Webinar
The Engineer's Edge: Why Investors Are Betting on MIT Founders
Join Alumni Ventures’ Chris Sklarin for an introduction to Castor Ventures, our fund and syndicate focused on backing exceptional companies emerging from the MIT ecosystem.
In this session, Chris will provide a comprehensive overview of Castor Ventures’ investment strategy and how the fund leverages privileged access to one of the world’s most powerful innovation ecosystems. He’ll discuss what makes the MIT community a consistent source of transformative startups, from its world-class research and engineering excellence to its unmatched alumni network spanning deep tech, robotics, AI, and beyond.
The conversation will explore why the MIT venture ecosystem has produced generations of groundbreaking companies and continues to be a proven system for generating category-defining startups in hardware, software, and frontier technologies. Chris will walk through Castor Ventures’ approach to sourcing and evaluating opportunities within this network, highlight portfolio companies across various sectors, and explain why access to the MIT ecosystem represents a compelling advantage for venture investors.
Whether you’re a current investor or exploring opportunities in venture capital, this webinar offers valuable perspective on how Castor Ventures taps into one of the most prolific innovation communities in the world. Reserve your spot today to learn how we back leading companies and founders connected to MIT.
Why Attend?
Want to access our Castor Syndicate startup deals to see, evaluate, and optionally invest? No cost, no commitment.
- HomeLearn about Castor Ventures' unique access to the MIT innovation ecosystem and elite technical founder network
- HomeDiscover why the MIT community consistently produces groundbreaking companies across deep tech and emerging technologies
- HomeUnderstand how the fund identifies and evaluates promising startups connected to this world-class institution
Alumni Ventures is America’s largest venture capital firm for individual investors.
About your presenter
Overview
Chris Sklarin is Managing Partner of the Castor Fund at Alumni Ventures, where for over eight years he has led investments in transformative technology companies redefining how we compute, communicate, and cure. He has deployed more than $120 million across all stages—from seed to growth—building Castor Ventures and expanding the portfolio to over 150 companies. The Castor portfolio features industry leaders such as Algorand, Boldin, Capital RX, Enable, Groq, Ocient, Qedma, RapidSOS, Synchron, and Unlearn AI, each tackling high-impact problems with ambitious solutions.
With over 20 years in venture capital and more than a decade in product development and sales engineering, Chris has also held venture roles focused on enterprise and mobile investments, served as Director of Business Development at a biomedical venture accelerator and an early-stage firm, and sourced seed-stage deals at JumpStart, a nationally recognized venture development organization in Cleveland. Chris holds an SB in Electrical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.
Funds actively worked on
- Castor Ventures
- Syndications
Investment Areas of Focus:
Chris targets companies at the forefront of software, AI, data infrastructure, and connectivity, backing teams that are not just innovating but reengineering the physical and digital infrastructure powering the modern world. He believes the next generation of breakthrough companies will emerge from foundational shifts in technology and is committed to supporting the leaders driving that transformation.
A core component of Chris’s strategy is leveraging the powerful innovation engine of the MIT ecosystem. As an MIT alumnus, he taps this network to source compelling investment opportunities and connect with top-tier investors. Chris’s investment approach is informed by his early career as a software and sales engineer, with technical expertise in databases, telecom systems, and software architecture. This hands-on background sharpens his diligence and ability to assess technical complexity and market viability.