At a Glance
Rough Draft Ventures is a unique student-run venture capital fund backed by General Catalyst that exclusively invests in student and recent graduate founders. Founded in 2012, RDV operates with the belief that the best entrepreneurs often start building companies while still in school or shortly after graduation. The fund provides not just capital but also mentorship and access to General Catalyst's extensive network and resources. RDV typically writes checks ranging from $25K to $250K in pre-seed and seed rounds, focusing on startups that emerge from university ecosystems. The fund is staffed entirely by students and recent graduates who understand the unique challenges facing young entrepreneurs. This peer-to-peer investment model has proven successful in identifying promising early-stage companies across sectors including consumer technology, enterprise software, AI, and edtech. What makes RDV distinctive is its grassroots approach to venture capital and its ability to spot talent at the earliest stages of company formation.
“Investing in exceptional student entrepreneurs and recent graduates who are building innovative technology companies.”
Rough Draft Ventures primarily invests at the Pre-Seed stage. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Rough Draft Ventures is headquartered in Boston, MA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Rough Draft Ventures focuses on investments in Consumer, Enterprise, AI, EdTech. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Rough Draft Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $10K to $100K. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Rough Draft Ventures manages approximately $10M in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
