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Meet the VC

Speaker Series

The Office of Innovation and Commercialization's Meet the VC is an incredible speakers series that is your invite to meet a seasoned Venture Capitalist (VC) and gain insider knowledge on funding your startup.

Offered every other month, this engaging session lets you:

  • Explore the journey of a top investor who has fueled groundbreaking startups and witnessed their rise to success.
  • Uncover the secrets to securing funding, from seed rounds to scaling up your business.
  • Learn about what makes a compelling pitches, navigate investor relations, and understand what VCs look for in potential ventures.
  • Gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of startup financing and innovation.

Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur seeking growth capital, take advantage of this gateway to invaluable education, networking, and empowering your startup dreams. Join us and unlock the key to funding your next big idea.

Details of each month's speaker and topic will be announced in the lead-up to each event in this exciting series.

Explore the event series on Eventbrite.

When: 4:30- 6:00 p.m.

Where: Design & Innovation Building, Room 208


Find out how to get to the DIB.

  • Meet the VC: Sam Ramji and True Ventures

    Meet the VC: Sam Ramji and True Ventures

    Please join early stage Silicon Valley venture capital firm True Ventures and AI startup Sailplane Founder Sam Ramji (UC San Diego ‘94) for a very special Meet the VC-True Talk crossover event. This will be an honest discussion about the ups, downs, twists, and turns of the entrepreneurial journey. 

    We’ll begin with a reception where you can make invaluable connections to both startup investors and experienced founders. Then True EIR and Investor Clarence Bethea will lead a fireside chat with Sam along with True’s Puneet Agarwal and Rohit Sharma to unpack how to turn an idea into a business strategy, what to expect when fundraising venture capital for a startup, the thrilling state of AI building right now, and how challenges along the founder journey can be turned into opportunities. 

    Bring your questions.

    Thursday, April 30, 2025
    4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    Design & Innovation Building,
    The Basement, Room 151

    And if you can't make it in person, this event will be livestreamed on Linkedin and Youtube.  

    REGISTER NOW
  • Meet the VC: Shawn Xu

    Meet the VC: Shawn Xu

    Join us March 6, 2025 as we meet Shawn Xu, a former UC San Diego Alum and current Partner at Lowercarbon Capital.

    Shawn has built an accomplished track record as an investor at the early stage. Immediately prior to Lowercarbon, the Silicon Valley native was a Partner at On Deck’s venture fund and accelerator, where he backed companies in 20+ countries and earned a founder NPS of 100. Before that, he was on the investing teams at Floodgate and First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, and was ranked in the Forbes 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital. Shawn has personally partnered with  roughly 50 companies to date and brings with him a wealth of knowledge on helping founders go zero to one, from ideation to product-market fit.

    Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation.

    March 6, 2025
    4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    Design & Innovation Building, Room 208
  • Meet the VC: Alex Tran

    Meet the VC: Alex Tran

    January 9, 2025: Meet Alex Tran, partner at Plug and Play Ventures for a fireside chat. At Plug and Play, Alex focuses on solutions across industry challenges in hospital workflow, pharma, life, health, and property and casualty insurance. To date Alex has led over 90+ investments across digital health and insurtech. Some of the startups he has had the privilege of leading deals on are names such as: Vytalize Health (raised $176M), Albert (raised $175.6M), Ushur (raised $92M), Health Gorilla (raised $78M), Matic Insurance (raised $54M), and more. A few of his acquisitions came from Limelight Health which raised $44M in funding and was acquired for $85M by Fineos and Verikai which raised $6M and was acquired for $180M by Great American Insurance Group. He co-founded Playbook, Plug and Play’s internal innovation software that connects their entire ecosystem. 

    Don't miss out on being part of this exciting dialogue. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation.

    January 9, 2025
    4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    Design & Innovation Building, Room 208
  • Meet the VC: Ryan Sommerville

    Meet the VC: Ryan Sommerville

    Ryan Sommerville, General Partner of Antler VC

    March 7, 2024: The night will shine a spotlight on the dynamic world of venture capital and startups right here in San Diego with one of our proud VC firms. Get a chance to explore the strategies, trends, and success stories driving innovation in our vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Hear directly from this seasoned venture capitalist as he shares invaluable insights, expert advice, and insider perspectives on what it takes to thrive in today's competitive landscape.

    Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned investor, or simply curious about the future of innovation, Meet the VC promises to enlighten, inspire, and connect you with the movers and shakers shaping the future of business in San Diego and beyond. 

    Students, faculty, and staff members are welcome to ask questions and get to know this venture firm at our informal meet-and-greet following the presentation. Don't miss out on being part of this conversation, where your imagination, curiosity, and ideas are the keys to unlocking the future. Let's shape tomorrow's innovation. Register now to ensure your seat.

    Thursday, March 7, 2024
    4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    Design & Innovation Building, Room 208

     
  • Meet the VC: Kim Kamdar

    Meet the VC: Kim Kamdar

    Kim Kamdar, Domain Associates

    December 7, 2023: Kim Kamdar of Domain Associates has been involved in cutting-edge therapeutic start-ups and proven herself an incredible asset to our innovation ecosystem. With a background in small molecule drug discovery, Kim has played a critical role in identifying companies with promising molecular and companion diagnostics to support personalized medicine.

    Kim will lead an engaging discussion about the role venture capital has in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, shed light on prevailing investment strategies, as well as delve into current trends and future directions in the biotechnology and healthcare industries.

     Watch Now!