AVG Resources | Alumni Ventures Group

Investor & Entrepreneur Resources

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AVG Seminar Series: Venture Investing Workshop

Hello Virus!

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Billy Banks Isn’t Afraid of an Entrepreneurial Challenge

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Anyone who has tried to launch their own business will tell you that the path to success is never a straight line. For Billy Banks, the former Associate Director of The Garage at Northwestern University, the journey involved some immense personal and professional challenges.

EP 63: Simplifying Primary Care for Doctors and Patients

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Podcast

As Co-Founder and CEO of Lolly Medical, Zachary Sweeney and his team are building a healthtech platform that allows patients to schedule a doctor’s appointment with the push of a button. Zach is a grant recipient from the 10,000 Entrepreneurs program (or 10KE), an initiative of Alumni Ventures Group aimed at helping young adults explore entrepreneurial careers.

Mythical Games Envisions the Future of Gaming

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Led by a veritable roster of top gaming industry veterans, Mythical Games is building a next-gen game technology studio to develop a line of PC, mobile, and console games on the EOSIO blockchain. Players can use decentralized digital ledger technology to build and verifiably own pieces of the game, helping give rise to “player-owned economies.”

Capella Space is Bringing Planetary Observation to Earth

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Capella Space is leveraging proven technologies in ways that are entirely new—building constellations of SAR satellites that can bring governments and businesses the latest information about any spot on the planet within the hour. Capella's high revisit SAR satellites capture high quality Earth imagery with resolution down to 0.5 meter.

Stumbling Upon SQZ

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While working on his PhD, Armon Sharei discovered a unique method that could change the field of cell-based therapeutics as we know it. Traditionally, scientists have used viruses to manipulate cells, but the SQZ method eliminates this viral middleman. Sharei founded SQZ Biotech to bring this technology to market and has landed nearly 10 patents since.

Creating the First Nationwide Youth Transportation Platform

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Three working moms created HopSkipDrive to help families find safe, reliable rides for their kids. Parents and schools can schedule alternative transportation with highly-vetted drivers and track their child's location during the trip. The platform has experienced consistent growth thanks to partnerships with hundreds of schools in high-density areas of the US.

Using DNA to Cure Viral Infections

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Excision BioTherapeutics has made significant breakthroughs with CRISPR-based therapies using genome editing to cure viral infections at the source. The company is developing treatments that eliminate infectious viral diseases rather than suppressing or stalling their effects, with focuses on HIV as well as Herpes, Hepatitis B, and John Cunningham Virus.

Trading Short-Term Thinking for Long-Term Value

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LTSE is aiming to transform and improve the public stock markets with a new “Long-Term Stock Exchange” built around innovation and sustained value creation. A deal with LTSE presented AVG with a unique opportunity to invest in one of a handful of SEC-approved stock exchange companies in the US.

Investors at the Gate

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Every one of the 400 companies AVG has invested in has a founder's story. It almost invariably starts with someone seeing a problem or an opportunity, bringing something unique to the table, and committing (often for decade or more) to build something better. Mike Collins, Founder and CEO of AVG, shares AVG's story of disrupting the VC industry.

Including Venture Capital in Generational Investing

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The venture asset class can be a key component of an investor’s wealth planning strategy. In a recent article, Cambridge Associates explains why venture capital can be an attractive option for investors aiming to create sustained wealth and engage future generations in the wealth planning process.

EP 62: Meet a UCLA Bruin Helping His Fellow Alums Invest in Venture Capital

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Larry Jen is Managing Partner of Westwood Ventures, a venture capital fund for UCLA alums under the umbrella of Alumni Ventures Group. The Anderson School MBA discusses his investment experience in Silicon Valley, his decision to join Westwood, what it means to be a UCLA Bruin, and why his fellow alums should add venture capital to their portfolio.

EP 61: Baking a Healthy, Entrepreneurial Snack

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Brianna Makaric struggled to find a healthy snack that fit her dietary needs. So she decided to create BRITE Bites, made with high-quality superfoods and probiotics to help support your immune and digestive systems. Brianna is a Grant Recipient from the 10,000 Entrepreneurs program (or 10KE), a nonprofit founded by Alumni Ventures Group to help young adults explore entrepr

Venture Returns Outperform Public Markets

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Whitepaper

Top-quartile venture capital has outperformed the S&P by ~2x over the last 5-, 10-, 15-, and 25-year periods. The VC industry as a whole has outperformed the public markets on each of those time horizons as well. AVG provides actively indexed venture portfolios to investors and co-invests alongside top-quartile venture firms in the overwhelming majority of its deals.

EP 60: The Tax Benefits Most Venture Investors Aren’t Aware Of

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Many people are unaware of the potential tax advantages available to accredited venture investors. Individuals invested in Qualified Small Business Stock can claim a federal tax exemption on up to $10M of capital gains. Peter Loukianoff of Strawberry Creek Ventures and Andrea Kushner of Alliance Bernstein discuss QSBS and other advantages of investing in venture capital.

Spirits & Startups: Celebrating the Double Bottom Line in NYC

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In December 2019, nearly 200 members of AVG’s community gathered at Lightbox in NYC for the latest installment of Spirits & Startups, the firm’s regular investor appreciation series.

Don’t Go the Venture Road Alone

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At Alumni Ventures Group, we have an informal tagline of “better together.” This isn’t simply a feel-good statement - it’s a formula for smart venture investing. Our investors know that it's our “connected capital” that gets us into deals that few individuals could access. It’s true that many investors we speak to are familiar with venture, and may have even

Chris Sheldrick, what3words Founder, Turns Navigation Struggle Into Entrepreneurial Success

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what3words has segmented the entire world into a grid of 57 trillion 10-foot squares and assigned each a unique three-word address. We love how they’ve solved a worldwide geolocation problem with a brilliantly simple solution for navigation, events, emergency, and more.

