Thesis
Hillside Ventures seeks to invest in early-stage—pre-seed to Series A—companies. The fund focuses on the EdTech, InsurTech, Sustainability, and SportsTech industries. If there is a UConn alumnus amongst a startup’s management team, Hillside is able to invest, regardless of industry. If there is no UConn connection, Hillside will limit its investments into startups within the four outlined industries. Investments of up to $25,000, with the opportunity for follow-on funding, will be made to help companies grow and continue on a path toward profitability.
EdTech
Our position as both longtime and current stakeholders will give the Hillside Team an essential tool in evaluating the problems, solutions, and future unicorns in edtech. The availability of white spaces paired with the often bottom-up innovation and adoption of edtech solutions also makes for the perfect market opportunity that can return the fund.
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InsurTech
With UConn's proximity to Hartford, picking insurtech as one of Hillside’s verticals became an obvious choice. Coupled with the technological revolution happening in the insurance industry and a strong alumni presence, we knew insurance would be a good fit. Aside from our geographical location and close connections to an active market, the trends of the industry, as well as the size of the market, became intriguing.
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Sustainability
Hillside Ventures defines sustainability startups as “companies that address environmental, social, and economic crises by providing sustainable solutions and/or mitigating factors that inhibit sustainability.” This thesis focus is identified as an area that is relevant to the students that are the future of the fund and will likely require innovation for many years to come.
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SportsTech
Our unique position within the UConn sports ecosystem equips the team with a crucial advantage when it comes to assessing challenges, devising solutions, and identifying the next game-changing innovations in this dynamic field. The interconnectedness of UConn's sports world, coupled with the continuous emergence of untapped opportunities and grassroots-driven innovation within the sports technology sector, presents an ideal landscape for our investment efforts.
Learn moreInvestment Process
Students will begin by sourcing deals themselves and conducting due-diligence with the support of advisors. Analysts are also split into expert diligence groups of either EdTech, InsurTech, Sustainability, or SportsTech, best preparing them to discern an investable business in each respective industry. The diligence on a particular startup is distributed to the investment board for further analysis and research. Investments are, then, decided on twice a semester by the investment network.
Value-Add to Startups
Hillside provides value to its portfolio companies in several ways. First, affiliated companies will receive validation by the University brand, a top 25 public school and top 50 entrepreneurship school. Preemptive due diligence is also bundled and provided to startups for later-stage funding purposes and potential investors. As our Donors and Advisory Committees are prominent members of the venture community, they may invest in Hillside’s portfolio companies as well. Last, startups are provided the opportunity to utilize University resources, which most notably consists of an endless knowledge base. Hillside analysts further support the growth of a company with educational backgrounds across most disciplines and consulting plans.
Philosophy
At Hillside, it is believed that every student should have the opportunity to take part in meaningful experiences. The fund strives to engage students from an array of backgrounds and to promote inclusivity within venture capital. Hillside also looks to leave an impact on future students enrolled in the University. Returns from the fund will be used by the School of Business to create more innovative educational opportunities.