About Bard Center
Venture Funding
The Bard Center exposes entrepreneurs to a variety of funding sources in order to help them pursue their business dreams. In addition, the Bard Center manages its own fund, the Rutt Bridges Venture Capital Fund, which was created from an endowment gift by Rutt Bridges and is matched and managed by the CU Foundation.
The fund provides initial startup capital and the possibility of up to one additional initial round of funding for students who plan to launch a new business venture. The Bard Center assumes an equity position in the companies it chooses to fund and participates in the ongoing growth of these young ventures. In addition, members of the Bard Center's Advisory Council mentor students as they take the first steps in launching their new businesses. To date, four companies have been funded.
To be eligible for an award, applicants must have a Bard Center affiliation and must undergo an in depth qualification and vetting process by a fund committee composed of local venture capitalists, bankers, and business leaders.
"Participating in the Bard Center community as a virtual incubator company has provided me with an opportunity to leverage many resources that would otherwise not have been available. One such resource is the RBVCF, which provided us with start-up financing and the opportunity to put our product and business development plans into action."—Joshua M. Churlik, Simple Decisions, Inc., Rutt Bridges Venture Capital Fund Recipient