NYU Innovation Venture Fund

The NYU Innovation Venture Fund is a distinctive venture capital entity dedicated exclusively to fostering entrepreneurship and commercialization within the New York University ecosystem. Based in New York City, the fund's mandate is to invest in startups founded by, and/or commercializing technology and intellectual property developed by current NYU students, faculty, and researchers. This highly focused approach positions the fund as a critical bridge between groundbreaking academic research and market-ready innovations, aiming to translate scientific discoveries and creative ideas into viable businesses.

The fund primarily targets seed and early-stage companies, providing crucial capital at the foundational phases of a startup's lifecycle. Initial investments typically range from $100,000 to $500,000, reflecting its role in supporting nascent ventures as they develop their products and establish market fit. Beyond the initial capital, the NYU Innovation Venture Fund demonstrates a commitment to its portfolio companies through potential follow-on investments, with total capital deployed into a single company potentially reaching up to $1 million. This capacity for continued support underscores its long-term partnership approach with its affiliated startups.

Since its inception, the NYU Innovation Venture Fund has made a significant impact on the university's entrepreneurial landscape. It has invested in over 50 companies, demonstrating a robust commitment to a diverse portfolio of NYU-affiliated ventures across various sectors. These portfolio companies have collectively gone on to raise substantial additional capital, securing over $1.5 billion in follow-on funding from other investors. This impressive track record highlights the fund's effectiveness in identifying promising university-born innovations and preparing them for broader market investment, thereby accelerating the commercialization of NYU's intellectual assets.