Company attributes
Venture Capital Firm attributes
Other attributes
Academy Investor Network (AIN) is a venture capital firm headquartered in New York City. The firm seeks to make minority investments in seed-stage, early-stage, and later-stage companies. AIN seeks to invest in veteran-led startups across all sectors, with a software bias. They also invest in government technology and defense technology companies founded by veterans. The firm will invest in non-veteran companies. In its investments, AIN prefers companies building dual-use technologies.
The Academy Investor Network is also a virtual platform intended to enable Service Academy graduates from the USNA, USMA, USAFA, USCGA, and USMMA to invest in two categories of startups:
- United States military veteran-led startups
- Non-veteran-led startups in dual-use technology (for civilian and government purposes)
The AIN works to enable any Service Academy Graduate to invest irrespective of accredited investor status and encourages collaboration between between syndicate members to help the network to operate seamlessly and remotely. The AIN also has an educational component to help educate Service Academy Alumni on the risks of the venture asset class.
To be a member of the AIN, a person must be a graduate from one of the publicly financed Service Academy Institutions, which includes the USNA, USMA, USAFA, USCGA, and USMMA. Participation is by invitation only, with two current members required to a refer a prospective member. Once a member, an individual is able to participate in AIN as their interest and time permits.
Benefits of membership in AIN include co-investments, in which a member can co-invest in startups and receive AIN management analysis on startups. A member can refer startups to the AIN team and receive an extra share in the carry pool beyond the investment amount should AIN make an investment based on the referral.
Through the networking opportunities afforded by being a member, it offers participants a chance to connect with startups for potential advisory or hiring opportunities, and allows members to attend exclusive events connecting the AIN community with DoD and government leaders, tech industry leaders, and with the AIN portfolio companies.
For their investments, AIN works to provide a network including introductions with individuals which can help a portfolio company, and to provide guidance to help portfolio companies navigate obstacles to building a business. For investments, AIN looks to invest in startups they feel can change industry and pair with founders that want to change the status-quo. To make an investment, AIN syndicates capital from members and invests it through Special Purpose Vehicles into companies.
The application process for AIN requires a prospective portfolio company to provide an application, at which time AIN informs the company if they decide to move forward or not within a three-week period from the date of submission. And if they decide to move forward, AIN works to prepare a deal and alert syndicate members that a deal is being considered. The consideration includes a one-hour teleconference presentation of the prospective company, and thirty minutes of questions and answers from syndicate members. The members are given two weeks after the conference to decide if they want to invest.
