Webinar
Masterclass Live! The Art of Evaluating a Deal
Join Alumni Ventures Managing Partner Laura Rippy and Senior Principal Luca Giani for an exploration of the outsized opportunity of investing in one of the world’s most prestigious alumni networks.
The focused fund and syndicate leverages privileged access to one of the world’s most powerful innovation ecosystems. They will discuss the unique factors that make the Harvard community a breeding ground for transformative startups, including its alumni network, cutting-edge research, and deep ties across academia, industry, and venture capital.
You’ll also gain insight into why the Harvard venture ecosystem consistently produces unicorns. With 100+ billion-dollar companies rooted in the community, it will be shown to be a repeatable system driven by elite founder talent, deep research, and tight connections across academia, industry, and venture capital. The session will also cover The Yard Ventures’ investment strategy, recent portfolio activity, and why this network continues to attract strong investor interest.
Reserve your spot to learn how The Yard Ventures taps into one of the most powerful innovation ecosystems in the world and discover the investment opportunities within the Harvard community.
Want to access our AV Syndicate startup deals to see, evaluate, and optionally invest? No cost, no commitment.
Key Takeaway
- HomeSee behind the scenes of four real Alumni Ventures portfolio investments and how each one earned the team's conviction
- HomeUnderstand what Alumni Ventures looks for in a founder, a market, and a business model — and how those filters get applied in practice
- HomeHear directly from Mark and Andy on what these companies reveal about the categories driving the Alumni Ventures portfolio today
Rated a Top 20 VC Firm by both TIME and CB Insights.
Alumni Ventures is America’s largest venture capital firm for individual investors.
About your presenters
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.
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).