In collaboration with Stetson’s School of Business Administration, the Hatter Angel Network recently finalized its most recent student-led investment: Grocery Shopii. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based startup offers marketing enablement technology that facilitates connections among food brands, retailers and consumers through shoppable recipe solutions.

The Hatter Angel Network, founded in 2020 by Dan Glunt ’93 and Milt Douglass ’82 ’83, along with faculty member Bill Andrews, PhD, includes more than 30 active members. The network invests in various industries and verticals. 

Katie Hotze, CEO of Grocery Shopii, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “After meeting Stetson students at a venture capital event in Atlanta, I was impressed by their insightful questions. The Hatter Angel Network’s program, which involves students in the investment process, is both unique and remarkable. We are thrilled about our relationship with the Hatter Angel Network and the Stetson students, and have found it to be mutually beneficial.”

In December 2023, students in Stetson’s Venture Capital and Angel Investment Program (ENTP 452), led by Andrews, associate professor of Management, conducted due diligence on Grocery Shopii. Following their review, members of the Hatter Angel Network invested more than $100,000 in January 2024, marking the network’s sixth and latest portfolio investment. 

To date, the network’s total investments have surpassed $1.15 million over three years. Alongside the Roland George Investment Program, which concentrates on equities and fixed income, Stetson’s School of Business Administration offers comprehensive investment courses that cover everything from early-stage startups to post-IPO companies. That broad scope provides students with practical experience in deal flow, diligence, valuations and portfolio management, with many graduates securing positions in investment banking, international business and venture capital.

Monica Mendoza, PhD, associate dean of the business school, highlighted the program’s impact, commenting, “The Hatter Angel Network affords our students an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly in investment decision-making processes. This hands-on experience is invaluable and distinctively enriches our students’ education.”

Aziel Aigbogun, a student who participated in the due diligence process for Grocery Shopii, shared his perspective: “The Hatter Angel Network and ENTP 452 introduced me to the venture capital world, enhancing my education and providing me with experience in evaluating companies both qualitatively and quantitatively. Meeting CEOs like Katie Hotze has been enlightening, and we’re excited about adding Grocery Shopii to our portfolio.”

The Hatter Angel Network also recently increased its investment in Streann Media, a company that has developed a patent-pending technology for next-generation streaming services combining AI, augmented reality, and social content platforms.