University Growth Fund

University Growth Fund (UGF) is the largest education-based private equity fund in the country, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The organization uniquely combines capital deployment with an educational mission, giving university students the opportunity to gain real-world experience as they invest alongside top-tier investors in growth-stage companies. UGF typically has over 50 student associates from fourteen universities participating in the program each semester, creating a pipeline of talent for the venture capital and private equity industries.

The fund operates with a multi-sector investment strategy, focusing on companies with established business models seeking growth capital across Series A through pre-IPO rounds. UGF invests across a wide range of sectors including consumer products, consumer technology, semiconductors, enterprise software, and healthcare, combining capital with complementary value-add strategies alongside other institutional investors. The organization has expanded its geographic footprint to three major offices: Salt Lake City (headquarters), San Diego, and Atlanta, with the Atlanta expansion specifically designed to promote diversity in venture capital by serving students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other underrepresented communities.

UGF manages over $80 million in assets under management and has made 20 investments with 3 portfolio exits to date. The fund typically makes 2-6 deals annually in the $10-50 million range, targeting startups with average valuations of $100-500 million.