Jim Cohen

Board Observer

2025

Co-Founder and General Partner

2015

Fitz Gate Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm currently investing out of its third fund, with Rice University as one of its anchor investors. Fitz Gate III invests anywhere in the U.S. and is a generalist fund with a sub-focus on deeptech. Fitz Gate brings a unique strategic advantage to its portfolio companies by leveraging its proprietary “Friends of Fitz” network, comprised of hundreds of venture capitalists, startup founders, educators, senior executives and subject matter experts. Fitz Gate writes initial checks of $500K - $1M, reserving for follow-on rounds. Fitz Gate will lead rounds, co-invest with other funds or invest alone. World class investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, Bessemer, Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, Temasek/Xora, Blackrock, Glaxo, Bezos Expeditions, Merck, Fidelity, MIT Engine Fund, First Round, Zoom, KKR, Fusion Fund, Formula One, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Fidelity, Astra Zeneca, Porsche and others have invested after Fitz Gate in Fitz Gate portfolio companies.

Lecturer, Princeton University Graduate School

2018

I teach a seminar on startups and venture capital finance to Princeton University graduate students and was awarded the Clio Award in 2022 from the Princeton University Graduate School in recognition of the value of this seminar to Princeton graduate students.

Adjunct Professor

2018

I teach a class in the business school on venture capital investing. Students (both MBAs and undergraduates) are taught how to evaluate startups for investment and how to write investment memos.

Board Observer

2025

Investor and Board Observer

2024

Investor and Board Observer

2020

Celestial AI is the creator of the Photonic Fabric™, which unleashes advancements in AI.

Investor and Board Observer

2017

Overtime is a digital sports media company that creates short form content and builds disruptive new sports leagues aimed globally at the next generation of sports fans and athletes.

Investor and Board Observer

2017

Optimal Dynamics provides advanced AI driven logistics and supply chain optimization solutions. Based on 30 years of R&D and Princeton University.

Investor

2016

Smartasset is the third most capital efficient fintech company to reach unicorn status ($1bb+ valuation). Smartasset connects customers to financial advisors and financial products to ensure their financial security.