Becoming a Value-Added Investor in Rhone

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Rhone is a men’s premium performance apparel brand filling the void between big box retailers and high-end yoga brands, delivering best-in-class products specifically for men. An alumni connection introduced AVG to Rhone's founder, which was instrumental in AVG gaining access to a deal with this exciting, rapid-growth company.

EP 59: Applying Analytics to Address Biases in the Workplace

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Timi Dayo-Kayode co-founded Worksense to provide people ops professionals with scalable, real-time analytics for identifying, mitigating, and preventing biases in major decisions involving employees. Timi is a Grant Recipient from the 10,000 Entrepreneurs program (or 10KE), a nonprofit founded by Alumni Ventures Group to help young adults explore entrepreneurial careers.

EP 58: How Two Student Athletes Developed the First Engineered Tampon

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Stanford alums and Tempo Co-Founders Greta Meyer and Amanda Calabrese looked at tampon leakage as an engineering problem and developed a solution based on fluid mechanics. Amanda and Greta are also Grant Recipients from the 10,000 Entrepreneurs (or 10KE) program, an initiative of Alumni Ventures Group aimed at helping young adults explore entrepreneurial careers.

EP 57: Why Alumni Ventures Group Is Investing in the Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow

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Alumni Ventures Group's 10,000 Entrepreneurs (10KE) initiative is aimed at helping young adults explore entrepreneurial careers. The program is coordinated by Drew Wandzilak, a self-described entrepreneurial junkie who was attracted to AVG’s mission of expanding access to venture capital. Listen as Drew talks about the history, mission, and progress of the 10KE program.

Deserve Founder Kalpesh Kapadia’s Experience Built a Thriving Company

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Kalpesh Kapadia, Co-Founder and CEO of Deserve, used data science to create a new type of credit score based on a person’s potential. He coupled that information with the ability to pay bills and stability of identity to create a different standard for creditworthiness.

Hitting Home Runs in Venture by Playing Early in the Game

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We provide insights into the smart bets in our latest white paper, “Playing Hard in the Early Innings.” Alexandra “Sasha” Jostrom-Reiser, a Senior Associate with AVG’s Office of Investing, makes the case for venture. As companies are staying private longer, she explains how venture investor can realize greater gains vs. the IPO participant.

Jonathan Meltzer Aims to Support Both The Global and Local Penn Ecosystems

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As Principal at Chestnut Street Ventures, Jonathan Meltzer is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing venture capital investments. His experience ranges from the role of associate at Goldman Sachs, to investing in private companies at American Capital. We recently caught up with Jonathan to learn how he came to join the Chestnut Street team.

EP 56: The Software Team That’s Revolutionizing Sleep Health

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Daniel Gartenberg is obsessed with sleep quality and its health benefits. So he and a team of technologists built a software tool that uses sound, atmosphere, and diagnostics to make sleep more regenerative. His hope is that people will eventually transition to software solutions that provide long-term benefits without negative side effects.

Entrepreneur in the Spotlight: FUTURE/PROOF Co-Founder and COO Aimy Steadman

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The alcohol market is experiencing a sharp increase in demand for single-service packaged wine, hard seltzers, and high ABV flavored beverages. FUTURE/PROOF (formerly known as BeatBox Beverages) is tackling all three of these product lines. Co-founder and COO Aimy Steadman talks about building the business and important entrepreneurial lessons she learned along the way.

Entrepreneur in the Spotlight: Rhone Co-Founder and CEO Nate Checketts

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Rhone is a premium performance lifestyle brand developed specifically for men. CEO and Co-Founder Nate Checketts felt that men's activewear was an afterthought, and the quality and fit of men's apparel was not being properly addressed. We connected with Nate to talk about his business, important entrepreneurial lessons, and what he reads for inspiration.

AVG Exits JUMP Bikes: A 3x Return After Just Two Years

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AVG invested in JUMP Bikes in 2017. Six months later, JUMP was acquired by Uber in 2018 at a publicly reported price of $200M through a mixture of cash and Uber stock. Relationships and an efficient investment process were AVG's two greatest advantages in making the deal happen.

BONUS EPISODE: Celebrating the First Anniversary of Spirits & Startups in Boston

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Podcast

In October 2019, AVG returned to Boston to host the latest installment of its investor appreciation series, Spirits & Startups. Producer Scott Murphy joined the team in Boston to capture the sights and sounds of the event. Listen to our podcast from the event or read a summary episode.

A Q&A With Nathan Graber-Lipperman

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Nathan Graber-Lipperman was awarded a $2500 grant by AVG’s 10,000 Entrepreneurs (10KE) program to support his work on his startup, Powder Blue Media, while he attended The Garage's pre-accelerator program at Northwestern University. Learn more about his summer experience and how he’s using a digital platform to build real-life conversations.

Entrepreneur in the Spotlight: Compound CEO Janine Yorio

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Compound has developed a technology platform that lowers the barriers to residential real estate ownership in major cities. The company is led by Janine Yorio, a Yale graduate and a real estate investment/private equity industry veteran. We connected with Yorio for a quick Q&A about her business, important entrepreneurial lessons, and what she reads for inspiration.

Paper Gains Explained

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Between their initial seed round and preparing for an exit or IPO, successful companies regularly raise capital which assesses the value of their business. AVG’s Chief Investment Officer Anton Simunovic outlines the process companies and venture capitalists use to determine valuation, and how an up-round can signal strong exit returns.

Support the Builders, Makers, and Creators

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At AVG, we believe the world needs more builders, makers, and creators, and our team is committed to helping cultivate the next generation of game-changers. That is why we created 10,000 Entrepreneurs, known as 10KE, a non-profit with a mission of helping young adults explore entrepreneurial careers.

What Sea Turtles Can Teach Us About Venture Capital Diversification

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Baby sea turtles are born into a dangerous world - only 2% of these young reptiles will ever make it to adulthood. While the odds against them might seem insurmountable, the number of eggs sea turtles lay has decreased their risk of extinction. This same principle can be applied to your strategy of venture capital diversification.

