Meredith Meyer Grelli Appointed New Director of Project Olympus

Meredith Meyer Grelli has taught more than a thousand students about entrepreneurship since joining Carnegie Mellon University full-time as an assistant teaching professor of entrepreneurship in the Tepper School of Business. She's dedicated to helping people navigate business development, no matter the stage.

"I am deeply committed to helping our ridiculously talented community members consider a life where they are betting on themselves rather than on an existing corporation," Grelli said.

Grelli's dedication to fostering entrepreneurship will continue in her new role as assistant dean for entrepreneurship initiatives and director of Project Olympus. Founded in 2007 in the School of Computer Science, Project Olympus provides support and resources to faculty, students, alumni and staff aspiring to transform their research and ideas into startups. So far, it's helped launch more than 1,400 startups.

Grelli succeeds Kit Needham, who is retiring after serving as director since 2008. Needham said she is confident in Grelli's ability to lead Project Olympus into its next chapter when she steps into the role Sept. 2.

"Meredith is a joy to work with and is seamlessly stepping into the role to continue the mission of Project Olympus," Needham said. "Her deep understanding of CMU, outstanding reputation as an entrepreneurial educator, and exceptional energy and vision make her the perfect fit for this position."

Grelli's career began at CMU's Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research, followed by a role at H.J. Heinz North America. In 2010, she co-founded Wigle Whiskey, and later, Threadbare Cider & Mead.

"One of my proudest achievements is helping to change the regulatory framework, which allowed us to build the first direct-to-consumer distillery in the state in 100 years, enabling hundreds of other craft distilleries to thrive in Pennsylvania," Grelli said. "This change made direct-to-consumer spirits feasible and helped foster a vibrant industry."

Grelli's teaching journey started at Chatham University's Food Studies Program, and she started teaching at the Tepper School in 2019. She holds an MBA from the Tepper School, and has studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the University of Chicago.

Looking ahead, Grelli plans to build on the strong foundation established by her predecessors at Project Olympus. She hopes to engage with the community during her first few months to shape the direction of the program.

"My goal is to spend the first several months collaborating with stakeholders to envision what the next five to 10 years of Project Olympus might look like," she said. "This will involve input from across the university and external partners as we define what entrepreneurship needs Project Olympus will meet."

In addition to her growth-oriented approach, Grelli is passionate about mentorship.

"I believe that having extraordinarily committed mentors is the greatest gift we can offer our entrepreneurs and founders," she said. "I've had the privilege of being part of peer advising groups that have been instrumental in navigating the peaks and valleys of my own entrepreneurial journey, and I look forward to fostering support structures for others."