Chance favors the prepared mind.鈥�
This quote from 19th century French scientist Louis Pasteur is situated at the top of Accel Partners鈥� homepage. The venture capital firm, founded in 1983 by James Swartz (TPR鈥�66), backs businesses that 鈥渟how potential for significant long-term success鈥� in the sectors of information technology and digital infrastructure using what they call a prepared minds approach. Led by Swartz鈥檚 nearly half-century of experience as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Accel has backed successful companies such as file sharing service Dropbox, travel booking site Kayak, and even social media giant Facebook. You can bet that Swartz knows a good investment when he sees one.
Swartz鈥檚 keen instincts extend beyond the private sector to his philanthropic interests as well. In addition to serving on the inaugural board for the Board of Advisors, he has funded both the and the Swartz Entrepreneurial Fellows program within the business school. His continued support of education and his professional accomplishments earned him the business school鈥檚 2013 Alumni Achievement Award.
But his latest investment in his alma mater is perhaps his most far-reaching. In a joint gift with his wife, Susan, Swartz has donated $10 million toward the construction of a 295,000-square-foot facility on the future David A. Tepper Quadrangle.
The Quadrangle鈥攋umpstarted with a $67 million gift from David Tepper (TPR鈥�82) last fall鈥攚ill function as an academic hub on 4.5-acres of the university鈥檚 campus, which will develop the Forbes Avenue Corridor. The Swartzes鈥� gift will help relocate the business school there.
鈥淭his will be a location where faculty and students from all across campus can come to collaborate on important problems that we face in both business and society,鈥� says Robert Dammon, dean of the Tepper School.
By creating a space that encourages interaction among technology, business, and the sciences, Dammon says, the Tepper School鈥檚 new home will advance research, learning technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration鈥攁n environment to foster prepared minds.