Meet Larry Jen, Managing Partner at Westwood Ventures

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Larry Jen is one of the most recent additions to AVG’s investment teams, serving as Managing Partner of our fund for UCLA alumni, Westwood Ventures. Larry sat down with us to talk about what sparked his interest in VC and how he got started in the industry.

Meet Erik Hammer, AVG’s Chicago Principal

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Erik Hammer recently joined the AVG team as a Principal in our Chicago office, focused on early-stage equity investments. We were able to catch up with Erik to chat about how he found his way to our firm, and how his diverse experiences have helped him build a career in the venture space.

Investment Strategy Series: Deal Awareness & Sourcing

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Venture capital moves at a breakneck pace. A single firm will meet with thousands of entrepreneurs every year, all seeking capital to help build their businesses. So how does AVG decide which ventures to fund? Learn more about our process.

The Importance of VC When Building a Diversified Portfolio

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Whitepaper

As more startups stay private longer or don’t go public at all, VC has also become a more important strategy for building a diversified portfolio. Lacey Farrell Johnson, Partner at Green D Ventures, recently wrote a white paper that explores this topic in more detail.

Meet Scott Armanini, Managing Partner at Expo Ventures

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Scott Armanini is one of the most recent additions to AVG’s investment teams, serving as Managing Partner of our fund for USC alumni, Expo Ventures. We caught up with Scott to talk about his background in emerging tech and what he’s looking forward to as Expo Ventures starts to raise and deploy capital.

Chasing a Holographic Hit: AVG’s Investment in Light Field Lab

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Every investor's primary goal is to identify the “next big thing.” The importance of distinguishing and accessing quality deals is a core tenant of AVG’s due diligence process, which identified Light Field Lab as a high-potential investment. Learn more about the company and its revolutionary hologram technology.

Meet Rob Adams, Managing Partner at Congress Avenue Ventures

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We are pleased to welcome Rob Adams as Managing Partner of Congress Avenue Ventures, Alumni Ventures Group’s fund for UT Austin alums. Throughout his extensive career in venture capital, Rob has raised several funds and helped put Austin on the startup map. Read more about his investment background and why he decided to join AVG.

EP 55: Cancer, Chemo, and a Quest to Disrupt Clinical Trials

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After enduring several failed rounds of chemotherapy, Ping Yeh tried a new type of treatment that would both save his life and change the trajectory of his career. He co-founded StemoniX, a biotech company which helps test different drugs or therapeutics to see if the drugs are safe and if they effectively address various diseases.

Meet Luofei Deng

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We are pleased to welcome Luofei Deng (D’10) as Senior Associate for Green D Ventures, Alumni Ventures Group’s fund for Dartmouth alums. He brings an enthusiasm for venture and tech to this new role. We recently had a chance to catch up with Luofei on his industry experience, as well as his love of good BBQ and collecting vintage electronics.

AVG’s Post-Summer Reading List

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There have been countless articles written on the affinity of CEOs for reading. Alumni Ventures Group CEO Michael Collins has set a 70-book benchmark for himself each of the past four years. Whether you’re interested in adapting this habit or extending your summer reading list, we’ve compiled a selection of personal favorites from Mike and the AVG team.

Tech & VC: How to Invest Smarter (Not Harder) in an Ever-Changing Industry

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With each year, “tech” as an industry becomes more innovative and wide-ranging. Learn how we rely on the expertise of investors on the frontlines of innovation to invest smarter (not harder) in a constantly shifting landscape.

How AVG Turned a Hitter’s Count into Its First Career Home Run

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Just like sighting a good pitch leads to success in baseball, recognizing well-positioned investments is key to developing a successful portfolio. Learn how, a few years after building its first 10-year fund, AVG was presented with a hitter’s count situation and connected for the company’s first career home run.

Vested Interest

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For two finance entrepreneurs—Alumni Ventures Group’s CEO Mike Collins and Ellevest’s CEO Sallie Krawcheck—riding the wave of empowering change has made a huge impact. Both companies are breaking ground in important segments of the investment market—and rewriting old-school ideology in the process.

Xcelerating Innovation at UC Berkeley

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Since 2005, the Sutardja Center at UC Berkeley has fostered innovation in the Bay Area and beyond. Jocelyn Weber Phipps, Director of X-Labs and Executive Programs, explains how the center is empowering entrepreneurs to develop new technologies and solutions in emerging industries.

Meet Isaac Schlecht

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We are pleased to welcome Isaac Schlecht (MBA’19) as Senior Associate for Castor Ventures, AVG’s fund for MIT alums. He brings an extensive investment background and enthusiasm for our venture strategy to this new role. We recently had a chance to catch up with Isaac on his wide-ranging industry experience, as well as his love of sci-fi and passion for game design.

EP 54: Why Catherine Lu Fast-Tracked Her Path into VC

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Catherine Lu was approached by a few top venture firms after she sold a company that she'd started with Stanford classmates. But it wasn't until she met Andre de Baubigny, Managing Partner of Spike Ventures, that she made the leap into VC. Through Spike, she could be both a venture capitalist and an entrepreneur—all while disrupting the VC industry.

EP 53: How Mission Bio is Helping Physicians Beat Cancer

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It's critical for cancer patients to get accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans as quickly as possible. Yet, doctors often struggle with discerning exactly which form of the disease they are dealing with because they can't see the individual cells involved. Charlie Silver, CEO of Mission Bio, hopes to change that with more precise, comprehensive DNA testing.

EP 52: How Dartmouth Grads Leveraged Tech to Clean the Laundry Business

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For years, Rinse Co-Founders Ajay Prakash and James Joun wondered how to increase sales in the static dry cleaning industry. They developed a solution that uses tech to facilitate laundry and dry cleaning pickup with smart scheduling and predictability for everyone involved.

