Meridian Ventures has launched a $35 million fund dedicated to supporting startup founders who deferred their MBA programs.
The fund targets pre-seed and seed-stage companies in enterprise technology built by these ambitious entrepreneurs in the United States.
Founders' Remarkable Journeys
Devon Gethers, 29, rose from poverty in Washington State to study behavioral science and finance before entering private equity and launching his own exited company.
Karlton Haney, 28, grew up on an Arkansas farm raising birds and studied industrial engineering, later investing at a family office.
Both met in Harvard's deferred MBA admissions program in 2020, deferred to build their venture firm, and graduated from Harvard Business School in 2025.
Proven Track Record and Strategy
Prior to this, their $2.5 million proof-of-concept fund backed 45 companies through persistent outreach to limited partners.
The new fund will deploy capital over three years with average checks of $500,000 at pre-seed and $750,000 at seed, sector-agnostic but already spanning fintech, logistics, healthcare, and AI.
Defying Silicon Valley Stereotypes
Gethers emphasized their contrarian thesis: "MBAs don’t make good founders" is outdated rhetoric they aim to challenge.
In a 2026 VC market where pre-seed deals have declined to under 30% of funding rounds, this niche focus attracted oversubscribed commitments from banks, family offices, and Fortune 500 executives.
This fund highlights growing diversity in VC, backing leaders from non-traditional backgrounds who blend business acumen with hands-on grit.
For everyday innovators eyeing startups, it signals that deferring elite education like Harvard's 2+2 program can lead to real capital access, democratizing entrepreneurship beyond coastal tech elites.
Looking ahead, such targeted funds could spark a wave of MBA-backed ventures, potentially reshaping enterprise tech innovation in a capital-scarce era.
Alfred Lee
