Apprentis Ventures

What connects traditional apprenticeships, a trillion dollars in AI investment, and the untapped potential of legacy industries? Here's the personal story behind Apprentis Ventures...

Ada Lovelace: The First Computer Programmer and a Visionary in Computational Science? ? As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, we want to celebrate Ada Lovelace, a 19th-century mathematician whose insights laid the foundation for modern computing. Often regarded as the first computer programmer, Lovelace’s work on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine went far beyond mere calculations. Ada?envisioned the machine’s potential to process information in ways that foreshadowed contemporary computing.? ? In 1843, Lovelace translated and annotated an article on Babbage’s Analytical Engine, adding her own extensive notes that included what is now considered the first algorithm designed for execution by a machine. More importantly, she conceptualized the idea that machines could manipulate symbols beyond numbers, hinting at future applications in music, language, and artificial intelligence.? ? Her legacy is a tribute to the power of interdisciplinary thinking, blending mathematics, logic, and creativity. Today, as we reflect on her contributions, Lovelace serves as a reminder of the profound impact women have had, and continue to have, on technology and innovation.? ? #ApprentisVentures #WomensHistory?

In this episode of Apprentis Insights, Holly Neiweem, Founder & Managing Partner of Apprentis Ventures, discusses common startup funding instruments at the early stages of venture capital investment. Holly shares how pre-seed and seed stage founders and investors should keep term sheets simple for a clear-cut and faster close.? ? #ApprentisVentures #AI?

Washington Business Journal got this one right! Congrats Katherine D'Zmura Friedman, Alexandra Perebikovsky, PhD, and the entire Thumbprint Furniture team!

Venture capital and private equity rely on trust, built through personal interactions, often over video calls. But what happens when those interactions can be faked with near-perfect precision? Recent cases of deepfake scams and business email compromises reveal how fraudsters are exploiting human relationships in financial transactions. In this piece, Apprentis Ventures explores why social engineering can never be fully eliminated from the financial sector and why firms must see security awareness, AI-driven verification, and trust-but-verify protocols as critical investments. Sharing our latest thought leadership on Cyberculture??? ? #ApprentisVentures #AI?

Founders, are you ready for due diligence? In this episode of Apprentis Insights, Holly Neiweem, Founder & Managing Partner of Apprentis Ventures, breaks down what founders should expect and prepare for when navigating the due diligence process. From financials to founder fit, due diligence can make or break a deal. Holly shares key insights on: ? What investors look for in the diligence process ? How founders can help streamline their fundraising journey Whether you’re raising your first round or scaling your company, Holly offers actionable advice to help founders build credibility with investors and secure funding. #ApprentisVentures #AI #ApprentisInsights

Are you a startup founder navigating venture capital investment terms? In this episode of Apprentis Insights, Holly Neiweem, Founder & Managing Partner of Apprentis Ventures, breaks down how VCs structure early-stage investments. From SAFEs with valuation caps to preferred equity rounds and pro rata rights, Holly explains what these terms mean for founders and why VCs evaluate deals through the lens of fund returns. If you’re raising a pre-seed or seed round, these insights will help outline the process. #ApprentisVentures #AI

We’re thrilled to welcome Shiva Nanda as a Venture Partner at Apprentis Ventures! Shiva brings a wealth of entrepreneurial expertise as an exited Founder and former President of NCS Global Services LLC, a leader in IT recycling and asset recovery. With an MBA from UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, he has spent years scaling businesses and supporting founders. Beyond his work at Apprentis Ventures, Shiva is shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the UNH ECenter (Peter T. Paul Entrepreneurship Center). At Apprentis Ventures, he will play a key role in diligence, sourcing, and platform development for our portfolio companies. Welcome, Shiva! #ApprentisVentures #AI

DeepSeek AI’s LLM breakthrough triggered a market pullback, reflecting uncertainty about AI’s direction. As training efficiency improves, computing power can shift toward fine-tuning and industry-specific applications, unlocking trillion-dollar inefficiencies. Sharing our latest thought leadership on AI CapEx ?? #ApprentisVentures #AI

We’re excited to have Siya Goel join Apprentis Ventures as a Fellow through the Vencapital Fellowship program! A junior at Stanford University studying Computer Science (AI track) and Economics, Siya is passionate about advancing human-centered, ethical AI. With experience at NVIDIA, Adobe, Vitaliti, and the United States Department of Defense, she is also a founding member of Serena, a productivity startup based on her Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) research, and Mindscape AI, a personalized journaling startup. In addition, Siya is a founder fellow with Dorm Room Fund and RippleX Fellowship, powered by Ripple Ventures, and the only undergraduate to receive a venture capital fellowship from Vencapital. Siya's six years of research span AI, healthcare, and business, with work published at top conferences. She is also a leader in CS education and inclusion as part of Stanford Women in Computer Science, Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES), and Stanford Cardinal Labs. We’re thrilled to have her onboard and can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make. Welcome, Siya! #ApprentisVentures #AI #Apprenticeship