Democratizing Venture Capital: Evaluating the Role of Student-Run Funds in Startup Innovation

This paper explores how student-run venture capital funds can help democratise start‑up financing by applying client-centric wealth management strategies, traditionally used to serve high-net-worth individuals, to educational venture‑capital ecosystems. Design: qualitative multiple‑case study of three Dorm Room Fund–backed start‑ups. The paper discusses the advantages associated with client-centric investing, all of which drive sustainable business growth and profitability. Moreover, it also outlines how the rise of FinTech companies has pushed traditional firms to adopt client-centric strategies. A detailed analysis of investment portfolios is provided, distinguishing between income, growth, and value portfolios, and explaining how each aligns with different levels of risk tolerance and time horizon. A comparative study between student-run venture funds and professional venture capital (VC) firms is conducted.