HFquarterly_oct2023.txt

Quarterly updates are when we share noteworthy news, events, opportunities, & success stories from the fund and our portfolio companies.

In this edition:

• Progress from our portcos

• New investments we’ve made

• Some things we’ve been up to

• Upcoming events

• Quarterly ‘Fun Find’

Portfolio Progress

We’re excited to share that we led the bridge round for SAFA investing another $250k into the company to extend runway before they go out to raise their seed round Q1 next year. SAFA has continued to show growth since our initial investment last year - the company got into TechStars this past summer and was selected by NASA for their STTR proposal for “Intelligent Automation of Trace Identification Processes for Complex Mission-Critical Robotics Systems" (see post here).

Investments this Quarter

Universities represented by our portfolio

What we’ve been up to: GCEC 2023

I've just returned from an enlightening trip to GCEC, where Noah Isserman and I had the privilege of showcasing the Honors Fund to a global academic audience. The experience was insightful and encouraging. I wanted to share my reflections with you all. Firstly, the enthusiasm surrounding our thesis was palpable. Once we detailed the vision of Honors Fund, it was exciting to see heads nodding in agreement. Naturally, there were concerns about the the readiness of students. But, as we delved deeper into our thesis, those concerns faded, replaced with a consensus that our initiative would find resonance within every academic ecosystem we spoke to.

A Night of BBQ & Insights

The Thursday night barbeque served as a meeting ground with international academic professionals. Interestingly, initial conversations unveiled a lack of clarity surrounding our thesis in the context of international universities. However, as the night progressed, those same professionals pointed us to attractive economic incentives for US investors in the UK/Scotland, further enhancing the appeal of international investments. Beyond the finances, the community aspect came into sharp focus. A recurring sentiment was the need for student founders to feel 'a part of something', to not feel like outliers at a pivotal time in their life when their peers are starting work in the industry and they’re still working on their startups. Their suggestions – from the Slack channel to hosting group events – have provided us with fresh ideas to foster this much-needed sense of community here at Honors Fund.

A Glimpse into the World of Entrepreneurial Centers

Friday's day-time sessions led to some interesting insights. Entrepreneurial centers, it seems, pivot around four key elements: Mentorship, Digital Transition, Community-building, and Cohort Progression. Boston University's Build Lab, backed by a generous annual donation, stood out with its tri-tiered 'walk, run, fly' methodology and a bustling community nurtured by engaging events like "pitch and pizza".

Networking!

Every meal, every breakout session was an opportunity. Engaging with heads from institutions like Syracuse University, Texas A&M, CUNY, and Tuck was eye-opening. A special mention to my Uber ride with the dynamic leaders from UCLA, USC, and Northwestern - a 30-minute brainstorming session on wheels! The Friday night dinner at the Cowboys stadium was an exceptional finale, where we connected with more schools, discussing the potential for the fund.

Final Thoughts

What stood out the most was the collective eagerness to nurture student entrepreneurship. The wealth of insights, suggestions, and potential collaborations gleaned from this conference is invaluable. As we steer the Honors Fund towards its next phase, I am more convinced than ever that we are on the right path.

Upcoming Events

On October 25th, we are traveling to LA for a pitch competition co-hosted with Orca. If you are a university student/academic professional located in the Southwest region we’d love for you to join us at the event.

Invite us to your event!

We are eager to travel to your university! Let us know in advance when these occur — we’d love to attend as an observer or judge and are open to opportunities for supporting events with funding, workshops, keynotes, and more. Drop us a line below.

Quarterly Fun Find

Thanks for reading. See you next quarter.