EP 51: How Kelsey Hunter Learned That Messaging is the Future of E-Commerce

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Kelsey Hunter conducted a six-week experiment on Facebook Messenger, interacting with customers on the platform as though she were a chatbot. She discovered that people were more likely to engage with the chatbot if she asked questions. This prompted her to build an e-commerce tool that helps businesses turn Messenger into a new sales funnel.

EP 50: An Answer to the Country’s Student Loan Crisis

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David Klein attended business school with the goal of starting a company before he graduated. Ironically, the cost of attending business school exposed the very problem he would develop CommonBond to solve. He explains how the company is aiming to help fix the student loan crisis by addressing high interest rates, complex processes, and poor customer service.

EP 49: Why Robots Can’t (And Shouldn’t!) Be Fully Autonomous

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According to David Mindell, CEO and Co-Founder of Humatics, it doesn't make sense for a robot of any type to be independent of its environment. That's why Mindell and his team at Humatics are revolutionizing how people and machines locate, navigate, and collaborate in what he calls "situated autonomy."

Meet Ron Levin

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We are pleased to welcome Ron Levin as Principal for The Yard Ventures. As a Harvard alumnus, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and investor in The Yard Fund, Ron brings to his role an enthusiasm for the industry. Learn more about his wide-ranging investment experience, adventures traveling the globe, and new journey of fatherhood.

Meet our Portfolio Partners

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At Alumni Ventures Group, we’re thrilled to be judged by the company we keep. As the second most active global investor according to PitchBook, we’ve had the benefit of co-investing with 11 of the 15 firms named by the New York Times as the Top VCs of 2019. Learn how AVG's partnerships with large VCs give our investors the smart, simple advantage.

It’s 2019. Here’s Why Your Diversification Strategy Should Include VC.

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Green D Ventures Managing Partner Laura Rippy and Partner Lacey Johnson unpack the rationale behind diversification in a way that’s helpful no matter where you are in your investing journey. They discuss time horizons, risk tolerance, and several other relevant concepts.

Co-Investing with Top Venture Firms in Select Deals

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Webinar

Venture is a key asset class that is finally available to accredited investors. In this webinar, our Chief Investment Officer, Anton Simunovic, and Senior Partner, Alain Hanover explain why venture might be right for you, what distinguishes a smart portfolio, and how AVG makes venture investing smart and simple.

Fund Feature: How Greg Baker, MP of Bascom, Embraces Midwestern Goodness

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Greg Baker went to the University of Wisconsin to become an engineer, but a summer internship would change the trajectory of his career. One of his roommates during the internship was Mike Collins, who would later found AVG and call on Greg to launch and lead Bascom Ventures, AVG's fund for UW alums.

EP 48: How Tari Identifies and Improves Your Digital Net Worth

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Naveen Jain cut his teeth in the entertainment industry working with marquee artists. The challenges of ticketing and navigating the reseller market is foundational to the work he’s doing at Tari, which uses blockchain technology to manage digital assets without forcing the end-user into a world of cryptocurrency.

EP 47: How Better Microphones in Smart Devices Could Save Lives

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According to Matt Crowley, the lion's share of connected devices contain low-quality microphones that also dwarf battery life. The result is frustrating and potentially dangerous, depending on the device. That's why Matt and his team developed Vesper MEMS Microphones, built to withstand real-world use in smartphones, wearables, IoT devices, connected automobiles, and more.

Report: Spirits & Startups San Francisco

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In early-April 2019, AVG held the third edition of its investor appreciation event—Spirits & Startups—at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley. Founders & Funders sent producer Ryan Burleson to capture the scene. Listen along as he narrates the sights and sounds, interviews investors and AVG team members, and details how the event benefits all who attend.

Doorway to a Deal

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Connecting with classmates or fellow alums remains a unique conversation starter at AVG, rooted in a shared sense of community. Learn how this alumni-focused approach gave Waterman Ventures access to a Brown-based unicorn.

Purple Arch’s Startup Superlatives

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Purple Arch Ventures, AVG’s fund for Northwestern alumni, knows that great companies improve and develop over time, often helped along by subsequent rounds of funding. Meet some of the fastest-growing companies from the Fund 1 and 2 portfolios in this 2019 “yearbook.”

Fun that Can Shape the Future

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Northwestern alumna Pree Walia believes in putting innovation in the hands of the next generation of female makers - and on them. While it takes a unique eye to make the connection between a good manicure and future STEM innovation, the founder of Preemadonna and creator of the NailBot sees the next-gen nail printer as the perfect intersection of art and tech.

EP 46: The CEO Who Convinced Bob Dylan to Pick a New Name

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Marc Bushala knew he wanted to partner with Bob Dylan as soon as he read that The Bard had registered a trademark for a whiskey brand. So Bushala reached out, talked his way into partnership with the Nobel Prize winner, and influenced the evolution of Heaven's Door, now an award-winning whiskey-label.

Starting Your Venture Portfolio with a Smart, Simple Solution

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Webinar

Venture is a key asset class that is finally available to accredited investors. This webinar explains why venture might be right for you, what distinguishes a smart portfolio, and how AVG makes venture investing smart and simple. We also illustrate AVG’s approach by reviewing one of our fastest-growing funds, The Select Fund.

EP 45: An Online Marketplace with the Power to Save the Retail Industry

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Hingeto is throwing a lifeline to brick-and-mortar retailers and indie merchandisers who struggle to compete with online shopping. Ismail Maiyegun and Leandrew Robinson created a B2B marketplace that gives retailers “superpowers to sell any product in the world,” as well as the ability to get those products on their partner sites quickly.

EP 44: Why Deserve’s Founder Believes That Creditworthiness Should Be Based on Potential

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After 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security declared social security numbers would no longer be issued to incoming foreign students. According to Kalpesh Kapadia, this eliminated the ability of thousands of students to establish credit. So he launched Deserve, a credit card company using a new credit score based on a person’s potential.

