University Ventures
University Ventures Fund was a New York-based private venture capital firm that invested exclusively in the higher education sector from 2011 to 2018, backing companies improving affordability, pioneering new learning models, and helping employers discover talent differently. Active investing concluded in 2018.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
University Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University Ventures
- Legal name
- University Ventures Fund
- Website
- https://universityventures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- University Ventures Fund was a New York-based private venture capital firm that invested exclusively in the higher education sector from 2011 to 2018, backing companies improving affordability, pioneering new learning models, and helping employers discover talent differently. Active investing concluded in 2018.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital / Education Investment
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Education / EdTech Growth Equity (FSANACAL)
Keywords
Where University Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
University Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
University Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
University Ventures is a venture capital investment firm that funds and supports companies operating in the higher education sector. The firm made equity investments and acquisitions in education-related businesses, including the 2017 acquisition of Avenica, a workforce solutions provider. The firm operated from 2011 to 2018 and focused exclusively on education-sector opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Higher Education Venture Capital Fund Venture capital fund providing equity investments to companies operating in the higher education sector. Targeted founders, operators, and management teams building and scaling education-related businesses.
- Avenica Acquisition Acquired workforce solutions company Avenica in 2017, providing recent college graduates with career placement services and employer matching.
Companies that use University Ventures
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
University Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
University Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
University Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- NewSchools Venture Fund: NewSchools Venture Fund is a venture philanthropy organization that funds education entrepreneurs, particularly in K-12 and education innovation. It is a comparable sector-specialist investor in education with a similar thesis of backing mission-driven companies, albeit at a different stage.
- Imagine K12 (now part of Y Combinator): Imagine K12 was an education-focused accelerator/seed fund that merged into Y Combinator. It is comparable as a sector-specialist early-stage investor in education startups, with significant overlap in thesis with University Ventures' portfolio orientation.
- Strada Education Network: Strada Education Network is a nonprofit social enterprise focused on improving education-to-employment pathways, with investment and grant-making activities. It is an adjacent peer operating in the same higher education and talent discovery space UV portfolio companies targeted.
Direct peers
- GSV Ventures: GSV Ventures is a sector-focused venture capital fund that invests in the most important and fast-growing companies in the education and workforce learning space. It is a direct peer as a vertical specialist in education technology investing.
- Owl Ventures: Owl Ventures is the largest education technology-focused venture capital firm in the world, investing across the education spectrum. It is a direct peer as a sector-focused VC backing edtech and education companies, comparable to University Ventures' higher-ed mandate.
- Rethink Education: Rethink Education is a venture capital fund focused exclusively on early- and growth-stage education technology companies. Like University Ventures, it is a specialist VC in the edtech vertical, making it a directly comparable peer.
- Learn Capital: Learn Capital is a sector-focused venture capital firm dedicated exclusively to education and learning technology. Like University Ventures, it is a vertical specialist VC that backs companies transforming how people learn and access education, making it the closest direct peer.
- Reach Capital: Reach Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on education technology and the future of learning. As a fellow education-focused VC, it directly parallels University Ventures' thesis of investing in companies that improve learning and talent outcomes.
Broad incumbents
- Bain Capital Ventures (Edtech practice): Bain Capital Ventures is the venture arm of Bain Capital and maintains a dedicated edtech investment practice. As a broader, well-capitalized incumbent with an education vertical, it overlaps with University Ventures' sector thesis from a position of greater scale.
- General Catalyst (Education practice): General Catalyst is a large multi-stage venture capital firm with an active education and future-of-work investment practice. It is a broad incumbent that competes for education deals alongside vertical specialists like University Ventures.
Market position
Customer concentration
University Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
University Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments70 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University Ventures
What does University Ventures do?
University Ventures is a venture capital investment firm that funds and supports companies operating in the higher education sector. The firm made equity investments and acquisitions in education-related businesses, including the 2017 acquisition of Avenica, a workforce solutions provider. The firm operated from 2011 to 2018 and focused exclusively on education-sector opportunities.
Is University Ventures a public or private company?
University Ventures is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was University Ventures founded?
University Ventures was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is University Ventures based?
University Ventures is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
Who are University Ventures's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are NewSchools Venture Fund, Imagine K12 (now part of Y Combinator) and Strada Education Network. Direct peers are GSV Ventures, Owl Ventures, Rethink Education, Learn Capital and Reach Capital. Broad incumbents are Bain Capital Ventures (Edtech practice) and General Catalyst (Education practice).
Does University Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for University Ventures.
What industry is University Ventures in?
University Ventures's product category is Venture Capital / Education Investment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists), with a secondary code of FSANACAL, Education / EdTech Growth Equity. Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6211.