Our Work
Monthly Newsletter
This year we will be introducing our new monthly newsletter! Each issue will arrive in the first week of the month, sharing updates and insights to keep everyone informed and help our community grow. Take a look at our October issue and reach out with any questions.
Fall updates
his past May, Bobcat Ventures hosted an official launch party bringing together students and professionals alike. The event marked a pivotal partnership between the fund and the Montana State University Alumni Foundation, as well as an official rebrand to Bobcat Ventures.
The partnership between Bobcat Ventures and the Montana State Alumni Foundation strengthens our connection with the university while providing access to a broad network of professional and financial resources. Education remains at the core of our mission, and by deepening our involvement in the Montana State community, we aim to broaden our reach while creating more meaningful experiences for our members
Bootcamp
Our commitment to education has led to the launch of the Bobcat Ventures Educational Bootcamp. Our most recent bootcamp welcomed two new members to Bobcat Ventures and provided students with an accessible introduction to venture capital. This fall, our goal is to expand the program and provide interested students the opportunity to learn about venture capital and get involved with Bobcat Ventures.
Bobcat Ventures gives Montana State University students hands-on investment experience: attending pitches, conducting market research, and collaborating with Montana funds, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs.
This fall's bootcamp focuses on learning about venture capital, hearing from industry leaders, and collaborating on a range of projects designed to deepen their understanding of our processes. We plan to invite guest speakers to connect with these students and create opportunities for them to apply the skills they've developed throughout the bootcamp.
Since the launch
Where we stand
The Bobcat Ventures team, led by Chase Rivet, Erik Olson, and Peter Concannon, and advised by Liz Marchi, Elle Gahl, Trevor Huffmaster, Greg Rogers, and Daren Nitz, spent the summer building the systems, relationships, and pipeline required to deploy capital responsibly.
The fund has grown to eight student members: seven driving the venture and diligence work, alongside a marketing major who will take the lead on media and outreach this fall.
We have not yet made our first investment, and that's by design. Our focus has been on developing a disciplined, repeatable investment process, engaging with Montana founders, and preparing our student team to evaluate opportunities with the rigor of a professional venture fund. Because pre-seed companies rarely come with clean financial metrics to evaluate, our multi-stage due diligence process leans heavily on deep market research paired with real time spent getting to know each founder: a deliberate bet that character and market understanding are the strongest signals available at this stage.
Join the team
Bobcat Ventures is also recruiting for the fall semester. We're looking for MSU students interested in venture capital, entrepreneurship, or finance to join the team; no prior investing experience required, and open to students from any major. Although our bootcamp has already launched we still encourage students to attend, get involved and would love to foster a larger community. Any intrested students can reach out to us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Email for more information.
Spread the word
If you know someone who'd want to follow Bobcat Ventures, an MSU alum, a local founder, or a friend interested in student-led investing, please forward this update along. Word of mouth from people like you has been a big part of how this fund has grown, and we'd love for more of the community to be part of what comes next. Please reach out to us on LinkedIn, Instagram (Bobcat__Ventures), or email (bobcatventuresinfo@gmail.com). Stay tuned for our next newsletter, coming on the first week of every month.