Founders And Funders

Chris Sklarin, Managing Partner of Castor Ventures—a fund investing for and in MIT alumni—shares why VC deals are so competitive and how being MIT-connected gives entrepreneurs and investors newfound access. Subscribe to Founders and Funders on iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play, iHeartRADIO, and Android Podcast Players. Episode Summary According to Chris Sklarin, Managing Partner of Castor Ventures, the best deals are competitive. Though Castor Ventures often writes the smallest check in a VC round, their team gets into deals because of the impact they can make in other ways. Portfolio companies enjoy a variety of services, including access to a network of MIT-connected individuals that can facilitate introductions to key talent, industry experts, and strategic partners. On the other side of the equation, investors in Castor Ventures get access to VC deals that are potentially lucrative as well as life-changing — literally. RapidSOS, for example, provides a life-saving data link from any connected devic