Your Window Into the Innovation Economy

Blogs, Webinars and Podcasts covering technology, start-ups, and venture investing

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 Webinar - June 12th 2025
Yoshino Ventures Last Call
Join Alumni Ventures’ Ray Wu for a final opportunity to learn about Yoshino Ventures before the investment window closes.
by Alumni Ventures
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 Webinar - June 12th 2025
Inside CIO Select Fund 5: AV’s Follow-On Strategy Explained
Join Alumni Ventures’ Mark Edwards and Greg Baker for an exclusive look at CIO Select Fund 5, a strategic fund designed to follow-on with high-potential portfolio companies.
by Alumni Ventures
May 13, 20258 min read
Recapping AV's Defying Darwin Night
Missed the Defying Darwin event? Don’t worry! Mike Collins and Drew Wandzilak break down the most compelling insights from this groundbreaking gathering focused on biotech, human potential, and national resilience. The event, themed around “Defying Darwin,” explored how biotechnology is evolving beyond traditional applications like medicine. Today, biology is being reprogrammed for national security, from the weaponization of biology to enhancing human performance. The conversation highlighted emerging innovations and the urgent need for the United States to strengthen its biotech infrastructure to stay competitive globally, particularly against nations like China.
by Alumni Ventures
Watch
 Webinar - June 3rd 2025
Potomac Ventures Last Call
Join Alumni Ventures’ Matt Caspari for a final opportunity to explore and invest in Potomac Ventures before the investment window closes.
by Alumni Ventures
May 13, 2025
Women's Fund Last Call
Join Alumni Ventures’ Laura Rippy, Shivani Singh, Meera Oak, Sophia Zhao, and Stacey Tsai for a final look at the Women’s Fund before the investment window closes.
by Alumni Ventures
May 9, 2025
What is Early Stage Venture Investing & Why Does it Matter?
What makes early-stage venture investing so powerful — and risky? In this short video, Michael Collins breaks down why investing in startups at their earliest stages, often before they have a product or customers, can lead to transformative impact and returns. Learn how high risk can bring high reward — for both investors and society.
by Alumni Ventures
May 9, 2025
VC in 33: How Does AV Use Its Network to Support Portfolio Companies?
At Alumni Ventures, our network is our strength. In this video, we share how we leverage our incredible community of investors to support the growth of our portfolio companies. From strategic introductions to sharing industry expertise, our network helps founders thrive. Hear why being part of the Alumni Ventures community means more than just capital — it’s about connections, ideas, and real support.
by Alumni Ventures
May 9, 2025
How Long Does it Take to Make Money in VC?
In venture capital, patience is key. In this video, we break down how long it typically takes to see returns from venture investments. From early down rounds to big exits that can take years, we share insights on why this is a long-term asset class and what to expect when investing in a VC fund. Join us as we explore the journey from investment to potential payoff and why successful exits often come later in the process.
by Alumni Ventures
May 9, 2025
How Are VC Funds Structured?
Ever wonder how a venture capital fund is structured? In this quick explainer, we walk you through the simple yet powerful structure behind VC funds — how money is pooled, invested, and returned. Learn what it means to write one check in and receive multiple checks out, and why most returns are classified as capital gains, not income.
by Alumni Ventures
May 8, 2025
From IPO to Stealth: Investing in AI’s Next Great Family Trees
The venture world has long recognized the outsized influence of alumni networks from breakout companies — none more famous than the PayPal Mafia. But today, we’re seeing the rise of a new and potentially more transformative force: the AI Mafia. At Alumni Ventures, we believe the dense networks forming within companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and others represent one of the most compelling engines of innovation and venture opportunity in a generation. In this piece, we unpack how these “mafias” are forming, why they have structural advantages unlike any previous tech wave, and what this means for the future of startup creation, enterprise adoption, and investment strategy.
by Meera Oak
May 7, 20258 min read
Recapping AV's Bytes and Brews Event
In this video, Michael Collins of Alumni Ventures talks with Bozhena Kulchyckyj about key insights from their Bytes and Brews event held alongside RSA Conference 2024. They discuss the growing role of AI in cybersecurity, both for attackers and defenders, and the emerging need to manage identity for non-human actors like bots and agents. Bozhena highlights companies such as Octo and Promptfoo that are working on API security and prompt evaluation. The conversation offers a grounded look at current trends, startup activity, and practical considerations for those working in or investing in cybersecurity.
by Alumni Ventures
May 6, 202512 min read
Nine Bold Visions for Healthcare: How AI Could Transform Healthcare by 2035
Below, we explore nine areas where artificial intelligence will accelerate progress and reshape healthcare by 2035. Along the way, we highlight several Alumni Ventures portfolio companies helping advance these changes. Some ideas may sound like science fiction, but they build on real-world efforts underway across research labs, startups, and industry.
by Brook Stroud

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