Veteran VC Returns to His Roots

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From Silicon Valley to Manhattan, Brian Keil (MBA’92) has developed his investment experience in hubs for entrepreneurship. Learn how, as the Managing Partner for Chestnut Street Ventures, he’ll apply his experience in public and private sector investing to helping fellow Penn alums access deals led by top VCs.

Vetting an Opportunity Like a Venture Capitalist

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When CIO Anton Simunovic was offered the opportunity to join Alumni Ventures Group, he put on his familiar VC hat to conduct his due diligence. While there were many facets to the decision, it’s no coincidence that many of them parallel the considerations Anton has factored into his most successful venture investments in the past.

Beating Bad Apples with Good Data

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The USDA estimates 40% of food in the U.S. feeds landfills instead of people each year, a loss of roughly 133 billion pounds and $161 billion. With Strella Biotech, Founder Katherine Sizov (C ’19) is aiming to reduce these figures with spoilage solutions for every step of the produce supply chain.

EP 43: A Former Army Captain in the Middle of a New Fight

Podcast

After a six-year tenure as an Army captain, Christopher Molaro learned firsthand that a lack of mental healthcare awareness and resources awaited veterans back home in the U.S. He enlisted a partner and started developing Neuroflow, a solution capable of facilitating appointment follow-through, enabling remote monitoring, and coordinating care with other specialists.

EP 42: How Sofa-Shopping Nightmares Fueled a Dream Business

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All that Stephen Kuhl wanted was a comfortable, affordable couch that he could have quickly delivered to his new apartment. That didn’t happen. Within a few months of discussing their shopping miseries, he and a partner founded Burrow, a company that would soon build high-quality, modular sofas that could be on a customer's doorstep within one week.

Leading Budgeting and Performance for Government

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OpenGov, a budgeting and performance platform developed by Yale and Harvard graduate Zac Bookman, helps governments save time, money, and even lives. We sat down with him to learn more about the inspiration behind the platform and the big wins that come with better budgeting and performance.

Building a Fund From the Ground Up

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Venture capital (like all investment) follows some predictable patterns. We invest in a well-diversified group of companies in an effort to create portfolios that offer a satisfactory return. Alain Hanover, Senior Partner at the AVG Elite Engineers Fund, unpacks common principles in venture capital and details core components to consider when constructing a portfolio.

Top Portfolio News

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A brief monthly overview of exciting news from our portfolio companies.

How An Alumni Connection Led AVG to Sapho—Which Was Acquired for $200M

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Mike Collins founded Green D Ventures in 2014 to pool capital from Dartmouth alums to invest in Dartmouth-connected businesses. One of the fund's first portfolio companies was micro-app platform Sapho, which was acquired by Citrix in 2018 for $200M. The exit showed how Green D and its parent company AVG could generate both profit and goodwill in an alumni ecosystem.

EP 41: Why Rob Bibow (CBS ’96) Took the Helm at Fission Ventures

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Rob Bibow, Managing Partner at Fission Ventures, is a fourth generation graduate of Columbia University. His family's story there dates back to the 1890s, when his great-grandfather graduated from its law school. After more than 30 years of finance experience, he's excited to helm this particular fund that makes venture capital accessible to his fellow grads.

EP 40: Gender-Lens Investing is More Than Just Backing Women-Owned Businesses

Podcast

For many people, gender-smart investing simply implies backing women-owned businesses. However, according to Suzanne Biegel and Gail Gilbert Ball, making an impact and uncovering financial opportunity involves much more than simply looking at who's driving a company.

EP 39: How One Globetrotting Princeton Alum Became Managing Partner of Nassau Street Ventures

Podcast

Tom Meyer is Managing Partner at Nassau Street Ventures, which enables alums of Princeton University to access top-tier, diversified venture portfolios. Meyer details his close connection to Princeton, what excites him about the Ivy institution's entrepreneurial ecosystem, and how Nassau Street is able to co-invest alongside the world's top VCs.

Breaking Into the Jewelry Business

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Entrepreneurs and Princeton graduate program alums Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui have found impressive success by following where life leads. While their respective stories began a continent apart, moving to the US for college brought them both a lasting friendship, and a partnership in a successful jewelry startup.

First Checks, Big Moves

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Venture capital firms like to make a big deal about exits, but at the First Check Fund, we’re just as excited about celebrating a great entrance. Our fund is made up of portfolio companies taking their first rounds of investment, getting the “first check” that paves the way for long-term success. Meet five industry-changing companies from our portfolio.

Helping Female Founders Achieve #Balanceforbetter

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Gail Ball, Senior Partner of AVG’s Women’s Fund, has spent three decades in the male-dominated world of finance. She recounts her experience in the industry and the observations that inspired her to help build a fund dedicated to change.

EP 38: Former Yale Bulldog Blitzes the Auto Industry with 3D Printing

Podcast

Kevin Czinger holds the Yale record for single-season and career sacks, was named First Team All-Ivy League, won the Ivy League MVP, and led the Bulldogs to back-to-back Ivy League titles. Now he's tackling climate change with Divergent 3D, which is leveraging 3D printing technology to make vehicle manufacturing sustainable.

BONUS EPISODE: Sounds and Scenes from Spirits & Startups New York City

Podcast

In mid-January 2019, AVG held the second edition of its investor appreciation event—Spirits & Startups—in Manhattan's Langham Hotel. Founders & Funders sent producer Ryan Burleson to capture the scene. Listen along as he narrates the sights and sounds, interviews founders and AVG team members, and details how the event benefits all who attend.

3 Passions That Define AVG

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Venture capital and entrepreneurship are our business, but in the bigger picture, they're part of a larger economic engine. Mike Collins, CEO of AVG, defines the three passions at the core of what our firm is actively working to contribute.

EP 37: Former College Kicker Tees Up the Future of Corporate Training with VR

Podcast

While a graduate assistant and football coach at Stanford University, Derek Belch started working in a virtual reality (VR) lab at the school. Belch hoped to find a way to train football players using VR. His goal evolved into STRIVR, which helps businesses uses VR to onboard employees with a fraction of the time and money typically spent on training.

