Fundraising Fox

Drew Volpe

Investor

Managing Partner at First Star Ventures

Boston, Massachusetts

Writes $100K – $1M checks · typically $500K

About

Drew Volpe is a coder-founder investor who uses hands-on expertise in conversational AI, search databases and computational biology to evaluate and work with pre-seed/seed frontier startups in science-heavy AI.

LinkedIn ↗X / Twitter ↗Website ↗

Invests in

AI & Machine LearningBiotechClimate TechData & InfrastructureDeep TechHardware

Experience

  1. First Star VenturesFounder / Managing Partnercurrent2016 — presentGreater Boston Area
  2. IORGANBIOInvestorcurrent2025 — present
  3. Romix BiosciencesInvestorcurrent2025 — present
  4. JellyfishInvestorcurrent2017 — present
  5. Zep AI (YC W24)Investorcurrent2026 — present
  6. ChiselStrike Inc.Investorcurrent2021 — present
  7. Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc.Investorcurrent2021 — present
  8. SaolaAIInvestorcurrent2023 — present
  9. RobigoInvestorcurrent2021 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  10. Plex ResearchInvestor / Board Directorcurrent2017 — presentGreater Boston Area
  11. Nomic BioInvestorcurrent2019 — present
  12. Salient PredictionsFounding Investorcurrent2020 — present
  13. VistapathInvestorcurrent2021 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  14. GenialisInvestor / Board Directorcurrent2017 — presentGreater Boston Area
  15. Tranquil DataInvestor / Board Observercurrent2018 — presentGreater Boston Area
  16. Sia (Nebulous Inc.)Investor / Boardcurrent2016 — presentGreater Boston Area
  17. Scoot ScienceInvestorcurrent2019 — present
  18. MCJInvestorcurrent2020 — present
  19. MassChallengeMentor and Judgecurrent2010 — present
  20. OortInvestor2019 — 2023

Education

  1. Harvard UniversityAB, Computer Science1997 — 2001
  2. The Roxbury Latin School1990 — 1996

Skills & more

Enterprise Software26SaaS9Python18PostgreSQL3Java4Software as a Service (SaaS)5Big Data31Analytics28Early-stage Startups7Angel Investing3Agile Methodologies9Fundraising3
+12 moreSoftware PatentsWeb DevelopmentDistributed SystemsScalabilitySoftware EngineeringWeb ApplicationsRecruitingStrategic PartnershipsBusiness StrategyStart-upsAdtechEntrepreneurship

From Drew's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Harvard University1,169

Alfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalChris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen HorowitzSarah TavelVenture Partner at BenchmarkDanny RimerPartner at Index VenturesLaela SturdyManaging Partner at CapitalGRyan IsonoDeal Partner at Felicis Ventures

+ 1,163 more

Shared employers

Also worked at IORGANBIO2

Chas PulidoFounder & General Partner at Alix VenturesDaniel DelubacSAB Member - Diagnostics/Lab Services at Alix Ventures

Also worked at Jellyfish2

Rob RueckertPartner at Sorenson VenturesJamie GoldsteinFounding/Managing Partner at Pillar VC

Also worked at SaolaAI2

Gadi IsaevManaging General Partner at VentureIsraelBill LehmannInvestor at Step Function Ventures

Deals · 1

GenialisBoard seat

via First Star Ventures · filed Jan 2023 · $13.9M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Colleagues at First Star Ventures

Elia Stupka
Managing Director at Angelini Ventures
Millie Liu Liu
Founding Partner at First Star Ventures
Teddy
Investor at First Star Ventures
Teddy Blank
Partner at First Star Ventures

Network9

Elizabeth YinScout
Co-Founder, General Partner at Hustle Fund
Matt FatesScout
Partner at Innospark Ventures
Semil ShahScout
Investor at Haystack
Elia Stupka
Managing Director at Angelini Ventures
Eric Kwan
Managing Partner at Locus Ventures
Millie Liu Liu
Founding Partner at First Star Ventures
Stephen Chambers
General Partner at SOSV
Teddy Blank
Partner at First Star Ventures
Varun Gupta
Partner at Caffeinated Capital

Investors connected to Drew in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.