Amplifying Opportunity

Louisville Entrepreneur, Award-Winning Alumnus Larry Horn Gives Back to UofL Students, Community

How do you build a career at the intersection of ideas, impact and opportunity? For Larry Horn, it has meant turning his University of Louisville College of Business education into a trajectory that includes founding startups, building the region’s innovation ecosystem and leading Amplify Startups, his entrepreneurial support organization, in collaboration with the CoB.

Having seen Louisville’s entrepreneurial landscape from multiple angles – as a UofL business student and alumnus, a venture-backed founder and a member of the college’s Board of Advisors, Horn works alongside business faculty, administrators and other area corporate leaders to help students turn ideas into real companies. His recent recognition as a Wilson Wyatt Alumni Ambassador and his frequent conversations with CoB students reflect a steady commitment to empowering business students who will become entrepreneurs contributing to regional growth.

Horn recently shared with us how the college helped him build the confidence and skills to navigate a non-linear career, how his experience in startups informs the way he supports founders today and how he envisions CoB graduates playing a central role in Louisville’s next decade of innovation.

College of Business: As a first-generation college student, what were some early experiences that shaped your perspective on education, opportunity and work before you ever set foot on the University of Louisville campus?

Larry Horn: Growing up in a blue-collar household shaped how I think about work and opportunity in very real ways. I watched both of my parents work incredibly hard, and I also knew what it felt like to not have much. That combination – effort without guarantees – ironically made risk feel less scary later in life. When you grow up without a safety net, you learn how to persist, adapt and keep showing up.

For much of my life, my mother was the catalyst for understanding the importance of education. My high school graduation cake famously read “MBA = BMW,” which perfectly captured my youthful, material-driven motivation at the time. Beneath the humor, though, was a deeper message: education could open doors that hard work alone sometimes couldn’t. That early lens – effort matters, opportunity is earned and consistency counts – still shapes how I lead today.

College of Business: What initially drew you to UofL’s College of Business for your undergraduate degree in marketing, and later your MBA in entrepreneurship?

Larry Horn: Growing up, I admired business leaders the way other kids admired athletes or musicians – they were the rock stars of my youth. I devoured books about people like Jack Welch and David Jones, Sr. The University of Louisville felt accessible, practical and connected to the real world, which mattered to me. Marketing appealed to me because it sat at the intersection of creativity and strategy. I was already succeeding in sales roles and learning firsthand how positioning, storytelling and meeting customers where they are can drive results. 

Later, the MBA in entrepreneurship was truly catalytic. It wasn’t just about theory – it sharpened my critical thinking and surrounded me with builders. That program didn’t just teach me how to think about business – it helped me see myself as someone who could create one.

College of Business: Looking back, what aspects of your time as a UofL business student most influenced how you lead and make decisions today?

Larry Horn: Two things stand out: critical thinking and relationships. The MBA taught me how to ask better questions and evaluate trade-offs rather than chase perfect answers. Just as important, it helped me build relationships and a network I still rely on today. Leadership, for me, is about clarity, curiosity and trust – and those muscles were developed through classrooms, team projects and real-world competitions at UofL.

College of Business: After graduation, you went on to co-found multiple venture-backed startups, such as Roth River and TNG Pharmaceuticals. What did those founder experiences teach you about risk, resilience and building something from the ground up?

Larry Horn: Being a founder – especially in the venture world – has a fast way of teaching humility. You hear “no” far more than “yes.” There’s rarely a perfect moment, and almost never applause when you share an idea. That’s just the terrain. Over time, you learn that progress comes from belief – sometimes bordering on stubbornness – paired with persistence. Ideas don’t bend the world on their own – founders do, by staying in motion, learning from the hits and getting back up. Resilience isn’t optional. Risk is part of the job, but it’s also relative. What looks risky from the outside often feels like the normal rhythm of life to a founder. When you commit to the long game, uncertainty stops being the exception and becomes the work itself. This is how companies – and ecosystems – actually get built.

College of Business: With an eventual shift from being a founder into helping build the broader startup ecosystem, particularly in your role at Techstars, what prompted that transition?

Larry Horn: Building startups is hard – full stop – and there’s a real cost to you and your family that doesn’t show up on a cap table. Over time, I realized my real strength wasn’t only in building companies, but in connecting people and lowering the barriers between them.

That insight, combined with opportunity, pulled me toward ecosystem work with Techstars and eventually to building Amplify. My perspective shifted from “How do I win?” to “How do we reduce friction so more founders can win?” When you take the long view, success stops being a solo achievement and starts looking like something shared.

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College of Business: Today, as co-founder and CEO of Amplify Startups, how do you describe Amplify’s mission to UofL students and alumni?

