National Collegiate Investors & Innovators Alliance Inc, operating as VentureWell, is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Hadley, Massachusetts. Established in 1995 with support from The Lemelson Foundation, the organization cultivates a pipeline of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs dedicated to solving global challenges. VentureWell fosters collaboration among the brightest minds from research labs, classrooms, and beyond to advance innovation and entrepreneurship education while providing unique opportunities for STEM students and researchers to realize their potential and create lasting impact.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$67.3M
+25.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+6.8% YoY
Grant Count
50
-29.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+51.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
VentureWell's mission centers on cultivating inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs driven to solve the world's biggest challenges and create lasting impact. The organization promotes invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship through:
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education: Supporting educators in implementing hands-on, experiential learning approaches
- Student Innovation Programs: Funding E-Teams—groups of students, faculty, and advisors working to commercialize novel ideas
- Technology Entrepreneurship: Grants to faculty to start programs focused on technology entrepreneurship and product development
- Commercialization Support: Helping student innovations move from concept to market
Primary funding areas include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
VentureWell administers multiple grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
VentureWell's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The organization maintains a membership of nearly 200 colleges and universities across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $67,322,326
- Total Revenue: $116,586,489
- Total Expenses: $110,811,872
- Total Giving: $5,691,603
- Staff: 155 employees
Previous Fiscal Year (2023):
- Total Assets: $53.6M
- Total Revenue: $93.3M
- Total Expenses: $89.9M
- Total Liabilities: $25.7M
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $67,322,326 | $53,617,163 | $38,455,706 |
| Revenue | $116,586,489 | $93,331,215 | $81,594,297 |
| Expenses | $110,811,872 | $89,870,589 | $72,236,568 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,088,852 | $106,610 | $111,931 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abigail Barrow | Chair | 1 | — |
| Todd Warren | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Mike Marasco | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Gilda Barabino | Director | 1 | — |
| Carol Dahl | Director | 1 | — |
| Monica Dean | Director | 1 | — |
| Jose Estabil | Director | 1 | — |
| Randy Lewis | Director | 1 | — |
| Rodney Priestley | Director | 1 | — |
| Youseph Yazdi | Director | 1 | — |
| Jerry Engel | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Mike Malone | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Donna Petkanics | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Paul Yock | Emeritus Board Member | 1 | — |
| Philip Weilerstein | President & CEO | 35 | $346,432 |
| Mark Marino | VP, Growth Strategy | 35 | $221,971 |
| Christopher Desrosiers | VP, Fin & Admin (Non-Director) | 35 | $226,861 |
| Ursa Scherer | VP, People & Culture | 35 | $217,990 |
| Demetria Gallagher | VP, Higher Ed Innov. Ecosystems | 35 | $215,628 |
| Christina Tamer | VP, Ventures | 35 | $190,418 |
| Rebekah Neal | VP, Commercialization | 35 | $176,297 |
| Jennifer Holme | Chief of Staff, Asst. Sec. (Non-Director) | 35 | $148,221 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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