Venture Capital Overview

There are a number of smart reasons to consider adding venture capital (VC) to your investment mix. VC can play an important role in a sophisticated wealth-building strategy, yet it’s still missing from the majority of investors’ portfolios. If you’re one of the 10+ million accredited investors in the U.S., it is easier than ever to start investing in high-growth startups. In our conversations with potential investors, we’ve found that many misperceptions persist about VC investing. Here we’ll share with you the top three, with the goal of busting these myths once and for all.

Return potential plays a part in most individual and institutional investors’ decision criteria when reviewing investment options. But how does one compare the gains of asset classes that have different characteristics and measures of success?

Every day, our team speaks with hundreds of our community members who are interested in learning more about the venture capital asset class, and how Alumni Ventures Group can build them a smart, simple venture portfolio.

Venture capital can be an appropriate addition to an accredited investor’s portfolio for many reasons.

Slack, Pinterest, Zoom, Lyft, Uber. Which ones would you have chosen to back at the venture stage — and which at IPO?

Venture capital can be an appropriate addition to an accredited investor’s portfolio, in part due to the potential of VC to deliver higher returns than other investment opportunities.

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Alumni Ventures is a network-powered venture capital firm helping accredited individuals become more successful venture investors. CEO and founder Mike Collins leveraged his own experience and frustrations as a private venture investor as inspiration to start Alumni Ventures.

Oura, an Alumni Ventures Group portfolio company, is a Finland-based developer of a wellness ring and software application that tracks multiple body measurements, all designed to help the wearer get more restful sleep and perform better.

Alumni Ventures is one of the most active VC firms in the United States (PitchBook 2020 Global League Tables).

Thank you for joining Alumni Ventures! In this video, Chief Engagement Executive Mark Edwards and Vice President of Investor Relations Hilary Ncala discuss all things AV, so you have all the tools you need to begin your venture journey.

Hilary Ncala, VP of Investor Engagement at Alumni Ventures Group, outlines what investors can expect in the closing process.

It’s that time of year – tax time – and we understand you may have questions about the K-1s. Please see our frequently asked questions below.

AV’s investment strategy is to co-invest alongside established lead VC firms. At exit, we seek to monetize our position expeditiously. At times, there might be exceptions, which are addressed below.

Nearly all of our belongings hold value, from homes to vehicles, furniture to collectibles, etc. Factors like age, wear and tear, upgrades, and demand can impact the valuation of these objects, and their physical traits are helpful in determining their worth. On the other hand, it’s much more complex to put a price on the value of an intangible asset, such as the current and potential worth of a young, fast-growing startup.

Once you’ve established a public market portfolio, adding alternative assets can be an attractive next step. Here’s a guide to understanding “alts” and how you might start investing.

Of all the financial acronyms spinning around these days, SPACs are getting some of the most buzz. Standing for Special-Purpose Acquisition Company, a SPAC is a vehicle to take a company public.

An important part of being a venture capitalist is performing diligence on new investments. One of the most basic forms of diligence is a review of a company’s cap table.

What is Pattern Recognition? “Pattern recognition is an essential skill in venture capital… while the elements of success in the venture business do not repeat themselves precisely, they often rhyme. In evaluating companies, the successful VC will often see something that reminds them of patterns they have seen before.” — Bruce Dunlevie, General Partner at Benchmark Capital

Venture firms invested over $150 billion across 10,558 deals in 2020. With so many private companies raising capital, how do VCs sift out red flags and potential winners?

We are pleased to work with a variety of entrepreneurs and venture firms. As strict co-investors, we only invest when we believe we can add meaningful value to you. We welcome inquiries if you have an investment opportunity or just want to get acquainted.

Alumni Ventures’ CEO Services team helps our portfolio companies take their next critical steps to success. We boost your business across our ecosystem of 550k+ community members comprising alumni from top U.S. universities (Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, and others), leading VCs, experienced entrepreneurs, and C-suite executives from companies of all sizes and industries.

Alumni Ventures’ Bascom Ventures Fund is democratizing venture capital for the University of Wisconsin community and serving as a value-add investor to its portfolio companies.

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