Fundraising Fox

Van N. Truskett

Investor

Venture Discovery Director, Generation Food Rural Partners at Big Idea Ventures

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Writes $1M – $6M checks · typically $3M

Find your path to Van

175 people in our graph share verified history with Van — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

DougunlockedVan: together at The University of Texas at Austin (1999–2008)
×6Van: together at The University of Texas at Austin
Van: together at Molecular Imprints, Inc.
×4Van: together at The Johns Hopkins University

About

Venture Discovery Director with extensive academic and commercial experience in technology innovation and nanotechnology. She was director of jetting technology at Molecular Imprints (acquired by Canon Japan in 2014) and previously led the Texas Innovation Center. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Experience

  1. Big Idea VenturesVenture Discovery Directorcurrent2024 — presentAnn Arbor, Michigan, United States
  2. National Academy of InventorsFellowcurrent2021 — present
  3. BioCloak, Inc.Member Board of Directors2025 — 2026United States
  4. PlantSustain, Inc.Member Board of Directors (Acquired by Frontera Ag)2024 — 2026United States
  5. The University of Texas at AustinAssociate Professor of Practice2021 — 2024McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
  6. The University of Texas at AustinDirector - Technology Innovation Development2022 — 2023
  7. The University of Texas at AustinExecutive Director - Texas Innovation Center2019 — 2023The Texas Innovation Center
  8. The University of Texas at AustinDirector - Technology Innovation Development2021 — 2022
  9. The University of Texas at AustinDirector - Technology Innovation Development2017 — 2021
  10. Canon Nanotechnologies, IncDirector of Jetting Technology2014 — 2017Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  11. Molecular Imprints, Inc.Jetting Technology Manager2002 — 2014Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  12. Johns Hopkins University - Chemical Engineering DepartmentNASA Graduate Research Fellow1996 — 2002

Skills & more

Materials12Lithography14Semiconductors18Nanotechnology26Data Analysis3Chemical Engineering12Engineering6Nanoparticles3Design of Experiments11Characterization8R&D9Thin Films9
+8 moreMEMSMaterials ScienceProduct DevelopmentResearch and Development (R&D)ManufacturingCross-functional Team LeadershipDesign of Experiments (DOE)Experimentation

From Van's professional profile.

Colleagues at Big Idea Ventures

Adrien Villalonga
Associate at Big Idea Ventures
Andrew Ive
Managing Partner at Big Idea Ventures
Bill Arnold
Venture Discovery Director, Generation Food Rural Partners at Big Idea Ventures
Caroline Mak
Program Director, NYC Accelerator at Big Idea Ventures
Dhanesh Alagarsamy
Investment Associate at Big Idea Ventures
Elsa Swanson Sareen
Vice President, Generation Food Rural Partners at Big Idea Ventures
Emily Linett
Director of Investor Relations at Big Idea Ventures
Frank Klemens
Managing Director, Generation Food Rural Partners Fund at Big Idea Ventures

Network1

Andrew Ive
Managing Partner at Big Idea Ventures

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

Frequently asked questions

Who is Van N. Truskett?
Venture Discovery Director with extensive academic and commercial experience in technology innovation and nanotechnology. She was director of jetting technology at Molecular Imprints (acquired by Canon Japan in 2014) and previously led the Texas Innovation Center. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Where does Van N. Truskett work?
Van N. Truskett is Venture Discovery Director, Generation Food Rural Partners at Big Idea Ventures.
What check size does Van N. Truskett write?
Van N. Truskett typically writes checks of $1M – $6M.
Where did Van N. Truskett go to school?
Van N. Truskett studied at The Johns Hopkins University (PhD, Chemical Engineering); The University of Texas at Austin (BS, Chemical Engineering).

Same school

Also attended The Johns Hopkins University442

Dave JohnsonCo-founder & CEO of Dash BioNicole GaudelliEntrepreneur in Residence at GV (Google Ventures)Wes NicholsPartner at March Capital PartnersDemi ObayomiPrincipal at Sapphire VenturesJun JeonInvestor at Khosla VenturesNicole FraenkelInvestor at Khosla Ventures

+ 436 more

Also attended The University of Texas at Austin692

Michael DellFounder & CEO of Dell TechnologiesViswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista CapitalTodd KleinManaging Partner, Revolution Growth at RevolutionSapna MehtaInvestor at RevolutionAnish AggarwalInvestor at LightbankAndrew ScottSenior Finance Manager at Greycroft

+ 686 more

Shared employers

Also worked at BioCloak, Inc.2

Tom MastrobuoniVenture Partner at Big Idea VenturesFrank KlemensManaging Director, Generation Food Rural Partners Fund at Big Idea Ventures

Also worked at PlantSustain, Inc.3

Tom MastrobuoniVenture Partner at Big Idea VenturesFrank KlemensManaging Director, Generation Food Rural Partners Fund at Big Idea VenturesSimon HillCEO at Plantsustain

Also worked at The University of Texas at Austin125

Viswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista CapitalDougAdvisor at Clear VenturesMonica SolizDirector, Marketing at Sapphire VenturesAndrew WilsonPartner, Legal at Lux CapitalZaz FloreaniVenture Partner at FirstMile VenturesLorenzo ThioneGeneral Partner at Gaingels

+ 119 more

Also worked at Molecular Imprints, Inc.2

Josh WolfePartner and Co-Founder at Lux CapitalAlexei AndreevCo-Founder and Managing Director at Autotech Ventures