Webinar
An Introduction to Strawberry Creek Ventures
Watch an on-demand 45-minute presentation about Strawberry Creek Ventures, Alumni Ventures’ UC Berkeley-focused venture capital fund. The discussion was led by Managing Partner Matt Caspari and Partner Carl Choi.
See video policy below.
Post Webinar Summary
Matt Caspari and Carl Choi discuss their experience in operating at scale. They discuss the historical performance of their funds and the process of building diversified portfolios of 20 to 30 companies. They also highlight some companies they have previously invested in. They remind listeners that investments take time to mature and encourage them to consult with financial advisors. They conclude by inviting listeners to book time with their team to discuss individual situations and ask specific questions.
During the session, we discussed:
- HomeThe goal and structure of the fund
- HomeThe value of the Alumni Ventures' model
- HomeSome examples of current portfolio companies
- HomeBenefits of diversifying into venture capital
- HomeMinimum requirements needed to invest in the fund
Note: You must be accredited to invest in venture capital. Important disclosure information can be found at av-funds.com/disclosures.
About Alumni Ventures
Top 20 VC Investors in North America (2024)
#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the U.S. (2023)
#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the U.S. (2022)
World's Most Innovative Companies (2022)
About your presenters
Overview
Matt Caspari invests in mission-driven founders building the next generation of iconic companies—entrepreneurs tackling the world’s hardest, highest-stakes problems. He backs breakthrough technologies with the potential to redefine critical industries, unlock new markets, and create a more sustainable, secure future.
Before Alumni Ventures, Matt was a two-time venture-backed founder/CEO and a leader of the innovation team at Nike. He founded Aurora Biofuels, a deep-tech venture that grew to 100+ employees and secured more than $100 million in funding before its acquisition by Reliance Industries. Earlier, he advised life science multinationals at Cambridge Pharma Consultancy (acquired by IMS Health) and gained experience on Bloomberg’s M&A team. Matt holds a BS in Biochemistry from Georgetown University and an MBA with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from UC Berkeley.
Funds actively worked on
Investment Area of Focus
His investment lens favors bold solutions to global challenges and durable advantages rooted in technology and aligned with long-term megatrends. This translates to surgical robots powered by physical AI, next-generation energy systems, space-based infrastructure, longevity therapeutics, and more. The through-line is the potential for extraordinary value creation at the intersection of deep science and global need.
Representative investments Matt has led for Alumni Ventures include Andromeda Surgical and Cytronic (Physical AI); Arda Therapeutics and Cambrian Biopharma (Technologies for the Human Body); Max Space and Orbital Operations (Space Infrastructure); and Fortera and Mainspring Energy (The New Energy Stack). Alumni Ventures’ Deep Tech portfolio also includes companies such as Axiom Space, Ayar Labs, Cohere, Frore Systems, Groq, Hawkeye360, Hayden AI, Lambda, Radiant, and Rigetti (Nasdaq: RGTI).
Carl is a Partner at Alumni Ventures and Strawberry Creek Ventures and brings more than a decade of experience in venture capital, corporate development/strategy, investment banking, and public equity investments. Previously, Carl was a principal at Solasta Ventures, responsible for enterprise software investments, including the future of work and climate tech. Earlier, Carl led strategic initiatives in creating economic opportunities for freelancers as a director of corporate strategy at Upwork, drove inorganic growth through M&As at Riverbed Technology, and spent time at J.P. Morgan in San Francisco. Hailing from Canada, Carl holds a double degree in Mathematics and Business Administration from the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, respectively, and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas. Outside of work, Carl is an avid soccer player and a strategic board game geek.