Big Red Ventures

Big Red Ventures (BRV) is an early-stage venture capital fund managed by MBA students at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management. Founded in 2001, BRV is among the oldest student-run venture funds in the United States. The fund typically invests between $50,000 and $200,000 in U.S.-based high-growth companies across various industries. Initially funded by donations to Cornell University, BRV is a true evergreen fund, recycling all proceeds for reinvestment. Along with investing start-up capital in promising new companies, BRV also serves as the gateway to Cornell technologies by providing its investment partners unique access to new innovations.

BRV draws upon the formidable resources of Cornell – an unrivaled institution with 13 colleges and schools and more than 100 research centers and programs that ranks 11th among U.S. universities in total R&D expenditures and 18th in federally financed R&D. The university’s not-for-profit Cornell Research Foundation evaluates and provides technology transfer for inventions stemming from Cornell research.

BRV is a selective program, with an application and interview process open to MBAs, JDs, and PhD candidates; the course is only open to students who apply to become and are selected as fund managers. Fund managers operate under the guidance and oversight of experienced practitioner faculty. BRV is committed to encouraging more cross-pollination between the two campuses.