What is an Investor?
Evaluator of Potential
Investors assess startups and markets to identify ventures with strong teams, scalable solutions, and long-term growth potential.
Strategic Partner
They provide more than capital—offering guidance, connections, and insights that help founders navigate critical decisions.
Portfolio Thinker
Investors manage risk by backing multiple ventures, aiming to balance impact and return across a broader investment strategy.
Programs for Investors
The Bet on Entrepreneurship Program empowers first-generation and/or limited-income students with training, real-world experience, and community to explore entrepreneurship and build skills for any career path.
The Visiting Experts Program is a Venture Lab program that provides students with the opportunity to meet and learn from alumni founders, entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, and industry experts in one-on-one or small group AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions.
The Penn Wharton Innovation Fund supports innovative student-led ventures at Penn with funding while equipping its student investment team with hands-on experience in early-stage investing.
The ETA program helps Penn students learn how to buy and grow small businesses, with workshops open to all and a $50K Perlman Fellowship for graduating master’s and Ph.D. students.
What does it mean to be an investor in entrepreneurship?
An investor allocates capital—whether money, time, or expertise—to early-stage ventures with the goal of supporting growth and generating a return, financially or strategically.
Do I need money to be an investor?
No. At Penn, student investors often start by learning how to evaluate ventures, assess risks, and make investment decisions—even without their own capital—through programs like the Penn Wharton Innovation Fund.
What types of skills do investors use?
Investors rely on skills like market analysis, due diligence, financial modeling, strategic thinking, and understanding founder dynamics—all of which can be developed during your time at Penn.
Is being an investor only about venture capital?
Not at all. While venture capital is one path, investors can also work in angel investing, impact investing, search funds, private equity, or even internal corporate strategy roles.
What makes someone a good investor?
Great investors combine curiosity, critical thinking, and judgment—they know how to ask the right questions, spot patterns, and back founders with both insight and conviction.
Who should explore the Investor Pathway at Venture Lab?
If you’re curious about how businesses grow, love analyzing ideas and markets, or want to influence innovation without being a founder, the Investor Pathway could be the right fit for you.
Latest Investor Events
07
September
Applications Due by Sep 7 2025 11:59 PM (EDT).
The Investment Team is responsible for reviewing applications for funding during each of the award's four application cycles during the academic year. The team meets weekly to discuss funding applications and participate in educational sessions with peers and external industry experts and VCs. VC investors will join selected PWIF team meetings to share their insights and knowledge - these sessions will only be open to PWIF investment team members.
The Investment Team is responsible for reviewing applications for funding during each of the award's four application cycles during the academic year. The team meets weekly to discuss funding applications and participate in educational sessions with peers and external industry experts and VCs. VC investors will join selected PWIF team meetings to share their insights and knowledge - these sessions will only be open to PWIF investment team members.
03
September
Learn to screen and evaluate companies in ETA with Prof. Charbel Zreik. Ideal for students exploring entrepreneurship through acquisition.
16
September
Hear Prof. Richard Perlman and ETA alumni share stories, lessons, and next steps for exploring Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition.
04
April
Learn the full menu of financing options for starting or acquiring a venture w/financing expert, Keith Kohler - K2 Financing
19
March
Join Venture Lab in Tangen Hall Room 708 on March19th from 5:00pm - 6:00pm ET to hear from experienced entrepreneurs about their own non-traditional pathways to founding their ventures.
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