{"id":163734,"date":"2022-08-18T11:17:16","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T21:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=163734"},"modified":"2022-08-18T11:17:16","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T21:17:16","slug":"venture-fund-first-investments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/08\/18\/venture-fund-first-investments\/","title":{"rendered":"New UH<\/abbr> student-run venture fund announces first investments"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Lauren Pierce and Spencer VanDerKamp from Reeler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A student-run seed investment group, the Calvin Shindo Student Venture Fund<\/a> at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa, announced its first-ever strategic investments totaling $20,000 in Hohonu<\/a> and Reeler<\/a>, companies started by a UH<\/abbr> faculty member and alumni.<\/p>\n

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Reeler connects small-scale fishermen directly to consumers via its mobile app.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The venture fund—launched in 2021<\/a> as a program under the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship<\/a> (PACE<\/abbr>) at the Shidler College of Business<\/a>—is a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity, giving students real-world, hands-on learning on the venture capital process. The 12-member interdisciplinary committee of students sourced potential deals, screened investment applications, conducted thorough due diligence on the startups, negotiated and structured the deals.<\/p>\n

“These investments highlight the tremendous innovative and entrepreneurial potential of our UH<\/abbr> faculty and students,” said Nathan Bek<\/strong>, former chair who oversaw the investments in the two startups. “It also highlights the need for more equity-based investments into startups that will contribute to diversifying Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s economy.”<\/p>\n

Startup investments<\/h2>\n
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Hohonu provides environmental water level monitoring to help communities adapt to climate change.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The venture fund\u2019s first investment was in Hohonu, a startup that uses technology developed by UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology<\/a> Associate Professor Brian Glazer<\/strong>, to help coastal communities monitor tides and water levels in real time to better respond and adapt to flooding and climate change.<\/p>\n

A second investment was made into Reeler, a startup developed by two UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa alums, Lauren Pierce<\/strong> and Spencer VanDerKamp<\/strong>, to connect small-scale fishermen directly to consumers via its mobile app.<\/p>\n

Related UH<\/abbr> News<\/em> stories:<\/p>\n