University Venture Fund

University Venture Fund operates as a student-run venture capital entity, providing both capital to emerging companies and invaluable experiential learning opportunities for students. The fund empowers its student cohort to engage in all facets of venture capital, including diligent scrutiny of new ventures, robust debate over potential investments, and ultimately, the allocation of real capital. This structured approach simulates a professional investment environment, enabling participants to develop practical skills in a live market setting.

Established in 2001, the University Venture Fund originated as the world's largest student-led venture capital initiative, integrated within the Venture & Impact Investing Program at the Sorenson Impact Institute. This institute, proudly housed within the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business, provides the academic and institutional framework for the fund's operations. The founding insight centered on the belief that direct, hands-on investment experience is paramount for cultivating the next generation of venture capitalists and impact-driven leaders.

The primary beneficiaries of the fund include promising startups and new ventures that receive critical early-stage financing, alongside the students who gain comprehensive training in venture capital and impact investing. The fund's overarching vision is to foster impactful investments that drive positive change while concurrently cultivating a pipeline of highly skilled and ethically minded professionals equipped to navigate the complexities of the investment landscape.