Academy is a company.
Academy is a company.
Academy has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Academy.
Academy has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Key people at Academy.
Academy has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Academy's investors include Abstract Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Axiom Partners, Cherubic Ventures, Electric Capital, Flex Capital, Founders Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Modern Venture Partners, Rainfall Ventures, South Park Commons.
Academy Securities is the first post-9/11 disabled veteran-owned and operated investment bank and broker-dealer, founded to infuse military values like service, duty, and teamwork into financial services.[1] With 48% of employees being military veterans and leadership predominantly from military backgrounds, its mission centers on delivering client value through a mission-driven culture that pairs Wall Street expertise with veteran resilience, particularly during industry contractions post-2008 crisis and post-9/11 conflicts.[1] The firm focuses on investment banking and brokerage, emphasizing preparedness and team collaboration without specified key sectors beyond core financial services; it impacts the startup ecosystem indirectly by pioneering veteran-led finance models that promote diversity and high-performance teams in a traditionally elite industry.[1]
Academy Securities was founded in 2009 by former US Naval Officer Chance Mims amid the 2008 financial crisis and the drawdown of Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, establishing it as the nation's first post-9/11 military veteran and disabled veteran-owned investment bank.[1] Key partners include a leadership team where the majority served in the military, bringing a shared ethos of pressure-tested performance and loyalty.[1] The firm's evolution has centered on blending military culture with Wall Street talent, growing a tight-knit team that applies veteran discipline to client service in a challenging post-crisis environment.[1]
Academy Securities rides the trend of veteran entrepreneurship and diversity in finance, capitalizing on post-9/11 talent influx into Wall Street amid sector contractions that favored agile, mission-focused firms.[1] Timing aligns with heightened demand for disciplined teams in volatile markets, where military veterans excel in high-stakes execution—key for tech-adjacent fintech and defense-tech financing.[1] Favorable market forces include growing investor appetite for impact-driven firms and regulatory pushes for veteran hiring, positioning Academy to influence the ecosystem by normalizing veteran-led investment banking and inspiring similar models in tech finance.[1]
Academy Securities is poised to expand its veteran-led model into emerging areas like fintech and defense tech investments, leveraging its proven crisis resilience amid ongoing economic uncertainties.[1] Trends such as AI-driven trading, sustainable finance, and veteran workforce initiatives will shape its path, amplifying its influence as a pioneer in inclusive high-performance finance.[1] As the firm scales its hybrid talent engine, it could redefine Wall Street's culture, tying back to its origins by proving military values deliver enduring client wins in an evolving landscape.[1]
Academy has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in December 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2021 | $4.0M Seed | Abstract Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Axiom Partners, Cherubic Ventures, Electric Capital, Flex Capital, Founders Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Modern Venture Partners, Rainfall Ventures, South Park Commons, Stellar Capital, WorkLife Ventures, Zinc, Adam D'Angelo, Bradley Horowitz, Charlie Cheever, Matt Mazzeo |
