Boston University Office of Technology Development's venture capital team invests in venture capital funds as a limited partner and co-invests in technology and life science companies.

We are particularly interested in early stage investments in which we can add significant value to a company by leveraging specific Boston University resources. This type of synergy is not a requirement to be considered for funding, but the most appealing opportunities are often companies in which we can directly impact growth and development through our access to proprietary resources and relationships. We always invest alongside top tier venture capital funds as a strategic part of the investment syndicate and in most cases serve as active Board observers.

Investing in Venture Capital Limited Partnerships

We invest in venture funds that not only provide Boston University with superior financial returns, but also to enhance our existing relationships in the venture capital industry.

We build strong relationships with General Partners of venture funds and give them access to early stage opportunities originating within Boston University and selectively refer attractive deals we identify external to the University. General Partners also often invite us to serve as a strategic investor for early stage companies in their portfolios that are looking for the specific value we bring to the table.

Some characteristics of our ideal fund investment include:

• Long operating history with consistent top tier financial results
• Stable partnership that has successfully managed inter-generational hand-off
• High quality LP base, especially Endowments and Foundations
• General Partners motivated by carried interest, not management fee
• Sustainable competitive advantage over competing funds

In addition to capital, OTD provides value to its venture partners through access to University resources, including the Photonics Center, Fraunhofer Center for Manufacturing innovation, Health Policy Institute, School of Engineering, Office of Information Technology, Boston Medical Center and outstanding faculty across all technical and scientific fields.

While we value our existing relationships, our venture capital team is always aiming to get to know new funds and learn how we might work together in the future.

Our typical commitment is $2-5 million.

Co-Investing in Entrepreneurial Ventures

We look to co-invest in compelling companies led by exceptional management teams. We evaluate companies raising Series A or Series B rounds of varying sizes and typically invest between $500,000 and $1,000,000 initially, depending upon the stage and capital requirements of the company. We act as a co-investor and require a separate larger venture fund to lead the round.

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