Webinar
Masterclass Live! How the AI & Robotics Fund Evaluates a Deal
Watch an on-demand presentation hosted by Alumni Ventures’ AI & Robotics Fund. In this session, you’ll discover how to evaluate a deal, walk through the process our investment team uses to invest in promising startups and learn how you, too, can invest in startups like this through Alumni Ventures’ AI & Robotics Fund.
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Post Webinar Summary
Brian Keil and Wesley Yiu hosted an insightful masterclass introducing Alumni Ventures’ AI and Robotics Fund, highlighting its investment approach and the opportunities within the rapidly growing AI and robotics sectors. The fund targets innovative startups across AI and robotics technologies, aiming to build a diversified portfolio of 15-20 companies over 12-18 months. They detailed their rigorous evaluation process, emphasizing deal dynamics, lead investor quality, company-specific factors like customer demand and competitive moats, and management team expertise. The fund’s co-investment strategy allows access to top-tier deals alongside leading VCs, with notable examples like OfferFit and Ambi showcasing successful investments. Alumni Ventures leverages its extensive network of over 1,000 founders and co-investors, providing access to cutting-edge opportunities. They positioned AI and robotics as transformative sectors poised for exponential growth, emphasizing now as an investor-friendly time to engage in venture capital due to favorable valuations and market conditions. The fund offers a pathway for individual investors to diversify their portfolios and capitalize on high-growth private markets.
During the session, we will discuss:
- HomeDetermining if a prospective deal fits in with your overall diversification goals
- HomeUnderstanding the time horizon of venture investments
- HomePerforming due diligence and reviewing the typical types of materials available in a deal
- HomeWeighing some of the challenges, key risks, and how to factor into the ultimate decision
- HomeTracking companies after investment and the purpose of portfolio monitoring
- HomeMore details about the AI & Robotics Fund
Seize this chance to expand your knowledge and network in the AI community.
About Alumni Ventures
Top 20 VC Investors in North America (2024)
#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the U.S. (2023)
#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the U.S. (2022)
World's Most Innovative Companies (2022)
Note: You must be accredited to invest in venture capital. Important disclosure information can be found at av-funds.com/disclosures.
About your presenters
Brian is a seasoned venture capitalist with over 20 years of investing experience across a range of industries. Before joining Chestnut Street Ventures, Brian was the Managing Director for New York Ventures, the venture capital arm of the State of New York. Prior to that, he was VP of Strategy & Corporate Development at Arbitron (now Nielsen Audio) and a Managing Director at the Peacock Fund, the venture capital arm of NBC Universal. Before joining the Peacock Fund, Brian worked at GE Capital and Bain & Co. Brian holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School and a BS in Industrial Engineering from The University of Southern California.
Wesley has a background in both technology and investing. Previously, he served as a product manager at BlackRock Solutions. While at BlackRock, he helped grow and scale their enterprise risk analytics platform, including facilitating the on-boarding of a $300 bn AUM client. He later transitioned to a traditional investment role where he worked as an investment strategist for the fixed income division of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, which manages over $400 bn in AUM across macro and credit strategies. He is also the author of the blog The Unofficial VC. Wesley received his BS from the College of Engineering at Cornell University.