Venture University

Why should HR nerds like me explore the world of investment funding? .... Because we can 🚀 😊 So excited to share that I have begun my journey as a VC/PE investor at VU Venture Partners, a multi-stage and multi-sector investment fund with offices in San Francisco, Munich, and Hong Kong.  I'm humbled to have been accepted into VU's Investor Accelerator program, Venture University, where over the next quarter I'll be sourcing, reviewing, and making investments across Consumer, Enterprise, FinTech, Frontier, Healthcare, and PropTech.    We invest in Pre-seed through Series B rounds. Our initial investments range from $100K-$1M, and we will invest up to $10M in follow-on rounds.  If you or anyone you know are raising capital for a startup, especially if it has huge potential, please don't hesitate to reach out! #VC #VentureCapital #VUVenturePartners #VentureUniversity #VCTraining #Startups #Funding #Investments #PE #PrivateEquity

𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 Recently, the Financial Times ranked STATION F as the second most important startup hub in Europe—right behind UnternehmerTUM in Munich as number one, and just ahead of number three, the Start2 Group, which I had the pleasure of co-founding back in 2008, and HEC Paris is ranked number four! Great news for the vibrant startup scenes of both Munich and Paris! 𝗜𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. This visit gave me the opportunity to meet with Aymeric Penven and Sebastian D Becker from HEC Paris, France’s top-ranked business school. Not only does HEC Paris run the largest accelerator inside STATION F, they also operate what could best be described as an “accelerator of accelerators”—supporting other accelerators housed within STATION F (among them are L’Oréal, Total, and other big names) and run around 25 additional startup programs.. They also are the French partners for the Creative Destruction Lab, a global startup accelerator for seed-stage, science-based companies, with the mission to enhance the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind.   𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲: If you’re a startup and want to get into STATION F, you can’t just walk in and rent space—you have to be accepted through one of the accelerators. Essentially, the accelerators are the gatekeepers, and that changes the game in terms of quality, access, and ecosystem-building.   𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁: STATION F isn’t just a startup campus—it’s a city of accelerators. Thrilled to finally be here. Curious to see what bridges we’ll build next. #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #Innovation

A special day hosting Professor Stephen Schaefer and a diverse group of London Business School students from 15+ countries at our office, as part of their Global Experience course in Hong Kong under the theme “Asia’s Financial Hub.” After James Zhang (Partner, VU Venture Partners) opened with thoughtful remarks, I had the pleasure of introducing VU Venture Partners and how our platform integrates a venture fund, real estate/private equity fund, investor syndicate, fund admintration, and an apprenticeship program—helping bring new blood into the industry. We’re fortunate to work with remarkable founders and honored to support them from their earliest stages, as highlighted by the portfolio wall we’re so proud of. The highlight was our panel, “Harmonizing Finance Heritage and Digital Innovation – Unveiling Hong Kong’s Next Frontier,” featuring three exceptional guests who each have decades of experience at renowned financial institutions and are now at the forefront of the future where finance and innovation intersect—spanning sustainability, technology, and digital assets. Thank you, Patrick Vizzone (CFO, Vertical Oceans), Jeff Zielinski (CFO, Buy&Ship), and Jason Lau (Chairman, Hong Kong Digital Asset Society), for sparking stimulating conversations and generously sharing your inspiring career journeys—both globally and regionally. Fostering next-generation leaders begins with real-world immersion and practical learning. Thank you London Business School for inviting us to participate, and here’s to moving Forever Forward.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤-𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. → Americans charge forward with confidence, taking leaps others wouldn't dare.  → Europeans excel at thoughtful planning, creating ventures that last. But here’s what I believe: Alone, neither approach is enough. 🚀 𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.  🔍 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮. Combined? That’s not just success—it’s unstoppable progress. Europe's venture ecosystem is brimming with talent, creativity, and ideas. Yet, risk-averse tendencies hold us back. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. At Venture University, we're bridging this gap. (Trust me, every step counts!) We're teaching future investors how boldness and precision together can rewrite Europe’s playbook. It’s time for more Europeans to invest 𝙄𝙉 and 𝙊𝙐𝙏 of Europe. Who better understands our unique cultures, markets, and challenges? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:  → Ventures that reflect our values.  → Investments that deliver global impact.  → Confidence across borders. Let’s reshape how we think about risk. Let’s build ventures that unite bold dreams and thoughtful actions. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦’𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? 

