Webinar
Unlocking the Potential of Web3: Insights from Industry Leaders
Watch this on-demand presentation of the Blockchain Fund, one of Alumni Ventures’ Focused Funds followed by an expert panel webinar featuring the industry leaders for a discussion about the infrastructure and services that power the Web3 economy. This session will give you an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from experienced founders, executives, and investors with a deep knowledge of the latest developments toward a new, better internet.
Your host Alumni Ventures’ Blockchain Fund Senior Principal Jack Statza is joined by Fund Managing Partner Ray Wu, Luke Kim, Founder and CEO at Spice AI, a platform that helps developers working with web3 and blockchain data to build the next generation of apps; Josh Goodbody, COO of Qredo, a cross-chain protocol for asset managers and traders active in the digital asset markets; and Devin Eldridge Chief Strategy Officer at Bitwave, the first enterprise digital asset finance platform designed specifically for businesses to manage cryptocurrency tax, accounting, and compliance.
We will discuss the goal and the structure of the fund, the value of the Alumni Ventures’ model, and some examples of current portfolio companies. This webinar will also provide valuable insights and strategies for businesses looking to capitalize on the potential of Web3 technology. You’ll learn about the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the Web3 ecosystem and how to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.
Note: You must be accredited to invest in venture capital. Important disclosure information can be found at av-funds.com/disclosures.
Blockchain & Fintech Fund 5 Open Now
Our Blockchain & Fintech Fund offers accredited investors a portfolio of ~15-20 startups delivering cutting-edge AI and blockchain infrastructure and services for banking, insurance, supply chains, healthtech, retail, and more. Investor who join by our First Close (10/31/2024) or Second Close (11/30/2024) will earn management fee reductions. The fund’s Final Close is December 31, 2024, and the fund minimum is $25K.
About your presenters
Ray is a seasoned venture capitalist with over 20 years of investing experience across a wide range of industries and geographies. Before joining Alumni Ventures, Ray was a partner and adviser at several global venture funds focusing on AI, Web3, FinTech and SaaS investment opportunities across the U.S. and Asia Pacific. Earlier, he spent more than 10 years in the corporate venture space: He was the managing director of HP’s new business ventures, responsible for startup technology evaluation, new business incubation, VC relationships, and minority investments, and earlier at Cisco Systems, holding several senior positions leading investment, M&A, internal incubation, and global consulting. Previously, Ray was a managing partner of a leading Internet consulting firm working with Fortune 1000 companies across North America. He earned a dual MBA degree from the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University.
Jack Statza brings extensive deep-tech venture investing expertise across various sectors and stages to his role at Alumni Ventures. Previously, he was a venture investor at Allstate Strategic Ventures, focusing on AI, Blockchain, and FinTech for Allstate Insurance Company. Before joining Allstate, Jack worked in investment banking at Lazard and Livingstone, executing M&A transactions for technology clients. He also served as a valuation associate at Northern Trust Corporation, where he gained a deep understanding of financial markets and valuing investments. Jack has been actively involved in the blockchain space since mining Bitcoin in 2010 and in AI since investing in the space at Allstate in 2016. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is a CFA charterholder.
Founder and CEO of Spice AI
Over the last 15 years, Luke has brought together the best builders and engineers across the globe to create developer-focused experiences through tools and technologies used by millions worldwide. Before founding Spice AI, Luke was the founding manager and co-creator of Azure Incubations at Microsoft where he led cross-functional engineering teams to create and develop technologies like Dapr.
Chief Strategy Officer at Bitwave
Devin is a seasoned professional with a background in accounting and a passion for entrepreneurship. He has a proven track record in building and scaling high-growth companies and has extensive experience in the digital asset industry. He has been a part of several successful ventures, including founding a technology marketplace in the real estate sector and serving as COO of RADAR, where they developed category-defining products in the DeFi space before selling to Core Scientific and listing on NASDAQ.
COO at Qredo
Josh began his career in traditional finance — working on the legal side of the commodities and derivatives markets. While at a commodities fintech company in 2017, he encountered blockchain for the first time and was blown away by its potential to fix the fragmentation and antiquated processes found in legacy finance.
His first role in crypto was at the cryptocurrency exchange Huobi where he joined as Global General Counsel, later moving on to lead their Institutional Business. His most recent role before joining Qredo was at Binance, where he led and scaled the EMEA organization, helping it to become one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges by trading volume.