Critical Venture Partners, a new early-stage deep tech VC firm, has launched a $5 million fund to support university-based founders tackling major global challenges in climate, healthcare, and economic innovation.
The firm was founded by University of Pennsylvania graduates Sam Strickberger, Seungkwon Son, and Max Strickberger.
Investing in Young, High-Impact Innovators
The fund will target early-stage deep tech startups with investments ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, with 25% of the fund reserved for follow-on investments.
Notable backers include:
- Aarti Chandna (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund)
- Seth Goldman (Beyond Meat board chair)
- Andrew Kaplan (Bain Capital partner)
Co-founder Sam Strickberger emphasized the firm’s approach:
“We’re young founders investing in young founders. Some of the world’s biggest problems require fresh perspectives.”
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Bridging Academia and Venture Capital
To attract talent, Critical Venture Partners has partnered with Yope (formerly Founder.org) to launch a $100,000 startup competition, aiming to find and fund high-potential university innovators.
The firm has already invested in three promising startups:
- General Galactic – Converts CO2 into methane for sustainable fuel.
- Mobius Industries – Extracts valuable metals from industrial waste.
- Stratagen Bio – Uses quantitative data to enhance MRI scans.
A Fresh Take on Deep Tech Investment
The venture capital world often favors young founders, and Critical Venture Partners is embracing that mindset to accelerate deep tech solutions.
With $5M in initial funding, the firm aims to build a pipeline of breakthrough innovations, ensuring university-founded startups get the support and capital needed to scale globally.
