🌴 The Bulletin #31: We're Recruiting + Our Summer in Review and all about the rise of Sovereign Wealth Funds!
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🌴 The Bulletin #31: We're Recruiting + Our Summer in Review and all about the rise of Sovereign Wealth Funds!
Welcome back! Catch up with our team, learn about the rise of sovereign wealth funds, and our recruiting process.
🕺🏻 Welcome Back!
Van Wickle Ventures is back and better than ever! We’re brimming with exciting news to share from a sneak peek into our team's recent endeavors, to a game-changing VC professional opportunity, details about our recruitment process, and of course, the latest insights into the ever-evolving VC market.
🔭 A sneak peek into what’s on the horizon this year:
Our upcoming fundraising challenge 👀 -stay tuned for more details!
Startup Connect - a unique experience where we bring celebrated Brown-affiliated founders together for one evening to speak about their experiences as entrepreneurs, interact with students, and recruit talent.
Fresh deep dives and market maps, providing in-depth insights into emerging industries .📈
⏪ The Team’s Summer Recap
🔬 2 members were conducting cutting-edge research: Fuka Ikeda was a human-robot interaction intern at OMRON SINIC -X, a leading biotech company in Japan while Sam Musker was conducting CS research in developing a new method for evaluating Large Language Models.
🏦 4 members worked in finance and investment firms domestically: Raghav Muthukumar worked as a quant research intern at AQR capital, Cécile Tang was conducting equity research on the clean energy team at Evercore, Ben Piekarz was a Corporate Strategy Summer Associate at Capital One, and Yejin Song was a sourcing extern at Battery Ventures.
🌐 3 members interned abroad: Lara Gamaleldin was an investment intern at Qalaa Holdings in Egypt, Ioannis Alabasinis spent his summer interning at Eurobank in Greece, and Sunav Nambiar was an investment analyst at ICICI Prudential AMC in India.
🎲 4 members focused on their respective interests: Zyn Yee Ang worked in recruitment for the Singaporean Navy, Mason Neumann worked as an E-commerce intern at E & J Gallo Winery, Rohan Zamvar spent the summer relaxing with family, and Viktor Bárdi was a sales intern at Mercedes-Benz AG.
We're hosting coffee chats as part of our recruitment cycle, come chat with us about our experiences within and beyond VWV! More information at the end.
🌎 New Sovereign Wealth Funds: A Growing Trend
Fueled by government surpluses, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are state-owned investment giants. They venture into a wide range of investments, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and more recently, startups! In recent years, SWFs have witnessed a remarkable surge in both size and significance. They've emerged as major players in the global financial landscape, collectively managing assets exceeding a staggering $11.5 trillion.
Some recent examples of the rise of SWFs include:
👥 NATO Investment Fund: Imagine a VC dedicated to enhancing collective security, with a casual $1 billion AUM from day one. The Nato Investment Fund’s mission is crystal clear - by directing investments towards critical infrastructure and advanced technologies in NATO member states—think energy security, cybersecurity, and space tech—it bolsters NATO's defense capabilities and resilience against future threats.
🇪🇬 Suez Canal Investment Fund (SCIF): This SWF has big plans to revitalize the nation’s economy by developing the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone). The upcoming economic hub promises to be a transformative force, as the SCIF foresees an incoming investment of EGP 100 billion (equivalent to USD $3.2 billion) within the coming decade. This substantial sum will then be invested into various projects within the SCZone in projects related to infrastructure, manufacturing, and tourism. The ultimate goal is to create millions of employment opportunities and boost Egypt’s GDP.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia's Venture Capital Splash: Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), among the world's largest SWFs, is making waves with a fresh venture capital portfolio. They've pledged a whopping $15 billion to fuel early-stage tech companies. This marks a significant shift, underscoring SWFs' growing interest in cutting-edge technology investments
⏳ Investing in Our Future
If you are:
🤗 Excited about startups and early-stage investing.
👫🏽 Passionate about meeting founders and learning how to support entrepreneurs.
🧠 Self-motivated, think differently, and passionate about your work.
Interested in:
🕸️ Founder Engagement: Networking with founders to understand their ventures better and build valuable relationships.
📖 VC Immersion: Deep diving into the world of venture capital through our spring GISP, where you'll gain skills for active participation in investments.
💰 Impactful Involvement: Contributing to investment decisions, including writing $25,000 checks, and helping grow our evergreen fund.
Come to an info session to learn more about the fund and what joining us would entail!
Still not sure? Chat with one of our members one-on-one and pick their brains on any topic.
💡 Info Sessions:
Tuesday, September 12th, 6:30-7:30 pm.
Monday, September 18th, 7-8 pm.
Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, Liz Lange Lounge, 2nd Floor.
💡 Coffee Chats:
Wednesday, September 13th - Thursday, Sept 21st. Sign up here to meet the VWV team.
💡 Application:
Apply by Friday, September 22nd.
💡 Interviews:
1st Round Interviews: Starting Monday, September 25th.
2nd Round Interviews: Starting Monday, October 2nd.
💡 Decisions:
Week of Monday, October 7th.
We can’t wait to read your applications! 💌
⭐ An Exciting Professional Opportunity
Apply to become a Contrary Venture Partner. As a VP, you'll be the trusted support for campus founders, engaging in casual coffee chats with aspiring entrepreneurs, delving into the latest tech trends, and gaining a knack for strategic investment decision-making. It's an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of early-stage startups and develop a keen investor's mindset.
That’s it for this week, feel free to email me at lara_gamaleldin@brown.edu with any inquiries!
✨ Follow us:
Instagram: @vanwickleventures
Twitter: @VanWickleV