Webinar
Your VC Journey Begins Here: Foundation Fund, Our Broadest Option
Join our presentation to learn about the Foundation Fund. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the team and hear about their approach to investing in private-stage companies. This presentation will be led by CIO’s Mark Edwards and Andy Ervin.
See video policy below.
Post Webinar Summary
Mark Edwards, the Chief Investment Officer at Alumni Ventures, opened the webinar by introducing the Foundation Fund and providing housekeeping notes, including that the session would be recorded and follow-ups would address unanswered questions. He emphasized that Alumni Ventures’ webinar was for informational purposes only, not an offer to buy or sell securities. Mark discussed his background in private equity and venture capital, highlighting the importance of venture investing for individual investors, given its potential for high returns, low correlation with public markets, and the growing trend of companies staying private longer. Andy Ervin, the Deputy CIO, provided further insights into the Foundation Fund’s diversified portfolio, which spans different alumni networks, sectors, and stages. He outlined case studies like Cohere, Lambda, and RapidSOS, illustrating their investment strategy. The webinar concluded by emphasizing the value of syndications, which allow investors to diversify further and invest directly in deals, offering an accessible entry into the venture space.
During this session, we will cover:
- HomeThe goal and structure of the fund
- HomeFoundation Fund and Alumni Ventures approach to investing
- HomeSome examples of current portfolio companies
- HomeThe benefits of diversifying into venture capital
- HomeThe minimum requirements needed to invest in the fund
Note: You must be accredited to invest in venture capital. Important disclosure information can be found at av-funds.com/disclosures.
About your presenters
Mark Edwards is the Chief Investment Officer at Alumni Ventures. A seasoned private equity executive who was an early investor in AV, Mark has served on the investment committees of Green D Ventures and Spike Ventures since inception. Mark has over 20 years of direct investing experience, having served in leadership roles at Five Peaks Capital Management, JLL Partners (~$4B of capital under management), and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (~$10B of capital under management). He holds an AB with honors from Stanford University and an MBA with distinction from Tuck (Tuck Scholar).
Andy is Deputy Chief Investment Officer at Alumni Ventures, where he supports investment operations, analytics, and portfolio management. Previously, Andy held several executive roles at a VC-backed start-up in Boston called MiniLuxe, where he led finance and operations during a period of significant growth. Andy was also a consultant at The Parthenon Group and began his career as an actuary at the Liberty Mutual Group. Andy holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.