EP 36: Andy Palmer Has Worked for 50+ Companies. Now He’s All In with Tamr.

Podcast

Employees of large organizations know too well the pain of working on multiple systems. Disconnected data is costly and operationally inefficient, and it prohibits businesses from being able to compete with larger enterprises. Tamr helps some of the largest companies in the world integrate data from across disparate data silos in their organizations.

EP 35: How AVG Taps Its Unparalleled Network to Benefit Founders — And Investors

Podcast

AVG writes relatively small checks and doesn't take board seats, so it's able to both invest widely and smartly. This novel approach has proven successful for AVG, while also allowing the company to focus on helping enhance the strategic initiatives and possibilities of its portfolio companies.

EP 34: How ParkWhiz Leveraged VC to Diversify and Expand Its Business Model

Podcast

The idea for ParkWhiz came to Aashish Dalal one day when he wanted to get a prime spot near Fenway Park in Boston. The app allows users to pre-pay for and have a parking spot available when they arrive at their destinations.

5 Princeton Entrepreneurs You Should Know About

Blog

From astronauts to presidents, more than one iconic personality received part of their education at Princeton University. The entrepreneurial spirit is burning brightly among the next generation of Tigers as well. Check out these five alumni who started their journeys on the Princeton campus more recently.

A Davenport Yale Grad Uses Hip Hop to Empower Underprivileged Youth

Blog

The Hustlers Guild, a non-profit founded by Yale graduate Kevin Beckford, uses the hip hop hustle to empower disadvantaged youths and overcome systemic barriers. Learn more about Beckford’s company, mission, and successes so far.

How Raaja Nemani’s World Travels Inspired His Entrepreneurial Journey

Blog

Raaja Nemani, Northwestern grad ('04), Purple Arch investor, and Investment Committee member, tells us his story and what inspires him, as well as how he landed in his current, multi-faceted role as an eCommerce advisor and business-builder.

4 Companies With Brown Connections You Might Not Have Known About

Blog

While Brown University is one of only two Ivy League schools without a business school, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well among Brunonians. Check out these four successful and well-known companies born out of the creative and driven minds of Brown alumni.

EP 33: Ali Byrd Has Seen All Sides of M&A. Now He’s Leveraging That Experience for Duke Alums at Towerview Ventures.

Podcast

Working with Microsoft's Venture Integration group, Ali Byrd performed due diligence on prospective companies. Naturally, he became acquainted with a variety of startups and learned what it takes to attract a sale and court success after a check has cleared. Now, Ali is leveraging that experience to build a winning portfolio for Duke alums.

What the Crazy Stock Market Means for VC

Blog

As an investor since 1986, AVG CEO Mike Collins has seen the public stock market go through long bull runs, stark corrections (1987, 1990, 2000, 2008, etc.), times of excessive exuberance, and phases of emotional negativity. He offers some thoughts on investing through the downturns.

How Rob Bibow’s Deep Roots at Columbia University Led Him to Fission Ventures

Blog

There are likely few Columbia University graduates more passionate about the institution than Rob Bibow. The Managing Partner for AVG’s Columbia alumni-focused fund, Fission Ventures, discusses the people, experiences, and ideas that drive his vision.

EP 32: OpenInvest Ensures Your Money Backs the Issues You Care About

Podcast

OpenInvest helps people buy a collection of stocks that align with their personal interests and causes they care about, all without involving a fund manager and related fees. The company's proprietary platform directly buys up underlying stocks to create customized portfolios.

BONUS EPISODE: Sounds and Scenes from Spirits & Startups, AVG’s Investor Appreciation Event

Podcast

In late-September 2018, Alumni Ventures Group held its inaugural Spirits & Startups event in Boston's Langham Hotel. The evening brought together the entrepreneurs behind AVG portfolio companies with team members and investors. Founders & Funders sent its producer, Ryan Burleson, to capture the sights and sounds of the event.

EP 31: How a Former Rock Guitarist Invented the Digital Media Supply Chain of the Future

Podcast

According to Arjun Mendhi, the current music industry is broken because it was built for physical media. That's why he founded MTonomy, a digital media store built on the blockchain. Artists can distribute their media globally, protect their content rights, and get paid instantly.

EP 30: Former NASA Engineer Launches His Own Rockets to Protect Our Planet

Podcast

As Payam Banazadeh will tell you, Capella Space builds sophisticated satellites, but it's not a "satellite company." His company designs and launches rockets, but he insists it isn't strictly an "aerospace company" either. Instead, Capella's mission is more nuanced: To create a network of satellites capable of preventing disasters, boosting commerce, and saving lives.

EP 29: A Business Idea So Good, the VCs Came Knocking on Her Door

Podcast

While Chelsea Brownridge didn't think anyone would notice a couple of new doghouses on Brooklyn streets, her "dog-friendly sidewalk sanctuaries" were thrown into the spotlight. The doghouses provide a temporary safe shelter for pets when owners wanted to make a quick visit or run a brief errand inside a venue where dogs aren't allowed.

National Entrepreneurship Month 2018: Our Favorite Entrepreneurs

Blog

There’s a lot to be excited about during the month of November. Besides turkey, pie, and quality time with family and friends, we’re celebrating National Entrepreneurship Month. We asked members of the AVG team about one entrepreneur who is inspiring them right now.

A Revolutionary Approach to VC for Princeton Alumni

Blog

Tom Meyer, Managing Partner of Nassau Street Ventures, has a unique perspective on business, shaped by a diverse and global set of experiences. Here, he shares his thoughts on how the Alumni Ventures Group (AVG) next-gen approach to investing fits well with the Princeton community.

Waterman Ventures’ Principal is Ever True to the Next Wave of Innovation

Blog

Dave Fan didn’t set out to find a career in venture capital. However, after a college seminar introduced him to the world of entrepreneurship, he hasn’t looked back. Dave is now the Senior Associate of Waterman Ventures, and recently sat down with us to talk about how Brown has shaped his career so far.

