Webinar

Founder Interviews Webinar

Join Alumni Ventures’ Laura Rippy, Pete Mathias, Drew Wandzilak, Shivani Singh, and Stacey Tsai for a dynamic Founder Interviews Webinar featuring candid conversations with entrepreneurs building the future.

This session will showcase the voices behind select Yard Ventures portfolio companies, offering first-hand insights into the challenges, milestones, and bold visions that define early-stage innovation. You’ll hear how these founders navigated fundraising, scaled their teams, and brought category-defining products to life.

The Yard Ventures team will also discuss why they backed these startups and what it takes to identify breakout opportunities. Whether you’re an investor, founder, or simply curious about venture-backed innovation, this event will bring you closer to the people and ideas shaping tomorrow. Reserve your spot today to gain a unique, behind-the-scenes look at venture investing in action.

Why Attend?

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    Get an inside look at how AV's team evaluates and supports founders
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    Learn what common traits and strategies successful founders share
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    Understand how AV identifies promising startups across sectors and stages

About your presenters

Laura Bordewieck Rippy
Laura Bordewieck Rippy

Managing Partner, Yard Ventures

Laura brings operational perspective as a CEO, Chairman, and executive in technology startups in addition to investing experience. As Managing Partner at Ripplecreek Partners’ technology practice and General Partner at FA Technology Ventures, she worked various tech sectors: mobile, consumer, internet, SaaS, cloud-based, marketing, and enterprise software across many economic cycles. She also served as CEO at Handango, creating the first marketplace of mobile apps. At Microsoft, she co-founded two businesses as an intra-preneur in an elite swat team spun out of Bill Gates’ office. Laura holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and AB in Government from Dartmouth (’89).

Pete Mathias
Pete Mathias

Partner, Yard Ventures

Pete joins Alumni Ventures from the $1.5B+ venture capital arm of Bertelsmann, where he was a Senior Director across the European Union, China, and U.S startup ecosystems. Previously a fellow at .406 Ventures and alumnus of the Harvard Innovation Lab, Pete has substantial entrepreneurial and startup operating background. He has an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth, an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School, a Master’s with Distinction from Oxford, and a BA (magna cum laude) from Dartmouth. He has recently been selected as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Pete has a creative core as drummer for the indie rock band Filligar, which has been designated as “Cultural Ambassador” by the U.S. Department of State. He is an avid skier, marathon runner, and ice hockey player.

Drew Wandzilak
Drew Wandzilak

Senior Associate, Yard Ventures

Drew has worked in high-growth industries as both an investor and operator, focusing on how people and technology interact within organizations. As a long-time investor with Alumni Ventures, he has worked across multiple funds and internal initiatives. He has worked on National and State level political campaigns, focusing on Small Business and Entrepreneurial policy. Drew holds a BS from Northwestern University in Education and Social Policy, specializing in Learning & Organizational Development. He also served as an Ambassador for Northwestern’s Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and was recognized in Chicago Inno’s 25 under 25.

Shivani Singh
Shivani Singh

Senior Associate

Shivani Singh’s investment experience spans a range of sectors, including enterprise software, defense tech, and healthcare, where she has invested across growth and early-stage opportunities. Previously, Shivani was a Senior Product Manager at Google, where she led key product initiatives across Google Cloud, Google Meet, and the Google Pixel teams, including the launch of Google Meet for Enterprise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shivani holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Stacey Tsai
Stacey Tsai

Stacey Tsai has over 15 years of experience in finance. Prior to joining Alumni Ventures, she advised global families and executives on asset allocation and investment strategies. Stacey is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She received her MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and her MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. She was also a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Singapore.

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