Webinar
VC 101: Venture Capital Fundamentals
Join the Alumni Ventures team as they break down the fundamentals of venture capital from the ground up — because understanding how VC actually works is the first step to deciding whether it belongs in your portfolio.
In this session, the Alumni Ventures team will walk through the essentials of venture capital: what it is, how it differs from private equity, how funds are structured, and how investors at every stage — from seed to late-stage — actually generate returns. Drawing on Alumni Ventures’ experience as one of the most active venture investors in the country, this VC-101 session covers the building blocks every investor should understand before entering the asset class.
The session will also explore why venture capital has become an increasingly important component of sophisticated portfolios — from the Yale Endowment model to how individual accredited investors are now accessing the same asset class once reserved for pension funds and institutions. Topics include diversification within a VC portfolio, the power of uncorrelated returns, and what it means that companies are staying private longer than ever before.
Whether you’re a current Alumni Ventures investor looking to deepen your understanding of how the asset class works, or you’re evaluating venture capital for the first time, this session will give you a clear, jargon-free foundation. Register now to walk away with a confident grasp of how venture capital works — and whether it’s right for you.
Why Attend?
- HomeDiscover how venture capital differs from other asset classes — and why its structure creates the potential for outsized returns.
- HomeGain a clear picture of how Alumni Ventures builds diversified VC portfolios across stages, sectors, and funds — and the logic behind each layer
- HomeUnderstand who venture capital is designed for, how accredited investors can access it today, and what your next steps would look like as an AV investor
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
Hilary is a senior leader in financial services with more than 15 years of experience working with investors across market cycles. Since joining Alumni Ventures in 2016, she has been instrumental in building and scaling the firm’s investor relations function, leading high-performing teams and partnering closely with investment, finance, legal, and operations groups to support investors throughout the lifecycle of their venture portfolios with rigor and transparency. Her background in retirement investment planning, including earlier Series 7 and 63 licensure, informs a disciplined perspective on portfolio construction, risk management, liquidity considerations, and long-term capital allocation. Hilary is known for her ability to bring clarity to complex investment topics and for upholding a thoughtful, investor-first experience. She graduated summa cum laude from Fisher College and is currently pursuing her MBA at Boston University.
Managing Partner, Blue Ivy Ventures
David Shapiro serves as Managing Partner of Blue Ivy Ventures, bringing more than 25 years of experience as an investor, adviser, and board member, with expertise spanning both early- and late-stage venture. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Business Development at DataXu and has additional experience across global venture and private equity.