Webinar
The Dartmouth Flywheel: How a Small and Mighty Ivy Leads in Venture
Laura Rippy, Managing Partner at Alumni Ventures, led a clear-eyed discussion of why investors were increasingly seeking access to Dartmouth’s entrepreneurial ecosystem—and how Green D Ventures gave accredited investors a structured way to back founders emerging from one of the country’s most consequential, yet underappreciated, alumni networks.
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In this session, Laura walked through what made Dartmouth’s entrepreneurial ecosystem unusually strong for an institution of its size: the tightly connected system of a top-tier liberal arts college, Tuck’s MBA program and venture literacy, Thayer’s engineering and invention culture—where more than half of the faculty had founded startups—Geisel’s medical school and health-tech translation, and a foundational software and AI legacy reaching back to the 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project, the meeting that coined the term “artificial intelligence.” Laura discussed how Dartmouth’s cross-disciplinary reach, its alumni network operating as venture infrastructure, and its institutional push into AI at scale combined to produce founders who consistently punched above the university’s weight.
Whether you were a Dartmouth alum, a current Alumni Ventures investor, or evaluating university-connected venture for the first time, this session offered a clear perspective on why Dartmouth-affiliated founders deserved a seat at the table—and how investors could participate in that thesis through a single, diversified vehicle. Watch the recording to hear directly from Laura and learn from her responses to investor questions during the live Q&A.
Want to access our Green D Ventures startup deals to see, evaluate, and optionally invest? No cost, no commitment.
Key Takeaway
- HomeDiscover why Dartmouth — anchored by Tuck, Thayer, Geisel, and a distinctive AI legacy dating back to the term's coinage in 1956 — keeps producing category-defining founders
- HomeUnderstand how Green D Ventures sources and evaluates Dartmouth-connected deals, and what the team looks for before writing a check
- HomeLearn how to access this network through a single diversified fund, with the option to co-invest alongside top venture firms in standout deals
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 presenter
Overview:
Laura Rippy is a Managing Partner and Board Member at Alumni Ventures. She runs the Harvard-focused fund (The Yard Ventures), the Dartmouth-focused fund (Green D Ventures), the Women’s Fund at Alumni Ventures, and helps our US Strategic Tech fund. Alumni Ventures is “America’s Largest Venture Firm for Individuals” with $1.5B raised, and 1500 portfolio companies. AV is one of the top 3 most active venture capital firms globally, per Pitchbook 2018-24.
Previously, Laura was a serial CEO, Chairman, Board Member, Advisor, and Executive in high-technology companies including Microsoft. Business Insider ranked Laura in the Best Early Stage Investors of 2024 and 2025.
Laura Rippy holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB in Government from Dartmouth College.
Funds Actively Worked On:
- Yard Ventures
- Green D Ventures
- Women’s Fund
- US Strategic Tech Fund
Investment Lens:
Laura’s investing areas at AV leverage her operating experience in consumer internet, enterprise software, and novel technology innovations. She is inspired by founders aiming to build “N of 1” companies, ideally with IP or other moats. Business Insider ranked Rippy in the Top 100 Early Stage Investors of 2024 and 2025, and #1 in the Top Female Seed Investors of 2025.