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭; 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞—𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 🏔️ Last week, we celebrated an incredible milestone with our European cohort at VU. Over dinner here in Munich, we toasted their success after an intense eleven weeks filled with: → Six investments → Countless conversations with founders → An unrelenting learning curve Each graduate now feels comfortable making an investment decision. What excites me most is seeing how this experience sparks opportunity. Nine graduates are continuing with us this quarter, while others are already forging their own paths. One standout story? 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱. They incorporated last week and are gearing up for their first investment. This transformation is precisely why I love what we do. Watching someone go from little to no investing background at all and within months become an investor — it's proof that this journey is about more than education. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. It’s about creating lasting impact. Check out our free Insider’s Guide: https://lnkd.in/eJ6MK2Wi And personally, being able do this alongside my partner, Remy, makes every moment even more rewarding. With our new cohort having kicked off this week at Venture University, I’m excited for all that lies ahead. 𝘗.𝘚. 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩? 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 - 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦-𝘰𝘶𝘵 🤓 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨... #graduation #VC #PE #ventureuniversity #VU #VUVenturePartners #skitrip

𝐈𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞? Not everyone is cut out for VC. And that’s okay. Spending three months inside Venture University gives you absolute clarity—whether this world is for you or not. Many come in unsure. Some realize it’s not their path. Others discover, like I did, that venture capital is the only asset class where doing a good job means changing industries—and even the world. We don’t just fund companies. We back visions that drive mass adoption and create real impact. VC isn’t for everyone. But if you’re ready to find out if it’s for you—let’s talk. #VentureCapital #Innovation #StartupFunding

San Francisco Investor Dinner Invitation: LP Investor Dinner, Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 | 6:30 - 9:00 PM, RSVP Here: https://lu.ma/v3ao1nen. We would like to invite you to join us for an upcoming private LP Investor dinner to learn more about VU Venture Partners, a global deep tech VC fund and an investor in 25+ unicorns and 20+ multi-billion exits, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Figure AI, FLYR Labs, Wayflyer, Tyme Group, etc. Based on our current portfolio, VUVP Fund I is ranked at a top 2% perfoming VC fund and is positioned to be a 4x - 8x+ fund.  Come learn about investing in the VC asset class and case studies on our innovative companies that are changing the world, from SpaceTech, AI, Robotics, and BioTech. Featured Speaker: J. Skyler Fernandes (Top 100 Powerlist VC), General Partner at VU Venture Partners. 🍽️ LP Investor Dinner: San Francisco, CA – Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 | 6:30 - 9:00 PM, RSVP Here: https://lu.ma/v3ao1nen. Note: Seats are limited for each dinner, so please RSVP soon. Only RSVP if you are an investor looking to invest into VC funds. Please share this invite with other investors in your network that would be interested in learning about the venture capital asset class and our fund. Thanks!

Had an absolutely fantastic evening in Munich 🇩🇪 with the incredible VU Venture Partners Team Europe! 🥂 From the delicious food and drinks to the stimulating discussions, it was truly a night to remember. We celebrated the culmination of this cohort's journey at Venture University and I'm already buzzing with excitement about the future – the next stage and the long-term collaborations we're building. Here's to innovation and partnership! A big THANK to Andy Goldstein and Remy Goldstein for organising and the support throughout the journey. #VUVenturePartners #Munich #VU #VentureCapital #Startups #Collaboration

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥? As I discussed with Remy in our recent LinkedIn LIVE, https://lnkd.in/dkEAbwUf, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁. But in Venture Capital, that’s exactly how most people enter the industry—learning by doing, often at the expense of their returns. The result? 𝟕𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐂𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭. They never see a penny of carry. That’s where Venture University comes in to change the game. Here, you don’t just study Venture Capital. You practice it with seasoned investors, using real capital, making real deals. → You’ll invest alongside professionals with a proven track record. → 10% of your tuition goes directly into the fund’s investments. → Want to back top-tier startups yourself? There’s always the possibility to co-invest via an SPV—starting at just $5,000. Venture Capital isn’t theoretical. It’s hands-on, and you want to learn from people who've been in the game for decades, not years. If you want to build a real investment career, apply now: https://lnkd.in/dn-m5kz3 — Our next cohort starts on Monday, March 31st!