Laurel Djoukeng was born in Washington, DC, and raised in the Metropolitan area. He received his bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and MBA from Duke University. His professional career began in New York City, where he resided for ten years. In 2010, he worked as an investment analyst for PGIM Real Estate, a global real estate private equity firm with $208 billion in assets under management. In 2012, he transitioned to the Carlton Group, an international investment banking firm with more than $160 billion in transactions. At Duke University, Laurel launched Sparc, a platform that empowers professionals and college students by activating connections within their community for career opportunities, professional development, and making money.

Sparc streamlines the job search and hiring process by leveraging AI and activating connections between professionals/students and employers. Sparc goes beyond typical job platforms that only have job posts. Students and professionals connect directly with employers through their organizations (https://sparc.world/entities) to form partnerships and arrange recruiting events (https://sparc.world/events).

Members also access professionals on-demand who work at top companies for career advice, resume review, and interview prep. Lastly, members make money from tutoring (https://sparc.world/tutoring) and coaching https://sparc.world/coaching).

In Q4 of 2023, Sparc generated more than $75,000 in revenue. Sparc has more than 4,000 users. 2,500+ people have applied for jobs via Sparc, 1000+ people have registered for events, more than 1,000 personal sessions have occurred, and 45 coaches/tutors have earned more than $1,000 via Sparc. More than 60 companies use Sparc; some employers are Facebook, Google, Vista Equity Partners, SoftBank, Insight Partners, and BCG.

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