Excited to Support Critical Venture Partners Launch Their Transformative New Firm

Today marks an exciting milestone for a new venture firm, Critical: the team has announced the launch & vision of its firm, $5M of capital raised for new investments, and the set of advisors and investors supporting the mission, including myself.

Recent Penn graduates Seungkwon Son , Max Strickberger , and Sam Strickberger have been working on building a new pre-seed/seed impact-focused venture capital firm to back students and recent alumni entrepreneurs tackling major crises.  The trio believes that young founders will disproportionately start the next generation of iconic companies advancing climate solutions, improving healthcare access, and expanding economic opportunities.  To this end, they have been cultivating a network of student investment partners across elite universities and HBCUs. These scouts in conjunction with the founding general partners are focused on identifying and investing in student-affiliated startups that aim to generate positive change as well as drive meaningful financial returns.

My initial introduction to the team occurred nearly two years ago, and since then, I have observed several remarkable qualities in Max, Seungkwon, and Sam.  Their talent is immediately evident.  Max, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, traveled across the U.S. during the pandemic, capturing and sharing people's stories for The Washington Post.  Sam, clearly a natural leader, thrice served as class president at UPenn.  Seungkwon combines intellectual rigor with a practical approach to problem-solving.  Together, they earned the prestigious President’s Engagement Prize at Penn, awarded annually to exceptional seniors for undertaking fully-funded global engagement projects.

In the hours we’ve spent together since our first meeting, I've come to deeply appreciate their authenticity. Their commitment to their mission is driven by a genuine desire to build an organization that has a lasting positive impact on the world.  Equally impressive is their ambition. They are not content with a modest venture; they are at the beginning of their careers and are poised to build something significant for the future.

With funding commitments secured, Critical has already invested in a carbon-free synthetic fuel energy company and a company led by an MIT dropout focused on mining materials from electronic waste.  These startups exemplify Critical's focus on scalable solutions to global challenges, developing innovative approaches to sustainable energy and resource efficiency.  Launching this firm alongside Wharton professor Dr. Tyler Wry , who has focused his career studying social enterprises working to generate profits while simultaneously addressing societal issues, the team has attracted an impressive extended network of advisors and investors.

Along those lines, I am delighted to share that I have officially joined Critical in multiple capacities: as the firm’s Investment Committee Chair, as an engaged advisor, and as a Limited Partner.  With two decades of experience as a venture investor, my goal is to help Sam, Seungkwon, and Max identify exceptional investment opportunities and build a strong foundation for success. Having founded NextView Ventures over a dozen years ago, I also hope to share the lessons I’ve learned about creating a lasting and impactful venture firm.

I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who shaped my path early in my career, and working with the team at Critical feels like an opportunity to provide similar guidance to the next generation of investors.  And beyond that, I’m investing my own resources into the firm. This overall commitment isn’t just about business, but rather it's about partnering with the team to support transformative ventures while gaining fresh inspiration from their innovative approach to blending purpose with profit.

Of course, my involvement at Critical doesn’t change my full-time focus at NextView Ventures, where I continue as a partner investing in seed-stage entrepreneurs. I’m excited about how my work with Critical will create opportunities for collaboration and shared growth between the two firms.

If you are a peer in the startup ecosystem and are interested in also joining Critical 's pursuit, please reach out to me or the team.

The initiative that Sam, Max, and Seungkwon are leading is poised to make a meaningful mark on the venture capital landscape. The name 'Critical' encapsulates their mission to address urgent global challenges with thoughtful, innovative solutions. By empowering exceptional students and recent alumni, they are transforming critical issues into opportunities for lasting change.