EP 28: Three Things Berkeley Grads Should Know About VC

Podcast

Peter Loukianoff, Managing Partner of Strawberry Creek Ventures, details the personal and professional path that led him to Strawberry Creek. He also shares his passion for Cal's renowned entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as the founders, incubators, VCs, and institutional partners that help strengthen the fund's ties to Berkeley's alumni community.

EP 27: How AVG Provides Access to More and Better Venture Capital Jobs

Podcast

AVG's Venture Fellow Program mixes venture education with hands-on experience, including digital outreach, deal sourcing, and more. More than half of program graduates have transitioned to full-time work in the VC industry. Program founders Luke Antal and Weston Moyer share some specific success stories and how the program started.

5 Yale Alums Behind Some Really Cool Startups

Blog

A Pitchbook report on universities producing the most founders in the venture landscape got us thinking about all of the great Yale entrepreneurs we’ve come across over the years. Discover five inspiring Yale entrepreneurs, two of which are current investments at our Yale-focused fund, Blue Ivy Ventures (Jopwell and RippleMatch).

Diversity in Venture Capital: Doing Well and Doing Good

Blog

VC has always been a difficult industry to break into. Only a few jobs are available, and they are sought after by our nation’s best and brightest. Unfortunately, the industry also has a history of homogeny. That’s why AVG launched the Venture Fellow Program, aimed at providing an on-ramp to VC.

Verity is Flying High in the Drone Market

Blog

Verity Studios is one of the world’s most well-funded companies in the commercial indoor drone market. It also has one of the largest autonomous flight datasets and a growing IP portfolio. We caught up with Founder Raffaello D’Andrea to talk about the future of drones, Verity, and his path to becoming an entrepreneur.

Two Northwestern Alums Think Tablets Are the Answer to Prison Recidivism

Blog

Correctional education has proven to decrease recidivism by 43%, but more than 4 out of 5 incarcerated individuals still lack regular access to such programming. Brian Hill (Kellogg ’15) and Mitchel Peterman (Medill ’15) believe that’s unacceptable - so they’re working on a solution.

EP 26: Yes, Cryptoassets Can Be Used as Collateral Against Loans. Just Ask BlockFi’s Zac Prince.

Podcast

When Zac Prince listed his cryptocurrency assets on a loan application, traditional banks turned him down. So he founded BlockFi, a rapidly growing FinTech startup that allows consumers to obtain loans using cryptocurrency as collateral.

This Former Deputy Mayor Wants to Make Your City Smarter

Blog

It’s safe to say that Wharton MBA alum Griffin Schultz has taken a unique career path in becoming the CEO of Rapid Flow Technologies, an AI solution for cities to optimize complex traffic flow problems in real time. Chestnut Street Ventures sat down with Griffin to learn a little bit more about Rapid Flow and the lessons he’s learned on his entrepreneurial journey.

How One Berkeley Alum Pays It Forward with VC and a Massive Startup Accelerator

Blog

Strawberry Creek Ventures investor William D. Provine, PhD, earned chemical engineering degrees at Berkeley and University of Delaware before becoming President and CEO of Delaware Innovation Space (DISI). In this Q&A, we discuss his entrepreneurial drive, lessons learned, and new initiatives at DISI.

EP 25: How Edrizio De La Cruz Became a Y Combinator Success Story

Podcast

Edrizio De La Cruz has always worked hard, from selling guavas on the streets of the Dominican Republic to bagging groceries in the South Bronx. His big break came from Y Combinator, and now, he's CEO of a B2B platform that allows consumers to manage all financial services within their existing banking applications.

EP 24: How a 6-Year-Old’s Challenge Sparked a Multi-Million Dollar Business

Podcast

Alex Klein's opportunity to make a dent arose when his 6-year-old cousin began talking about building a computer from scratch. He challenged Klein to help make it happen. Unable to find a kid-friendly computer kit on the market, Klein assembled a team of developers to create Kano.

EP 23: How AVG Became One of the Most Active VC Firms in the World

Podcast

In just a few short years, AVG became one of the most active VC firms in the world. The firm accomplished this through through its goal of providing investors with a portfolio of 20-30 investments across stage, geography, and industry, regardless which of the firm's 25 funds they've invested in.

EP 22: Invest in the Right Founders and Returns Will Follow

Podcast

As Managing Partner of Blue Ivy Ventures, David Shapiro is pairing his ties to Yale with his experience in venture capital and passion for helping disruptive technologies commercially scale. David's goal is to maximize returns for investors while boosting his alma mater's entrepreneurs and their wider ecosystem.

EP 21: The New Way to Invest in the Next Great Startup

Podcast

Have you ever wanted to be an investor in the next great startup? The First Check Fund is a new investment vehicle that focuses on seed and pre-seed deals, tapping accelerators, incubators, coffee shops, garages, and anywhere innovation happens to find great talent and big ideas. And they're doing so in the country's hottest entrepreneurial markets.

EP 20: Dartmouth Alums Bring More Than Dollars to VC Deals

Podcast

The Green D Ventures team has discovered that its network is so interested in fostering Dartmouth-connected businesses that supporters assist companies by making introductions. According to Managing Partner Laura Bordewieck Rippy, the accelerator effect of the Green D and larger AVG network is becoming a key reason for founders to let the fund into their deals.

EP 19: Why MIT Alums Have a Competitive Advantage in VC

Podcast

According to Chris Sklarin, Managing Partner of Castor Ventures, the best deals are competitive. Though Castor Ventures often writes the smallest check in a VC round, their team gets into deals because of the impact they can make in other ways. Portfolio companies enjoy a variety of services, including access to a network of MIT-connected individuals.

EP 18: Seasoned CEO Revolutionizing At-Home Hair Coloring

Podcast

Amy Errett didn't intend to start Madison Reed as a full-time business. Already deeply involved in a number of companies and charitable organizations, she initially just wanted to identify the consumer pain point, fund the incubation of the idea, and hire a team to bring the product to fruition. But then her daughter (the original Madison Reed) challenged her to do more.

