Professor Buck Goldstein

Buck Goldstein serves as University Entrepreneur in Residence and Professor of the Practice in the Department of Economics at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he has been instrumental in transforming entrepreneurship education since 2004. After earning his B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa) from UNC-Chapel Hill, M.Ed. from the University of Massachusetts, and J.D. with honors from UNC Law School, he built an impressive career as a successful entrepreneur. He co-founded Information America, which grew from a startup to a NASDAQ-listed company before being acquired by Thomson Corporation, and later founded NetWorth Partners, a venture capital fund, before becoming a partner at Mellon Ventures. His entrepreneurial success earned him recognition as Entrepreneur of the Year from the Information Industry Association. At UNC, he helped establish The Carolina Entrepreneurial Initiative and remains closely involved with the Minor in Entrepreneurship program. He co-authored "Engines of Innovation—The Entrepreneurial University in the 21st Century" with Holden Thorp, advocating for research universities' role in addressing global challenges. His business leadership extends to serving as Chairman of Medfusion (acquired by Intuit), Board Observer for iContact (acquired by Vocus), and advisor to various technology companies and non-profits. Through his teaching and mentorship, he continues to champion entrepreneurship as a vital force for societal change.