MATTHEW RHODES-KROPF PH. D

Matt is a managing partner at Tectonic Ventures as well as a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Previously, Matt founded RK Ventures in 2000, the predecessor to Tectonic, where he successfully managed 59 deal-by-deal investments (including follow-ons) over 15 years. RK invested in companies such as Rackspace, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Xenex, and Axioma among others. In 2016, Matt and his partner Morris Miller formed Tectonic Ventures I, their first pooled fund, raising $51.5 million substantially from investors in RK. Juan Luis Leungli joined Tectonic, from General Catalyst, as a Partner in 2017. 

Matt was formerly the CFO of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, where he worked with the founder to launch the firm and the world’s first Alzheimer’s imaging agent. Matt advised on the creation and growth of Correlation Ventures, which leverages predictive analytics in making venture investments, where he continues to serve as an Advisor. Matt is presently a Board Participant at Appex, Auterion, Avant-garde Health, Butlr, OmniML, Rendered.ai, Vecna Robotics, Wyebot, and Xenex. Additionally, Matt is on the board of Neighborhood Trust, and the advisory board for Duke University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program (I&E Board).

Matt teaches entrepreneurship and fin-tech in the Finance department at MIT. Matt’s research on venture capital and exits has been published in many leading finance and economic journals. Previously a faculty member in the Entrepreneurial Management department at Harvard Business School, Matt taught VCPE and published many HBS cases. Prior to HBS, Matt taught Entrepreneurial Finance as a finance professor at Columbia University.

His work has been profiled in the Financial Times, The Economist, the MIT Sloan Management Review, Kauffman publications, Institutional Investor’s Alpha Magazine, PeHub, etc., and many popular blogs. He is regularly quoted in major print media such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and the Financial Times, etc., and has discussed his work on television, with appearances on CNBC, BBC and CNN. Matt gives talks throughout the world on the financing of innovation. Matt also oversees myriad student ventures and has advised literally hundreds of founders.

A graduate of Duke University, Professor Rhodes-Kropf holds a BA in computer science and economics and a Ph.D. in economics. Matt was formerly the chairman of the advisory board for Duke University’s Graduate School

 

RK VENTURES

Founder & Partner

 

MIT

Professor, Visiting

• Teaches the Fintech Ventures course, helping students launch new companies.
• Research focuses on the financing of innovation.

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Professor

• Taught the Venture Capital and Private Equity course in the Entrepreneurship Unit.
• Written numerous cases on venture capital and the financing of innovation.

 

AVID RADIOPHARMECUTICALS

CFO, Director

• Worked with founder to launch world’s first Alzheimer’s imaging agent.

FINANCIAL FIRM

COO

• Helped launch hedge fund combining quantitative and fundamental analysis.

COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL

Professor

• Taught entrepreneurial finance and valuation in the finance department.

ADVISER / DIRECTOR

55ip, Appex, Auterion, Avant-garde Health, Butlr, Duke University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, Humatics, Neighborhood Trust, OmniML, Rendered.ai, Stonehouse Corporation, Vecna Robotics, Wayscript, Wyebot, and Xenex.

 

EDUCATION

Duke University’s Graduate School. BA in computer science and economics and a Ph.D. in economics. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

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