Atland Ventures

Atland Ventures is a student-run venture capital firm, led by undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota. Independent Student Run Venture Capital Firm - University of Minnesota - Gen Z

Minneapolis, MN, USA

Apply

Description

Atland Ventures is a student-owned and student-managed venture capital firm based at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. As of 2026, it continues to focus on early-stage, technology-enabled startups that address problems relevant to Generation Z. Atland Ventures primarily targets startups in the following stages:

Pre-Seed and Seed: Focuses on initial institutional rounds for early-stage companies.
Target Development: Companies should ideally have a functional prototype or be seeing early revenue.

Eligibility

Thematic Focus: Startups must be "digitally native" and technology-enabled, solving problems felt by Generation Z.
Sector Agnostic: They invest in a variety of sectors, including EdTech, consumer social, marketing, ad tech, and health & wellness.
Geography: While they have strong connections in the Twin Cities/Midwest region, they consider companies from across the United States.

Process

Rolling Basis: The firm typically evaluates investment opportunities throughout the academic year rather than during a single annual window.
Due Diligence: The process is managed entirely by undergraduate students who perform research, lead founder calls, and conduct thorough due diligence before making investment decisions.
Gen Z Perspective: The firm specifically leverages the generational perspective of its student analysts to add value to portfolio companies.

What an Applicant can Obtain

Access to Connections: Provides founders with deep networking links to Twin Cities venture capitalists, alumni, and University of Minnesota faculty.
Operational Support: Acts as a strategic partner, offering generational insights that can help startups better target Gen Z consumers.