EP 17: Every Minute Counts for This CEO

Podcast

When Michael Martin was mugged in New York City, he gained instant, firsthand knowledge of the inadequacies of our current 911 Emergency Response System (built on 1960’s infrastructure). The experience inspired him to start RapidSOS to guarantee clear, coherent conversation with dispatchers during a time of crisis.

Founder of First Check Fund Draws on Deep Roots in Seed Investing

Blog

AVG’s First Check Fund focuses on one of the most volatile stages in venture: seed investing. The mortality rate at that stage is high, but so are the potential payoffs. Senior Partner Lynn-Ann Gries spoke with us about the approach she’s bringing to the challenge.

EP 16: What Legacy Will You Leave Behind?

Podcast

As entrepreneurial tech executive, Sanjay Gupta has led product management and development at multiple startups, and he launched the world's first wireless charging laptop. Across his efforts, Sanjay identifies market opportunities to create revenue-generating products, develops and implements product strategy, and establishes market leadership.

EP 15: Reinventing an Overly Processed Category–One Scoop at a Time

Podcast

Robyn Sue Fisher founded Smitten Ice Cream with a goal to create the freshest, most flavorful ice cream ever made in three minutes or less. This relentless entrepreneur used the momentum from each milestone to strategically move from a single store front to a rapidly expanding small chain of restaurants.

EP 14: Why Founders Should Avoid Outside Money for as Long as Possible

Podcast

Mike Collins has been involved in almost every facet of entrepreneurship, from angel investing and venture capital to new business creation, product launches, and startup incubation. He shares what founders should consider before taking their first outside investment.

EP 13: The Most Important Class You Didn’t Take

Podcast

While many of his 15-year-old peers worked at fast food restaurants and mowed lawns to make a little money, Tom "TK" Kuegler started a landscaping company that he sold for a quarter of a million dollars during his senior year in high school. TK has since started and exited many successful businesses.

EP 12: How an MIT Grad Is Using Old Science to Build Futuristic Technology

Podcast

Dror Sharon calls his new gadget the SCiO pocket molecular sensor, which can detect an object's molecular fingerprint in 10 seconds or less. Though it sounds complex, this former farm boy says the underlying technology has been around for at least half a century.

EP 11: How Penn Alumni Are Profiting from Venture Capital

Podcast

Gail Gilbert Ball didn't know which field would hold her interest when she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania. She found her passion in a newly introduced major called "econometrics," which ultimately led her down a career path enabling Penn alumni to participate in an asset class they have traditionally been unable to access.

EP 10: Finding a Recipe for Success in Business and VC

Podcast

Mellie Chow hit her limit as a successful IT consultant and wanted a change. Unsure if she needed to develop new skills or just get into a new environment, she enrolled in an EMBA program that gave her both. Now, a few years later, Mellie is an angel investor, venture capitalist, and co-founder of The Revolving Kitchen.

EP 9: Wildcat Wide Receiver Has a New Goal for Northwestern Alums

Podcast

Many graduates recall their college experiences fondly, but few strive to give back to their alma maters as much as David Beazley does. Once a Wildcat wide receiver, Beazley has a new playbook to follow. He is the founder and Managing Partner at Purple Arch Ventures, a private, for-profit venture capital fund for Northwestern alums.

EP 8: VC with “Midas Touch” Shares His Success Story

Podcast

Though Jeff Crowe has achieved world-class recognition for venture investing in startups like Lending Club, Spotify, and Uber, he didn't start investing in or advising companies until he had successfully launched and exited a business of his own. On this episode, Jeff shares his journey from founder to funder.

EP 7: Yale Alum Exits Wall St. to Change How We Hire

Podcast

Porter Braswell switched from being a top-level basketball player to happily working on Wall Street. But when his employer continually asked him to help recruit people who "looked like him," Porter and a co-worker decided to leave the company to create a career platform that would give under-served minorities equal access to job opportunities.

EP 6: The Easiest (and Newest!) Way to Break into VC

Podcast

Spike Ventures raises capital from Stanford alumni to invest in companies with a Stanford alum as a founder, key executive, board member, or lead investor. Managing Partner Andre du Baubigny explains how the fund got its name and how the organization makes decisions that they hope would make Leland Stanford proud.

EP 5: When Being an Outsider Is Good for VC

Podcast

Of all the ventures he's undertaken, Bruce Cahan says one of his most unlikely pivots is looking at how we're going to bank and finance space exploration. Bruce is applying his business knowledge to effect change in the space economy.

EP 4: Blockchain or Bust? The Safest Way to Invest in the Riskiest Sector

Podcast

Through a series of career moves, Shyam Kamadolli picked up a background in cryptography before becoming a venture capital investor focused primarily on early stage technology companies. When the value of Bitcoin began to increase, Shyam leaned on his crypto expertise to look at potential VC opportunities in the blockchain space.

EP 3: A Founder on a Crusade to Change Big Pharma

Podcast

Zoe Barry launched her career on Wall Street, then later joined athenahealth after her youngest brother was diagnosed with severe epilepsy and needed specialized care and therapy. A desire to make a difference in healthcare inspired her to launched ZappRx.

EP 2: Companies Focused on the Triple Bottom Line Get Rewarded

Podcast

John Replogle has built a career on the notion that if you care for people and the planet, the profits will take care of themselves. He shares his take on why investing in venture capital is the most active way to be a part of the entrepreneurial revolution.

EP 1: The Genesis (and Ripple Effect) of Alumni Ventures Group

Podcast

Mike Collins, CEO and Founder of AVG, shares how he came up with the idea to start the business and how it is unlocking venture capital for people eager to invest in promising young companies. He also explains how AVG unexpectedly created an entirely new career option for graduates who previously could not figure out how to break into the world of VC.