Webinar

An Introduction to Strawberry Creek Ventures

Strawberry Creek Ventures' Managing Partner Matt Caspari, Principal Krithika Kumar, and Senior Partner Deborah Walden

Watch our on-demand 45-minute presentation about Strawberry Creek Ventures, Alumni Ventures’ UC Berkeley-focused venture capital fund. The discussion is led by Strawberry Creek Ventures’ Managing Partner Matt Caspari, Principal Krithika Kumar, and Senior Partner Deborah Walden and is open to all alumni and friends of UC Berkeley. 

During the session, we will discuss:

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    The goal and structure of the fund
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    The value of the Alumni Ventures' model
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    Some examples of current portfolio companies
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    Benefits of diversifying into venture capital
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    Minimum requirements needed to invest in the fund

* You must be accredited to invest in venture capital

The webinar recording does not feature our live Q&A, please make sure to join webinars live to participate in the discussion. 

About your presenters

Matt Caspari
Matt Caspari

Managing Partner, Strawberry Creek Ventures

Overview

Matt Caspari invests in mission-driven founders building the next generation of iconic companies—entrepreneurs tackling the world’s hardest, highest-stakes problems. He backs breakthrough technologies with the potential to redefine critical industries, unlock new markets, and create a more sustainable, secure future.

Before Alumni Ventures, Matt was a two-time venture-backed founder/CEO and a leader of the innovation team at Nike. He founded Aurora Biofuels, a deep-tech venture that grew to 100+ employees and secured more than $100 million in funding before its acquisition by Reliance Industries. Earlier, he advised life science multinationals at Cambridge Pharma Consultancy (acquired by IMS Health) and gained experience on Bloomberg’s M&A team. Matt holds a BS in Biochemistry from Georgetown University and an MBA with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from UC Berkeley.

Funds actively worked on

Investment Area of Focus

His investment lens favors bold solutions to global challenges and durable advantages rooted in technology and aligned with long-term megatrends. This translates to surgical robots powered by physical AI, next-generation energy systems, space-based infrastructure, longevity therapeutics, and more. The through-line is the potential for extraordinary value creation at the intersection of deep science and global need.

Representative investments Matt has led for Alumni Ventures include Andromeda Surgical and Cytronic (Physical AI); Arda Therapeutics and Cambrian Biopharma (Technologies for the Human Body); Max Space and Orbital Operations (Space Infrastructure); and Fortera and Mainspring Energy (The New Energy Stack). Alumni Ventures’ Deep Tech portfolio also includes companies such as Axiom Space, Ayar Labs, Cohere, Frore Systems, Groq, Hawkeye360, Hayden AI, Lambda, Radiant, and Rigetti (Nasdaq: RGTI).

Learn How To Invest In Companies In This Sector With Alumni Ventures:
Deep Tech Fund>>>
Krithika Kumar
Krithika Kumar

Krithika is a member of Strawberry Creek Ventures where she brings experience in venture capital, entrepreneurship, and scientific research to the team. Krithika has led diligence and sourced deals as a Venture Partner at Humboldt Fund and a Senior Venture Fellow at Castor Ventures. Prior to venture capital, she co-founded a cognitive fitness company to enhance brain performance across the age spectrum. She also served as the Director of Business Development at Prime Biologics where she established strategic partnerships in the US, EU, and emerging markets. Krithika did her postdoctoral research studying the gut microbiome at Cornell University and has a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Texas A&M University.

Deborah Walden
Deborah Walden

Deborah has over 25 years of experience working with social impact entrepreneurs and mission-driven leaders. Prior to joining AVG, Deb was an independent consultant for business development and growth strategies, guiding founders through the early startup and launch phases of new social ventures and nonprofit organizations. Her clients included an MIT professor and former dean launching a venture to transform the higher education landscape, social ventures focused on national security and foreign policy, and a national organization building a global joint initiative for world leaders. She has worked in higher education advancement, nonprofit management, and as a Capitol Hill lobbyist, beginning her career as committee staff in the US Senate. Deborah holds a BS in political science from Birmingham-Southern College and a MA in Communication from American University.

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