# Rutgers Ventures

> Rutgers Ventures is an independent community of Rutgers University alumni who advise, pitch, and invest in startups founded by other Rutgers alumni. It is operated by Whiteboard Venture Partners (WBVP) and is one of three alumni/professional networks WBVP has built — alongside CISO Ventures and Parents Ventures — to support founders and source proprietary deal flow.

Rutgers Ventures is **not** affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with Rutgers University. It is a community initiative.

Site: https://rutgers.ventures
Operator: Whiteboard Venture Partners (https://www.whiteboard.vc)
Contact: rutgers@whiteboard.vc
X (Twitter): https://x.com/rutgersventures

## What Rutgers Ventures is

- A community, not a fund, accelerator, or formal program.
- Three engagement paths for community members:
  1. **Advise** — Rutgers alumni mentor Rutgers-affiliated founders on product, sales, hiring, fundraising, and domain-specific topics.
  2. **Pitch** — Rutgers-affiliated founders submit their company for introductions to advisors and investors in the network.
  3. **Invest** — Rutgers alumni back vetted Rutgers-founded startups via the Whiteboard VC syndicate on AngelList.
- Community access point to the broader Rutgers alumni network (Rutgers University reports approximately 500,000+ alumni across its New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden campuses).

## Who can participate

- **Advisors:** Rutgers alumni with operating experience in product, sales, hiring, fundraising, engineering, design, or specific industry verticals.
- **Founders:** Companies with at least one Rutgers-affiliated founder (alumnus, faculty, or current student) on the founding team.
- **Investors:** Rutgers alumni who invest directly or via the Whiteboard VC syndicate. Alumni investors may list themselves publicly in the open investor directory.

## How to get involved

- [Sign up to advise](https://airtable.com/shr0dxIBq9fwoxTm1) — Airtable form for prospective advisors.
- [Submit your startup](https://airtable.com/appnRbigAkSJ7LwAA/shrfckanDg5iBYkvY) — Airtable form for Rutgers-affiliated founders pitching for advisor and investor introductions.
- [Join the Whiteboard VC syndicate](https://angel.co/whiteboardvc/syndicate) — AngelList syndicate through which alumni back Rutgers-founded startups.
- [Make a tangible commitment](https://airtable.com/shr4feJCWVTyYEyHF) — Public commitment form for alumni to declare a specific way they will plug in (intro, event, capital, or mentorship).
- [Schedule time with the Rutgers Ventures team](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ2O5Tg5hKnzeQazyUFsQxsbDr_LwW-ECgScj28ywDC1t-Q0ANpShe_wzhLAwZPYmJtjf07Zi4Az?gv=true) — Google Calendar booking page for direct conversations with the team.

## Investor directory

- [Public Rutgers alumni investor directory](https://airtable.com/embed/shrGaqF6aGkWsWp39) — open, growing roster of named Rutgers-alumni investors and their firms (Airtable embed; readable without an account).
- [Add yourself to the investor directory](https://airtable.com/shraZQlvEgvBzgZrS) — submission form for alumni investors who want to be listed publicly.

## Notable companies founded by Rutgers alumni

A non-exhaustive sample of well-known companies with Rutgers-alumni founders or co-founders. Each item is the company name and its category.

- **Bloomberg L.P.** — financial data, news, and media
- **BladeLogic** — IT automation software (acquired by BMC Software)
- **Boxed** — bulk-goods e-commerce
- **Ecko Unltd.** — apparel and lifestyle brand
- **ESPN** — sports media network
- **The Home Depot** — home-improvement retail
- **Jackpocket** — mobile lottery-ticket courier app (acquired by DraftKings)
- **MuleSoft** — API integration platform (acquired by Salesforce)
- **Nutrafol** — direct-to-consumer hair-wellness brand
- **Pure Storage** — enterprise flash-storage systems
- **Yes Bank** — Indian commercial bank

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rutgers Ventures affiliated with Rutgers University?
No. Rutgers Ventures is independent. It is operated by Whiteboard Venture Partners and uses the Rutgers alumni network to support founders, but it is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or formally partnered with Rutgers University.

### Do I have to be a Rutgers alumnus to participate?
The advisor, investor, and founder lanes are designed around the Rutgers alumni network, so most active participants are alumni. Founders need a Rutgers-affiliated founding-team member; advisors and investors should be alumni. The public investor directory is readable by anyone.

### How does the Whiteboard VC syndicate work?
Whiteboard VC operates a syndicate on AngelList. When the team selects a Rutgers-alumni-founded company for a syndicate deal, syndicate members can opt in at AngelList's standard minimums. Members do not commit capital to a fund — they decide deal-by-deal.

### How do I submit my startup for the community?
Fill out the [pitch submission form](https://airtable.com/appnRbigAkSJ7LwAA/shrfckanDg5iBYkvY). Submissions are reviewed by the Rutgers Ventures team and shared with relevant advisors and investors in the network. Submission does not guarantee investment.

### Who runs Rutgers Ventures?
Rutgers Ventures is operated by [Whiteboard Venture Partners](https://www.whiteboard.vc/) (WBVP), an early-stage venture firm. For specific contacts, schedule a meeting via the team calendar or email rutgers@whiteboard.vc.

## About the operator

- [Whiteboard Venture Partners](https://www.whiteboard.vc/) — operator of Rutgers Ventures, CISO Ventures, and Parents Ventures.
- WBVP's thesis: build proprietary network effects across three intersecting communities to source, evaluate, and back early-stage founders better than generalist firms.