Waterman Investor Update Webinar

Rob is a former entrepreneur, institutional fund manager, and software executive. He has served on many corporate boards and has founded or financed more than 40 companies, raising capital in both public and private markets. He is an internationally recognized expert and speaker on innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship. Most recently, Rob was on the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, where he taught entrepreneurship in the MBA program and was the Founder and Director of Texas Venture Labs. He was CEO and Founder of Business Matters, a venture-backed developer of financial modeling products that was acquired. He was also an executive with Pervasive Software, a company he helped take public. Rob holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue, an MBA from Babson’s Olin School of Management, and a PhD in Management from Capella University.

Overview

Wesley brings a cross-disciplinary approach to venture investing, grounded in a deep curiosity for how advanced technologies can reshape legacy industries. His work focuses on the convergence of vertical software, AI, and automation—areas where domain expertise meets technical innovation to unlock entirely new business models. At Alumni Ventures, Wesley is a Partner, where he leads investments at the intersection of deep tech and sector-specific applications. He is particularly interested in companies developing AI-native software and robotics platforms that drive efficiency and transformation in complex industries. His sector focus includes healthcare, legal, manufacturing, logistics, and financial services, where purpose-built solutions are often required to deliver impact.

Funds/Syndicates actively worked on:

• Triphammer Ventures
• Digital Economy Syndicate

Investment Areas of Focus:

Wesley’s investment thesis centers on the power of verticalized AI—software and automation tools designed for high-value, high-complexity sectors. He gravitates toward founders who embed technical insight into sector-specific challenges, creating products with durable competitive advantages and scalable market fit. Beyond software, Wesley is also passionate about robotics and the future of human-machine collaboration, exploring opportunities in autonomous systems, industrial robotics, and next-gen interfaces.

His recent investments reflect this dual thesis: OfferFit, a machine learning platform optimizing customer engagement; Iambic Therapeutics, an AI-driven drug discovery company; Wander, a vertically integrated smart home hospitality platform; Glacier, a robotics company tackling recycling and waste automation; and Arc, which streamlines financial operations for startups. These companies demonstrate Wesley’s conviction that the next wave of transformative innovation will come from deeply integrated, intelligent systems tailored to the needs of specific industries.

Aki is an investor with seven years of experience backing technology companies across software, cybersecurity, and health tech. She is a Senior Principal at Alumni Ventures focused on vertical AI and B2B solutions.

Prior to Alumni Ventures, Aki was a Principal at World Innovation Lab (WiL), a cross-border venture capital firm focused on companies scaling between the U.S. and Japan. During her time at WiL, she helped deploy over $160 million in capital across enterprise software and health technology investments, and was selected as one of Venture Capital Journal’s 2023 Rising Stars.

Earlier in her career, Aki worked in management consulting at Kearney, advising global clients on growth strategy, M&A diligence, and market expansion. This operating and analytical foundation continues to shape her approach to underwriting and founder partnership.

Aki holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she focused on entrepreneurship and was a Masa Son Foundation Scholar, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Tokyo. She has lived and worked across Japan, India, and the United States, bringing a global perspective to her investing.

Michael is an accomplished multi-stage venture investor with experience across investing, consulting, and company building. Before joining Alumni Ventures as a Principal, he held an investment role at Cerity Partners Ventures (formerly Touchdown Ventures), where he sourced and led diligence on investments across enterprise AI, energy transition, and media. Prior to that, Michael spent several years at BCG advising technology companies on turnarounds and strategic transformation, and at Comvest Partners executing private equity investments across the middle market.

At Alumni Ventures, Michael focuses on pre-seed through Series C opportunities with a thematic emphasis on enterprise AI, energy transition, and media.

Outside of work, Michael is an avid squash player and poker enthusiast. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he focused on finance and entrepreneurship and an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied philosophy, political science, and economics.

Brandon is a graduate of the University of Texas, where he earned a BBA. He previously worked at Dimensional Fund Advisors as a LEAD Analyst. After 3.5 years on the Community Manager team at Alumni Ventures, Brandon recently transitioned to the investment team, where he focuses on venture investing and diligence. He is also pursuing a part-time MBA at NYU Stern with a concentration in Finance, Economics, and Entrepreneurship.