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Alumni Profiles

IBDD Alumnus Zach Millburn ’13 Founds Nomadic Lifestyle Startup

Since graduating from Poole College in 2013, Zach Millburn has been leading a nomadic lifestyle traveling to over 60 countries and living outside of the U.S. for two and a half years. Milburn was a graduate of the International Business Dual Degree (IBDD) Program with a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a concentration in entrepreneurship.

Millburn gained a global perspective during his time studying abroad at the NEOMA Business School in Reims, France, and was driven to found the International Business Club at NC State and travel to Thailand to teach English. 

“I realized during my study abroad experience that I simply had to spend more time exploring the world, other cultures and learning from people with different perspectives.”

“I realized during my study abroad experience that I simply had to spend more time exploring the world, other cultures and learning from people with different perspectives,” said Millburn. “It sounds cliché, but I really do believe life cannot truly be experienced in full without spending a serious amount of time away from home.”

Currently, Millburn is the founder of Nomad Development, Inc., a proptech startup working on the future of living for remote workers and digital nomads. His passion for real estate development was a major shift and shock for Millburn but he is looking forward to introducing software that will amplify the industry globally. 

“So many good, transformational things come out of spending time abroad,” said Millburn. “If anything, I’ve only become more obsessed with doing this over time, although at a certain point you have to figure out how to balance your nomadic lifestyle with a healthy level of stability, community and responsibility – which is part of what we are hoping to offer through our decentralized living ecosystem, beginning with the real estate.”

As an alumnus, Millburn looks to Poole College and the IBDD Program when hiring for Nomad Development internship positions. He is currently hiring his second intern from the program, both of which studied at NEOMA, and is working on building a co-living village in Raleigh.

“Studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life, I sincerely recommend it more than almost anything else you can do in college.”

“Studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life, I sincerely recommend it more than almost anything else you can do in college.”