Alumni Ventures
Technology Focus Areas (Top 4): Advanced Manufacturing; Space & satellites, AI, Cyber
Series: Seed & Series A
Locations: Multiple
Alumni Ventures Group: History and Impact
Democratizing Venture Capital Through Alumni Networks
Alumni Ventures (AV) started in 2014 with a simple but powerful idea: leverage alumni networks to democratize access to venture capital investing. What began as a single Dartmouth alumni fund has grown into a network-powered VC firm managing approximately $1.4-1.5 billion across 25+ funds, backed by over 11,000 investors.
The firm operates differently from traditional venture capital. Rather than raising massive funds from institutional investors, AV creates smaller, targeted funds around specific alumni networks (Harvard, Stanford, MIT, etc.) and sectors (AI, healthcare, fintech). Their flagship Total Access Fund, launched in 2018, makes 50-75 new investments each quarter across various sectors and geographies.
With typical check sizes ranging from $100,000 to $10 million (sweet spot $1-3 million) and fund minimums as low as $10,000, AV has made venture investing accessible to accredited individuals who previously couldn't access top-tier deals. The firm has built a portfolio of over 1,400 companies, adding roughly 250 new investments annually.
Leadership Team Building the Network
Michael Collins serves as CEO and Founder, bringing the vision that launched AV's first alumni fund. A serial entrepreneur turned VC, Collins worked at TA Associates before founding AV and holds engineering and MBA degrees from Dartmouth and Harvard respectively. He remains the public face of AV, regularly writing about venture strategy and appearing on industry panels.
Colin Van Ostern joined as President and COO in 2019, bringing operational expertise from his background in online education at Southern New Hampshire University and experience as a New Hampshire state official. He oversees AV's day-to-day growth and expansion.
Laura Rippy manages AV's Dartmouth, Harvard, and Women's Funds as Managing Partner. Business Insider named her the #1 woman early-stage investor in 2025. Based in Boston, she leads deal sourcing for AV's Ivy League and women's networks, with a portfolio including companies like TRM Labs and Barnwell Bio.
Greg Baker leads AV's Wisconsin and Northwestern alumni funds as Managing Partner. A Duke-educated engineer who joined in 2017, Baker has led over 100 AV investments, including Axiom Space and Mission Bio. He frequently appears in AV media and webinars as an Executive Partner.
The firm employs about 40 full-time investors and staff across five U.S. offices, with each alumni or sector fund having its own investment team under oversight by AV's Office of Investing and Investment Committee.
Active Media and Content Strategy
Alumni Ventures maintains a high-profile presence through content creation and industry engagement. CEO Mike Collins regularly authors blog posts on venture best practices, AI trends, and founder insights. The firm hosts a "Tech Optimist" podcast and VC Masterclass series, featuring interviews with founders and VCs.
AV frequently announces milestones and achievements. In 2022, they celebrated reaching $1 billion raised and 1,000+ investments. More recently, they highlighted Laura Rippy's top investor ranking and launched new products like the AV Syndicate deal-by-deal platform.
Industry recognition has followed their growth. PitchBook named AV the #1 most-active U.S. VC firm in 2022-2023, while CB Insights lists them among North America's Top 20 VC firms. Inc. Magazine included them on their "Founder-Friendly VC" list in 2024.
External media coverage has documented AV's rise. VentureBeat wrote that AV "quietly became venture capital's most active dealmaker," highlighting their co-investment model and massive investor base. The Daily Caller chronicled their growth from startup to major VC powerhouse, noting their management of over 1,500 companies.
Portfolio Success Across Sectors
Alumni Ventures' broad approach has generated impressive portfolio outcomes. They report 31 unicorns, 14 IPOs, and 148 acquisitions among their companies, with investments spanning 20+ industries and geographic regions.
Major exits include Freshly (meal kit service acquired by Nestlé) and Upstart (AI lending platform that went public with over 1000% valuation gains). Current unicorns in their portfolio include AI firm Cohere and space startup Axiom Space, among the 31 total billion-dollar companies they've backed.
Technology leaders in their portfolio include quantum computing startup Rigetti, AI infrastructure company Lambda Labs, and various climate tech and blockchain companies. Many of these deals are alongside top-tier VCs like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia, with AV participating as a co-investor.
Founder testimonials highlight AV's value beyond capital. John Linden of Mythical Games praised AV's "talents, network, and investment power" as being "very helpful." Kalpesh Kapadia of Deserve noted that AV provided access to partners and customers while being a "great value-add investor with no strings attached."
The Alumni Ventures Value Proposition
What sets AV apart is their "Co-Investor Promise" - they commit to being low-friction, transparent partners who don't take board seats or renegotiate terms, but will help founders when requested. This approach appeals to entrepreneurs who want capital without complex governance structures.
AV provides extensive CEO services including an exclusive CEO Club for peer networking, "Opening Doors" introductions to customers and talent, "Test Drive" pitch practice sessions, and AVTV video outreach campaigns to their 850,000+ community members. They also offer shared office CEO Desks in five U.S. hubs for meeting space.
For follow-on rounds, AV leverages vehicles like the AV Apex Fund, which makes growth-stage investments in top portfolio companies. This ensures promising companies can raise subsequent rounds while maintaining investor relationships.
The firm's network effect creates value for both investors and entrepreneurs. Alumni from prestigious universities get access to deal flow previously reserved for institutional investors, while startups gain access to a vast network of potential customers, partners, and advisors.
Scaling Through Specialization
Beyond alumni-based funds, AV has created specialized sector funds targeting AI, deep tech, healthcare, and other emerging areas. This allows them to develop domain expertise while maintaining their network-driven approach.
Their AI First Fund exemplifies this strategy, focusing specifically on artificial intelligence and machine learning companies while leveraging AV's broader network for deal sourcing and portfolio support. Similar focused approaches in healthcare, fintech, and other sectors allow AV to punch above their weight in competitive deals.
The firm's approach to democratization extends beyond just lowering minimums. They've created educational content, regular webinars, and transparent reporting that helps individual investors understand venture capital and make informed decisions about startup investing.
Impact on the VC Landscape
Alumni Ventures has fundamentally changed how venture capital works by proving that network-based investing can scale. Their success has inspired other firms to explore similar models, while their alumni approach has shown how university networks can be monetized for mutual benefit.
With over 1,400 portfolio companies and consistent deal flow, AV has become a meaningful player in the startup ecosystem. Their co-investment approach means they rarely compete directly with traditional VCs, instead partnering with them while bringing additional capital and network effects to promising companies.
The firm's growth from a single Dartmouth fund to a multi-billion dollar platform managing 25+ funds demonstrates the power of network effects in venture capital. By 2025, with their 850,000+ community members and 11,000+ investors, AV has created what amounts to a venture capital marketplace powered by alumni connections.
Looking Forward
Alumni Ventures continues expanding both geographically and into new sectors. Their success suggests that the traditional model of venture capital - massive funds raised from institutions - isn't the only way to build a successful investment platform.
As they add new alumni networks and sector-focused funds, AV is positioning itself to be a permanent fixture in the venture landscape. Their combination of broad diversification, network effects, and accessibility to individual investors creates a sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded market.
The firm's impact extends beyond just investment returns. By democratizing access to venture capital and creating educational content around startup investing, Alumni Ventures has opened up an asset class previously available only to the ultra-wealthy and institutions. This democratization may prove to be their most lasting contribution to the investment world.
