Expertise and capital for founders

RBV is not a traditional venture capital fund. We are a network of tens of thousands of people who back companies one deal at a time using special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Capital follows the conviction of domain-specific experts - operators, founders, and industry leaders whose judgment is grounded in relevant experience.

Cornell is our founding community because the university's reach spans every industry, geography, and stage. That breadth of expertise makes it the natural first community for RBV – a network designed to grow thoughtfully over time, while maintaining a highly curated standard.

Successful deals tend to share three signals: 1) a great team, 2) commercial traction and/or defensible technology, and 3) respected co-investors and experts who lean in. We organize our process around finding and verifying these signals before we put capital to work. For a deeper walkthrough of how a deal moves from intro to close, see how it works.

We review every application personally. Submissions are read within two weeks. If there is a fit, we reach out directly.