Anchored by the University of Notre Dame
An early-stage venture fund that turns Notre Dame research and talent into companies built to do good and return capital. We invest in startups founded by Notre Dame faculty, researchers, and students, and co-create new ventures in the 1842 Studio.
The 1842 Fund is a pre-seed and seed venture capital fund anchored by the University of Notre Dame and managed by Alloy Partners.
Five commitments to Notre Dame that shape every investment we make.
We will maximize the impact of faculty and researcher technology inventions originating from the ND research initiative, as Notre Dame’s new strategic plan influences research to align with the Catholic mission.
We will create and invest in startups designed to address the greatest societal problems and measure our impact, acting as a “force for good” in the world.
We will increase student engagement in entrepreneurship, as founders, founding team members, VC investors, and interns, so students become the leaders of tomorrow.
We will support job and economic growth within the South Bend/Elkhart region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by co-creating and funding high-potential startups.
We will convene the 175k+ alumni ecosystem of the Notre Dame family to do good at scale, creating meaningful advantages for 1842 startups through impact networks that align to the Catholic mission.
We invest at the earliest stage in companies with a real Notre Dame tie, through two channels: founders who come out of Notre Dame's research and student community, and companies we build ourselves in the 1842 Studio.
Faculty, researcher, and student startups. Companies with a Notre Dame faculty, researcher, or student founder, or IP licensed from the University, often coming through the IDEA Center. Few founders start with all five criteria in place, so we help them fill the gaps.
Stage
Pre-Seed or Seed
Check size
$100K to $400K
What we add
Executive and board searches, the investment memo and models you keep for your next raise, and weekly coaching for student founders.
1842 Studio companies. New companies we co-create with an industry partner and a Notre Dame scientific co-founder, each aimed at a societal challenge the partner knows firsthand. We launch one only when all five criteria are met.
Stage
At formation
Check size
$1M to $1.25M
What we add
We recruit the CEO and C-suite co-founders, who start with a validated concept, working prototypes, the memo and models, and a pilot agreement.
Whichever way a company comes to us, it has to meet the same five criteria before we invest.
A sustainable advantage that is hard to copy, such as defensible IP, proprietary data, or privileged distribution and access.
A-level leaders who can lead, hire, and raise. Where a founding team has gaps, we help fill them through executive and board searches.
A compelling market opportunity, validated with real customers, not a promising technology still looking for a problem.
Enough to reach the next financing, not just the next technology or scientific milestone. We invest in companies, not projects.
Alignment with Notre Dame's mission to be a force for good, through the problem the company solves, the people it serves, or the region it builds in.
Startups founded by Notre Dame faculty, researchers, and students, and companies co-created with industry partners in the 1842 Studio.
See all companies
