Attendee Information: What You Need to Know

We’re excited to welcome you to HBCUvc Startup School: Pathways to Wealth & Impact, taking place June 5–7, 2025, in Palo Alto, California. Please review the important information below as you prepare for your visit.

Event Schedule

Please see the schedule tab for session details.

Thursday, June 5

  • Welcome Reception | Evening 4pm - 6pm

    Hosted by Next Legacy Partners (180 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301)

Friday, June 6 – Saturday, June 7

  • Main programming at Playground Global Headquarters (380 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306)
  • Devices will be distributed on Friday, Jun 6
  • On Saturday, there will be an opportunity to take professional headshots
  • The event will conclude on Saturday, June 7 at 1:00 PM

Parking and Ride Share Instructions for Playground Global:

Ride share drop off: You can be dropped off at the corner of Portage Ave and Ash St.

Parking: Parking is only available in the back of the building via El Camino Real or Park Blvd through Portage Ave. Please follow signs to the temporary lobby entrance (located on Portage Ave & Ash St). Receptionist will greet you. Important Notice: Parking is not permitted in the Equinox parking structure. Towing will be strongly enforced.

Closest Airport and Transportation

The closest airport to the event is San Jose International Airport (SJC), located approximately 20 minutes from Palo Alto by car. Additional nearby airports include San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Oakland International Airport (OAK), each about 30–45 minutes away depending on traffic.Please Note: HBCUvc will not provide shuttle service to or from the airport. Attendees are responsible for arranging their own airport transportation. However, transportation will be provided each day from the Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto to event venues for those staying at the hotel.

Hotel Scholarship Recipients

If you’ve been awarded a hotel scholarship, your lodging will be provided at:

Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto

4216 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306

All student hotel scholarship recipients will be assigned a shared room with another student attendee. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate roommate requests.

Venue Transportation: Hotel scholarship participants will receive a Lyft code by email (check your inbox and spam folder) that will cover rides between the hotel and Startup School events. You should receive the email on Jun 4th.

Please note:

  • This code is for you only and should not be shared.
  • Each code has limited usage and is tied to your individual attendance.
  • Sharing or misuse may prevent another student from getting where they need to go.

Meals: As part of your hotel scholarship, you will be provided with a meal gift card for Friday dinner. Breakfast and Lunch will be served at the conference on Jun 6 - 7th.


If you can no longer attend, you must notify us at programs@hbcu.vc by May 16, 2025 to cancel your reservation.

Please Note: Students who confirm attendance but do not show up—and do not update their status—will not be eligible for future HBCUvc programs.

Student Tech Giveaway

Thanks to the support of a generous sponsor, each participant will receive a new Apple MacBook or Apple iPad during Startup School.

  • Devices will be distributed during check-in on Friday, June 6.
  • You’ll be able to select a device at the time of pick-up, based on availability.
  • Please note: we cannot guarantee which device you’ll receive. If demand for one device exceeds supply (e.g., all laptops are claimed early), remaining students will receive the available device.

Every student will receive one device, and a valid photo ID is required at check-in to claim it.

    Attire Guidelines

      We want you to feel comfortable, confident, and appropriately dressed for each part of the event. Here’s what we recommend:

      Thursday: Welcome Reception

      • Dressy Casual — Think elevated but approachable. Polished tops, blouses, sweaters, dresses, slacks, or stylish jeans without rips.

      Friday: Main Program Day

      • School Pride Day — We encourage everyone to wear their college paraphernalia (shirts, hoodies). You’ll be photographed, so rep your campus proudly!

      Saturday: Closing Sessions

      • Casual—Relaxed but still presentable. Please note that we will have a headshot lounge available on Saturday. You can take professional headshots.
      • Please avoid the following:
        • Sweatpants
        • Shorts or flip-flops
        • Ripped or distressed jeans
        • Sleepwear or any headwear typically worn to bed

      Questions?

      Email us anytime at programs@hbcu.vc