Red Beard Ventures
Drew Austin has a diverse work experience spanning various industries and roles. Drew is the Founder & Managing Partner of Red Beard Ventures, where they focus on investing in non-consensus companies and industries that enable the future of the internet. Drew is also a Co-Founder of Knights of Degen, a web3 sports gaming studio powered by NFTs.
Previously, Drew served as the CEO & Co-Founder of Wade & Wendy, a startup that was later acquired by PandoLogic. Drew was also a Volunteer Managing Director at FounderDating, where they connected business and technical founders and influenced the growth of the NYC startup ecosystem. As a Mentor at StartFast, a mentorship-driven accelerator, Drew provided guidance to early-stage internet/software startups.
Drew's experience also includes being a Co-Founder & COO of AUGMATE, a venture-backed enterprise platform for wearable devices in the industrial workplace. Drew played a key role in growing the team and securing funding.
Before their entrepreneurial ventures, Drew was the CEO & Co-Founder of The Convos and Campus Socialite Media, marketing agencies that targeted the college student demographic. Drew also worked as an Angel Investor at NERD Beverage Corporation and as a Recruiter & Business Development Manager at Connections of New York, an IT-focused executive search firm.
Throughout their career, Drew has demonstrated their entrepreneurial spirit, leadership skills, and expertise in various industries, including web3, blockchain/crypto, NFTs, fintech, and marketing.
Drew Austin attended Syracuse University - Martin J. Whitman School of Management from 2003 to 2007. During this time, they obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises. In September 2021, they also received a certification in NFT Degen from Knights of Degen.
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Red Beard Ventures
Red Beard Ventures is a Venture Capital Firm that invests in disruptive companies from seed to growth. Our team has been working in and around the startup ecosystem for 15+ years. Building, investing and advising startups has helped us to gain a keen sense of what really matters when building a company. We develop empathy to the founder journey that only a startup founders can have. We look to be early investors in non-consensus companies/industries, focusing on: Web 3.0 infrastructure, including blockchain/crypto, NFT’s, AR/VR, fintech, and other areas that enable us to build the future of the internet. Frontier technology, reflecting a 0 -> 1 shift or 10x improvement across industries. We believe being opportunistic and generalists in this area enables us to capitalize on fundamental shifts in industries and technologies. Existing Portfolio: SuperRare The premier marketplace for digital art. Alto IRA Shifting the retirement landscape towards alternative assets. Dapper Labs Building the future of NFT’s. Holler.io: Enhancing digital communication. Noah: Improving home equity investing. Genies: Building identity through NFT's Robotire: Automating car maintenance with robotics and AI. Lendtable: Solving retirement for the masses. Studio: The home gym for everyone. Reactive Streaming: The future of live streaming.