We connect investors
to entrepreneurs
in our communities
Where innovative minds meet
InvestU supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem forged at Arizona State University, bringing together affiliated startups with accredited investors. Linked to the #1 most innovative university and a top research institution, the network will give ASU and Thunderbird supporters unique access to investment opportunities and resources for startups that arise from our students, faculty and the more than half a million alumni around the world.
*Among universities with no medical school
We're home to:
- Domestic and International Network
- Academic Expertise
- Student Engagement
- Investing
- Future Funding
- Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
$750M+ capital invested and 120+ startups launched
World-renowned faculty and community experts
Top students involved in startup research studies
Domestic and international investment deals
Access to financial firms for future funding rounds
Access to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and resources at ASU
How it works
InvestU supports the global ASU and Thunderbird community with an investing platform and co-investment fund that engages and leverages the power of the university’s robust network of world-renowned faculty, exceptional students and resources.
The university’s breadth of interdisciplinary students and expert faculty provides a valuable component of the network by helping with company studies.
Pre-Pitch Day
Engagement
Online App and Pre-screening
Pre-Pitch Day
Engagement
Venture Advisory Board Review
Pre-Pitch Day
Engagement
Screening & Student Studies
Startup and Investor Engagement
InvestU Startup Pitch Day
Startup and Investor Engagement
InvestU Investment Decision
Post-Engagement
Mentorship & Follow-on Investing
Our Goals
Develop
Develop an additional funding source for university-related ventures
Build
Build affinity with the network of investors and university-affiliated early-stage companies
Provide
Provide hands-on investment learning opportunities for students
Foster
Foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the university, community and globally
Become
Become the most active investor network in the Southwest
Support
Support economic development domestically and overseas
Our innovative team
We’re innovators, investors, academics, and an entrepreneurial community who support startups every step of the way. Our team draws from the Phoenix venture community as well as many dimensions of the university from Thunderbird to W. P. Carey School of Business to the IRA Fulton Schools of Engineering as well as Skysong Innovations and ASU Enterprise Partners.
Executive Board
Rick Shangraw
ASU Enterprise Partners CEO
Christine Wilkinson
ASU Senior VP & Secretary; ASU Alumni Association President & CEO
Sanjeev Khagram
Thunderbird Director General and Dean
Amy Hillman
W. P. Carey Dean
Kyle Squires
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Dean
Ji Mi Choi
ASU Associate VP of Entrepreneurship + Innovation
Marcel Valenta
CEO of Enterprise Collaboratory at ASU
Nancy Gonzalez
Natural Sciences Dean
Venture Advisory Board & Ops
Gary Gibbons
Academic, Fund Manager, Venture Capital Investor
Jeff Mindlin
ASU Enterprise Partners CIO, ASU Sustainability in Investing Faculty, Former CIO of First Allied
Charlie Lewis
SkySong Innovations Senior VP of Venture Development, Former Partner of Two VCs
Satish Kholay
Serial entrepreneur, Designed Dell and NCR’s First Cache Motherboard
Jim Waldrop
Former Executive VP of Pulte Homes, Founder of HomeSphere, and CEO of Cathay Global Investments, Serial Entrepreneur and Investor
Molly Iarocci
DCA Asset Management VP Investment Analytics
Robert Milligan
Healthcare Trust of America CFO
Rahul Poddar
Faculty, Angel Investor, Former Executive at Honeywell and UTC Aerospace Systems
Don Sechler
VP and Global Head of Partner Strategy and Analytics, Sony PlayStation, Former VP of Pantheon Ventures
Matt Pittinsky
CEO of Parchment, Co-Founder of Blackboard, Inc., Entrepreneur, Angel Investor
Scott Peters
Healthcare Trust of America CEO
Lewis Rutherfurd
Academic, Founded First VC in China, Former Chairman of Hong Kong Venture Capital Association
Sandra Watson
President and CEO of Arizona Commerce Authority
Invest with us
If you’re interested in joining a group of experienced and diverse leaders who care about investing and supporting affiliated early-stage startups, we’d love for you to join our entrepreneurship ecosystem. These vetted startups are prepped, well studied, and ready to talk to you about their unique business opportunities.
