Harper Court Ventures Fund I Launches to Support University of Chicago Startups
MFV Partners, a leading deep technology venture capital firm, has launched Harper Court Ventures Fund I, a $25 million early-stage fund dedicated to identifying and scaling transformative startups from the University of Chicago ecosystem. The fund will focus on Pre-Seed and Seed-stage companies leveraging breakthrough research from UChicago labs and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Focus on High-Impact Sectors
The fund will target companies in high-impact sectors such as quantum computing, life sciences, energy, and artificial intelligence. Harper Court Ventures seeks to back visionary entrepreneurs with deep domain expertise and unique, often patented, technology poised to create or lead new categories in large markets. The fund plans to invest in approximately 40 startups over the next three years.
Initial Investments
The fund has already made initial investments in three promising UChicago-related companies:
- Flow Medical: Developing next-generation catheter-based therapy for acute pulmonary embolism, founded by UChicago Medical Center physicians.
- SimCare AI: Creating a platform for clinical skills training using AI-generated patient conversations, founded by former UChicago students.
- Beacon: Developing technology to eliminate viruses, bacteria, and molds from air and surfaces, founded by a Chicago Booth alum.
Backing from University of Chicago
Investors in the fund include the UChicago Endowment and several members of the University’s Board of Trustees. The University of Chicago, with its rich ecosystem of over 160 interdisciplinary institutes and centers, is well-positioned to develop technologies addressing humanity’s greatest challenges.
“Through this partnership, we aim to cement Chicago’s position as a deep tech hub in the Midwest,” said Karthee Madasamy, Managing Partner at MFV Partners. “Our collective strength will help scale promising ventures to commercial success.”
UChicago President Paul Alivisatos welcomed the new partnership, stating, “Their support will provide strong momentum to the University’s efforts to translate high-potential deep tech ideas into real-world applications.”
About Harper Court Ventures and MFV Partners
Harper Court Ventures is managed by MFV Partners, a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm specializing in deep tech investments. MFV has a track record of investing in category-defining companies across robotics, quantum computing, and AI.
For more information, visit harpercourt.vc.
Media Contact: Meera Siva meera.siva@harpercourt.vc 1 6506030900
