Michigan State University Venture Fund Startup Develops Smart Headband To Detect Head Impacts

The Michigan State University Foundation (MSUF) has announced its newest program, Red Cedar Ventures, which features a pre-seed fund and opportunity focused on helping Michigan State University-based startup companies. “We have been working hard to put together a campus-wide ecosystem for entrepreneurs that embraces all of the creative talents across the university,” MSU President Lou […]

Psst, Rowan has a $5M venture fund 

The venture fund is an outgrowth of the late Rowan’s transformative gift of $100 million in 1992 to what then was Glassboro State College. The money has remade Rowan (renamed for its benefactor) which operates two medical schools, and has attracted high-caliber faculty to its engineering program. Bridging off of its good fortune, Rowan president […]

University of Chicago Investing $25M From Endowment Into Its Own Startup Companies 

The University of Chicago is pulling $25 million from its endowment to back business ideas from faculty, students and alumni. The university on Friday announced it will tap into its $7.1 million endowment to provide funding for startup companies founded or that include people from the university or ideas developed on the Hyde Park campus. […]

RiverVest Venture Partners Closes on $15 Million Biopharma Pre-Seed Fund – RiverVest Venture Partners

Life sciences venture capital firm RiverVest Venture Partners today announced the closing of Archer Seed Fund, L.P. at $15 million. Archer will invest modest amounts of pre-seed and seed funding in about 10 early-stage biopharmaceutical companies, according to RiverVest Managing Director John McKearn, Ph.D. The fund’s investment opportunities will be primarily sourced from business incubators […]

BMW increases size of venture capital fund by 400% to $530 million

BMW AG plans to boost its investments in start-ups, as competition intensifies with new rivals including Tesla Motors Inc. over technologies that make cars smarter and more energy efficient. The i Ventures division will be moving its headquarters from NY to Silicon Valley and it will also be allowed to operate with more autonomy. Its […]

MIT Skoltech Seed Fund issues call for proposals, collab research with Russian institutions

The MIT Skoltech Seed Fund Program is calling for proposals, now through Dec. 23, from MIT faculty and researchers with principal investigator status for innovative projects that have the potential to benefit the development of the MIT Skoltech Program or the mission of the Skolkovo Foundation. The program strongly encourages proposals that involve collaborative research […]

Forbes: Allied Minds leading in IP commercialization in the US

New technologies and intellectual properties are being created all over the US, but many times the capabilities to commercialize it are unavailable. Boston-based Allied Minds is a diversified holding company focused on venture creation that transforms previously unknown or filed away technology and life science innovations. Out of the research of more than 160 US […]

State Investing to Make Connecticut More Attractive to Tech Startups

ROCKY HILL _ The state’s venture capital fund, prodded by investors suggesting a new direction, is scouting for high-tech funds where it can invest public money to broaden its network of technology-based startups. Connecticut Innovations, which invests in startup bioscience, medical equipment and other high-tech companies, is responding to entrepreneurs, investors and others urging a […]

(Venture Capitalists Take Note) University Startup Funds Are For Real

The common auto-pilot statement (I’ve been guilty of it–often–as well) is that universities need more money from pre-seed venture capital to launch successful startups. After a click-whirr pause caused by our recent startup gap fund webinar(sample here), I’m not so sure. Let’s start with a simple question, “What are 5 key needs areas for success […]