Criteria
Members of the community interested in investing in affiliated companies
An accredited investor
Unique investment opportunities
Access to an online platform to manage your investments
Student engagement
Investor meetings and entrepreneurial events
Exposure to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and resources at ASU
Angel Capital Association membership, workshops, and events
Membership types and fees
InvestU Venture Club
$50,000 + for lifetime membership
Someone who wants to be a founding investor at InvestU. You get access to additional perks and the satisfaction of accelerating the program’s ambition to support university-affiliated companies at the most innovative university in the US.
Active Member
$1,000 annually
You’re passionate about entrepreneurship and investing in startups. You want to invest in innovative companies while surrounding yourself with like-minded investors who think about the future advancement of humanity while hoping for a return on investment too.
ASU President's Club
$500 annually
Reserved for members of the ASU Foundation President’s Club. Same benefits as an active member at half the cost for your dedication to supporting ASU. If you’re interested in learning more about the ASU Foundation President’s Club, please visit this link.
Member benefits
| InvestU Venture Club | Active Member | ASU President's Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
Lifetime InvestU Membership* Donations of $50K or more to the InvestU Venture Fund receive lifetime membership. This is limited to 40 seats. | Yes | – | – |
Investing Ability Ability to invest in InvestU startups | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pitch Events Startups presenting their companies to InvestU | Yes+ Two Guests | Yes+ One Guest | Yes+ One Guest |
Company Summary Information Overview of the startups business model, solution, and metrics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Company Research Studies & Presentation Access Detailed faculty and student-led company study detailing: team, product, market, strategy and distribution plan, and financial information | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Investor Platform Access Enables investors to view detailed company information and portfolio management | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Livestream Access Virtual stream and recording of startup pitches | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Angel Capital Association Membership National angel investing organization that hosts conferences, trainings, and provides resources to investors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
InvestU Investor Training Faculty or community-led training on entrepreneurship and investing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ASU Entrepreneurship Events University-wide entrepreneurship-related events | Yes | Yes | Yes |
InvestU Founding Member Plaque Dated InvestU plaque will be hung at the future Thunderbird School of Global Business downtown campus for your contributions to supporting university-affiliated entrepreneurs | Yes | – | – |
InvestU Guest Speakers Prominent figures in the entrepreneurship community presenting on special topics, trends, and their experiences | Yes+ Two Guests | Yes+ One Guest | Yes+ One Guest |
Social Mixers Dinners, happy hours, or other social events to foster community within InvestU | Yes+ One Guest | Yes | Yes |
ASU Sporting Event Tailgate & Suite Events Invitations to ASU President tailgates and a ticket to at least one suite at an ASU sporting event annually | Yes | – | – |
Exclusive Donor Events Invitation to university designated donor events | Yes | – | – |
Student Career Event Tabling event to present your company to our student teams for career opportunities | Yes | Yes | Yes |
InvestU Memorabilia Ongoing InvestU branded materials | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Cost | $50,000 or more* | $1,000 annually | $500 annually |
For entrepreneurs
We’re more than just a traditional angel network, we're invested in the success of your business every step of the way
There are a few things we’re looking for in our startups. Your company needs to have a tie to ASU or Thunderbird School of Global Management. Companies should also be at a more mature stage — at or near revenue generation.
InvestU will be funding companies seeking to raise between $100K-$2M. The minimum check size from an investor is typically $25K. If you are seeking for InvestU to syndicate with your current or new institutional lead investor, you are also encouraged to apply. If you think you fit our criteria below, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at InvestU@asu.edu with any questions you may have.
Startup Criteria
An executive, board member, or investor affiliated with ASU or Thunderbird
Local, U.S. or international startups welcomed to apply
Raising $100K-$2M OR Seeking later-stage equity financing syndication with a current or new institutional lead investor
Hello! We'd like to hear from you!
At ASU+Thunderbird, we like to keep our relationships personal. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at InvestU@asu.edu with any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!