Larry Horn: I describe Amplify’s mission simply: we help people turn ideas into real companies – and help real companies grow faster, smarter and with fewer unforced mistakes. We work with founders at every stage, from “I have an idea and a lot of questions” to “we’re growing and need capital, customers and talent.” At UofL, that shows up in two important ways. With the College of Business, we support student-led entrepreneurship through programs like the Sandbox, student-run ventures and the Cardinal Challenge. Our goal is exposure – helping students see what entrepreneurship actually looks like in the real world: messy, exciting, uncertain and full of opportunity.

With Research and Innovation, our focus is commercialization. We help translate UofL-based research out of the lab and into industry by pairing researchers with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and operators who know how to build companies around innovation. Zoomed out, Amplify’s role is to reduce friction in the entrepreneurial journey – connecting people to the right resources at the right time through real relationships.

College of Business: What kinds of opportunities exist for UofL College of Business students and graduates to connect with Amplify?

Larry Horn: There are many entry points – founders with ideas, interns looking for hands-on experience or future ecosystem leaders who want to learn how this work happens. Students can engage through internships, programming, events and direct coaching. Even curiosity is enough to get started.

College of Business: Over the years, you’ve taken on a growing number of volunteer roles at UofL. What keeps bringing you back?

Larry Horn: Gratitude and responsibility. UofL played a formative role in my life, and I believe giving back is part of the deal. When you benefit from a system, you help strengthen it for the next generation. I also believe the university is one of the most important economic engines in our community – developing talent, advancing innovation and supporting growth. If I can play even a small role in strengthening that engine, it’s a responsibility I take seriously.

College of Business: As a member of the College of Business Board of Advisors, how do you see this group shaping the future of the college?

Larry Horn: The Board brings real-world perspective into the classroom and creates a feedback loop between industry and academia. We help the administration understand how workforce needs are changing and what employers are looking for in graduates. The opportunity ahead is to deepen those connections so students graduate not just credentialed, but confident, prepared and connected.

College of Business: How did earning the 2025 Wilson Wyatt Alumni Ambassador Award make you feel?

Larry Horn: It was deeply humbling. The award affirmed that the work I care about – community building, entrepreneurship and service – matters to the university. It reinforced that professional success and institutional mission don’t have to be separate paths.

College of Business: As a frequent guest speaker in the College of Business, what core messages are you most eager to leave with students?

Larry Horn: Be curious. Bet on yourself. And remember that clear is kind – especially in leadership. You don’t have to have everything figured out, but you do need to show up, follow through and keep learning.

College of Business: For prospective students unsure where a business degree might lead, how would you describe the doors it opened for you?

Larry Horn: A business education didn’t give me a single path – it gave me optionality. It taught me how to think, how to build and how to adapt. Those skills translate across industries, roles and economic cycles.

College of Business: For current UofL business students, what practical steps can they take now to build strong networks?

Larry Horn: Say yes to conversations. Do informational interviews. Use your student status to ask questions and learn. And when you stop getting value, start giving it. That’s how community actually works.

College of Business: Do you have a favorite book, podcast or piece of advice you return to?

Larry Horn: The book Give and Take has stayed with me. Givers may not win fastest, but they win longest. That idea has shaped how I think about leadership and community.

College of Business: What’s one small, everyday habit that helps you stay grounded?

Larry Horn: Routine. I protect my calendar, work out consistently and intentionally make time for the people who bring me joy. You have to build systems that support both your work and your relationships.

College of Business: Looking ahead five to ten years, what is your hope for Louisville’s innovation ecosystem?

Larry Horn: My hope is that Louisville becomes known as a place where innovation feels accessible, connected and genuinely founder-driven. I want entrepreneurs to see a clear path from idea to impact, with strong ties between startups, universities, corporations and capital.

Success looks like more homegrown companies scaling here, more research turning into real-world solutions and a culture where collaboration outweighs competition. College of Business graduates will play a major role as founders, operators, investors and community builders who understand that entrepreneurship is a team sport.

College of Business: Are there any other insights you’d like to leave with readers?

Larry Horn: You don’t have to be for everyone – and trying to be usually costs more than it pays. The real work is knowing who you are, what you stand for and building from there. Show up consistently. Do what you say you’ll do. Be generous with your time and attention. Over time, trust compounds. And when trust is present, friction is reduced – and progress has a way of finding you.

About the UofL College of Business:

Founded in 1953, the UofL College of Business fosters intellectual and economic vitality in our city, region and the global business landscape. Our academic programs, research, community outreach initiatives and commitment to student success inspire lives and businesses to flourish through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, diversity and the power of people.

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