Founded in New Haven · Open to every builder
Where bold founders meet the investors who back them.
Ivy Venture Club connects ambitious founders — from any school, any background, anywhere — with angels and funds who invest early.
300+
Founders in our community
120+
Angel investors & VCs
Monthly
Pitch nights in New Haven, NYC & online
What we do
How we can help
01
Recognize the opportunity
Explore real-world applications and the commercial potential of your ideas or experimental results.
02
Validate the need
Identify potential users, understand their problems and test the core assumptions.
03
Shape the product roadmap
Define the first useful product, technical approach and achievable milestones.
04
Build a prototype or MVP
Work with experienced software engineers to turn the concept into a testable product.
05
Support management and launch
Draw on our management team for execution planning, collaboration and launch preparation.
06
Connect with early investors
Refine the investment story and meet interested angels and funds when the project is ready.
How it works
From deck to term sheet in four steps.
- 1
Apply
Submit your deck and a one-paragraph pitch. It takes ten minutes.
- 2
Review
Our screening committee reads every application within two weeks.
- 3
Pitch
Shortlisted teams get coaching, then present at a monthly pitch night.
- 4
Connect
Interested investors meet you directly. We stay with you after the round.
Insights
Essays for founders and investors.
Fundraising
How to write a pitch deck investors actually read
Most decks get under three minutes of attention. Here is how to make every slide earn its place.
October 14, 2026 · 6 min read
Fundraising
The pre-seed fundraising playbook
A practical, week-by-week approach to raising your first round without losing focus on the business.
September 30, 2026 · 7 min read
Building
Finding product–market fit: signals that matter
Product–market fit is felt before it is measured. These are the signals worth tracking from day one.
September 12, 2026 · 6 min read
Events
Upcoming gatherings.
Pitch night
November Pitch Night
November 19, 2026 at 6:30 PMLinsly-Chittenden Hall, New Haven
Six pre-seed and seed founders pitch to a room of angels and partners, followed by an informal reception.
Workshop
Fundraising Workshop: Building Your First Round
December 3, 2026 at 5:00 PMLinsly-Chittenden Hall, New Haven & Online
A hands-on session on SAFEs, valuation caps and running a tight fundraising process, with live Q&A.
Salon
Investor Salon: The Next Wave of Climate Tech
January 21, 2027 at 7:00 PMNew York, NY
An intimate evening discussion with climate founders and investors on where early-stage capital is heading.
About us
Why we started
Our founder followed a purely technical career. Among colleagues and classmates, he repeatedly saw experimental results with strong commercial potential, yet their creators often open-sourced the know-how without pursuing a business.
View all →FAQ
Questions we hear often.
For founders
Building something bold?
Share your deck. We review every submission and invite the strongest teams to pitch.
Apply as a founderFor investors
Looking for early access?
Join a network of angels and funds with a first look at promising early-stage startups.
Apply as an investor