Critical Venture Partners is a forward-thinking investment firm that’s focused on backing early-stage startups driven by passionate young entrepreneurs.
With a clear mission to support ventures addressing pressing challenges in areas like climate change, healthcare, and economic opportunity, the firm has attracted a diverse and high-profile group of limited partners and investors.
The Vision Behind Critical Venture Partners
Chaired by David Beisel, co-founder and partner at NextView Ventures, the investment committee at Critical Venture Partners is composed of seasoned professionals with a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem.
Their impressive network of limited partners includes notable figures such as Seth Goldman, Chairman of Beyond Meat, Gary Swidler, President of Match Group, and Adam Miller, Founder of Cornerstone OnDemand.
These partners bring a wealth of experience, insight, and financial backing to the firm, strengthening its ability to back groundbreaking companies.
At its core, Critical Venture Partners believes in the power of young entrepreneurs to drive meaningful change.
The firm is committed to supporting founders who are solving critical global problems—whether it’s combating climate change, improving healthcare, or expanding economic opportunities for underrepresented communities.
A Team with a Passion for Innovation
Founded by Max Strickberger, Sam Strickberger, Seungkwon Son, and Wharton professor Dr. Tyler Wry, Critical Venture Partners brings together a team with a strong academic and entrepreneurial background.
The founders, all recent graduates of the University of Pennsylvania, have a shared passion for fostering innovation among young, up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
Their firm focuses specifically on providing early-stage funding to startups founded by university students, recent graduates, professors, and even dropouts—anyone with an innovative idea and the drive to build something impactful.
Key Investments and Promising Startups
Since its founding, Critical Venture Partners has already made three significant investments:
- General Galactic: Founded by Stanford alumni, this startup is working on producing fossil-free fuels and chemicals, addressing environmental challenges.
- Mӧbius Industries: An MIT dropout-founded venture focused on extracting valuable metals from e-waste, providing an innovative solution to electronic waste disposal.
- Stratagen Bio: Founded by an HBS Fellow and MIT PhD, Stratagen Bio is adding quantitative data to MRIs to improve the diagnosis of life-threatening diseases.
These investments reflect the firm’s commitment to funding businesses with the potential to make a real difference in the world.
Launching the University Impact Prize
In a further effort to support young entrepreneurs, Critical Venture Partners is launching its inaugural University Impact Prize, a pitch competition offering a $100,000 grand prize.
This competition is designed to inspire and empower students to create ventures that have a positive, lasting impact on society.
It is backed by supporters like Michael Baum, the founder of Splunk, and other key partners, including Goodwin Procter, John McNeil Studio, and the Critical Foundation.
The University Impact Prize is a great way to engage with the next generation of entrepreneurs, and it includes a network of highly experienced judges and mentors from top firms like Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst, and Lowercarbon Capital.
Building a Community of Mission-Driven Talent
Critical Venture Partners isn’t just about providing funding; it’s also about creating a community of like-minded, mission-driven individuals who can support and inspire each other.
The firm runs a student investment partner program, which operates across 12 top universities such as Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UPenn.
With a network of 40 student investment partners, the firm taps into the fresh, innovative ideas of young talent while also giving students a hands-on opportunity to engage in the venture capital world.
By nurturing this community, Critical Venture Partners ensures that the next generation of entrepreneurs is well-supported and connected with the resources they need to succeed.
Looking Ahead
With its strong foundation, talented team, and focus on funding the next wave of impactful companies, Critical Venture Partners is well-positioned to make a lasting difference in the world of venture capital. The firm’s dedication to young entrepreneurs and its support for innovative solutions to global problems will continue to guide its growth as it seeks to empower the next generation of business leaders.