Amherst College Problem Solving in Action
Amherst founders are exceptional
entrepreneurs
Our alumni have built companies across every sector – from deep tech to social impact. They bring the interdisciplinary thinking and creative problem-solving that defines an Amherst education.
SEE OUR PHILOSOPHY
Thai Lee '80
Built the largest minority/woman-owned business in the US
Alan Webber '70
Co-founded the iconic business magazine
Matt Hulsizer '91
Built a $20B+ financial technology firm
Phil Edmundson '80
Pioneered AI-driven commercial insurance
Meghan Nolan Fitzgerald '97
Reimagined outdoor learning for kids
Matt Glickman '87
Created the #1 digital parenting resource
Brad Stroh '96
Built a leading personal finance platform
William Collis '07
Pioneered professional esports management
Michael Loeb '77
Serial entrepreneur and venture builder
Nicolas Desmarais '07
Built a B2B commerce platform at scale
David Stiepleman '93
Co-founded a $75B+ global investment firm
Thai Lee '80
Built the largest minority/woman-owned business in the US
Alan Webber '70
Co-founded the iconic business magazine
Matt Hulsizer '91
Built a $20B+ financial technology firm
Phil Edmundson '80
Pioneered AI-driven commercial insurance
Meghan Nolan Fitzgerald '97
Reimagined outdoor learning for kids
Matt Glickman '87
Created the #1 digital parenting resource
Brad Stroh '96
Built a leading personal finance platform
William Collis '07
Pioneered professional esports management
Michael Loeb '77
Serial entrepreneur and venture builder
Nicolas Desmarais '07
Built a B2B commerce platform at scale
David Stiepleman '93
Co-founded a $75B+ global investment firm
MAV is an alumni funded foundation with a venture arm
We combine philanthropic support with strategic investment to back Amherst founders at every stage of their journey: from first idea to Series A and beyond.
Alumni Advisory Network
We're organizing a network of alumni experts to mentor Mammoth founders. Our advisors bring decades of experience across industries to help founders navigate challenges and scale their ventures.
SEE OUR NETWORK
Grants & Investments
From non-dillutive grants to follow-on investments, we provide the capital Amherst founders need to build and grow. Our fund is designed to be founder-friendly and aligned with long-term success.
Coming Soon
Spotlight on current Amherst founders.
Nikol Zyzen '27Student
In pursuit of entrepreneurship, Nikol left Amherst for a year to study Entrepreneurship at Harvard. She recently founded Ceed, a company to help nonprofits fundraise more effectively.
Co-Founder @ Ceed.ai
Marvin Oprean '27
Marvin is a rising senior building an AI crypto-trading system to react rapidly to news.
Founder @ Vox Capital Management Fund
Ahmed Aly '24
Ahmed founded Dispatchino, a voice AI dispatcher copilot that calls, texts, and books freight loads
Founder @ DispatchinoA network of amazing mentors.
Join alumni who are building, investing, and advising.
How it works
Stage 3
Pitch to Investment Committee
At the end of the semester, each startup pitches a committee of alumni for feedback and funding.
FAQ
- Student founders apply to join a cohort at the beginning of each semester in September and February.
- Once part of the cohort, startups will have access to non-equity grants to build.
- MAV matches founders to alumni advisors based on concrete objectives.
- Founders pitch to the Investment Committee at the end of the cohort for investment or continued grant funding.
- Mentorship & network: connecting founders with alumni who are building, operating, and investing
- Early funding: backing Amherst-led startups through an alumni venture fund
- Campus programming: more structured support for student founders to help you go from idea → project → venture
