Outreach Professor.
Students worked in teams to address an area of growth in Natera’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program and to provide ideas and innovative business solutions.
Winners of the Natera ESG Hackathon with Paul Melendez
“It was an overwhelming success and very well received,” says Melendez.
Members of the Natera senior executive team then judged each team’s presentation based on innovation, impact, feasibility, technical complexity and the presentation itself.
The winners of the Hackathon were Gerred Clarke, Jihaad Alyusuf, Reem Aussy and Eddie Stamps who suggested that Natera could enhance their ESG goals by developing a foundation to provide testing to underserved children in the community.
“Dr. Melendez coordinated an immersive experience with Natera that was truly an exceptional experience. In one full day we were able to deep dive into Natera and really get to understand their values, culture, and operations,” says Alyusuf. “It was a creative learning experience that led to an tremendously informative and entertaining day!”
“We were thrilled to host the Eller EMBA students at Natera for an ESG Day and Hackathon," says Casey Stock, head of the ESG Program at Natera. “These students eagerly engaged with our ESG program and our mission to ‘Protect Health and Inform Earlier, More Targeted Intervention,’ delivering meaningful ESG project ideas for us to explore."