Robert Boulware
University Lecturer @ UCSB Department of Technology Management
About
I’m an investor, educator, and advocate for the future of private markets. As the creator and lecturer of UCSB’s first course on venture capital and private equity, I help students and professionals navigate the structures, incentives, and strategic shifts reshaping innovation finance. My work sits at the intersection of capital and company formation—where science, technology, and market design converge. I bring decades of experience in the mutual fund industry, including the creation of the first SEC-registered mutual fund offering retail access to late-stage, venture-backed private companies. That background deeply informs my perspective: I believe many of the structural innovations needed in private markets—around transparency, liquidity, alignment, and access—can be guided by lessons learned from the evolution of the mutual fund model. Today, I focus on modern fund structures, secondaries, and the emergence of what I call “NextCap”—investment that supports innovation after formation but before liquidity. Through teaching, writing, and speaking, I aim to challenge legacy thinking in venture capital and help build a more accessible, aligned, and efficient ecosystem for backing what’s next.
United States
Dallas
Financial Services
Venture Capital, Higher Education Teaching, Comprehensive Financial Services Experience including Mergers and Acquisitions, Unique Insight into Intermediary Distribution, In Depth Investment Management Oversight, Extensive 40 Act Experience, Demonstrated Experience, Product Strategy and Development, Alternative Investments, Asset Allocation
Experience
University Lecturer
UCSB Department of Technology Management
Santa Barbara, California, United States
Lecturer, Venture Capital | UC Santa Barbara As a Lecturer in Venture Capital at UCSB, I teach the principles of startup investing, fundraising strategies, and venture deal structures. My course bridges academia and real-world investing, equipping students with the knowledge to analyze startups, assess risk, and navigate the VC landscape. Drawing from my experience as a board member of a late stage venture fund , I provide practical insights on scaling ventures, working with LPs, and understanding term sheets. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of investors , I help students develop the critical skills needed to succeed in the startup ecosystem.
Member Board of Trustees
Brighthouse Financial
Charlotte, North Carolina Area
Brighthouse financial with $140B Aum across 75 different funds. The sub advised mutual fund complex has a full range of investment options.
Chairman Of The Board
The Private Shares Fund
Palo Alto, California
Private shares fund is a closed end interval fund specializing in pre-IPO equities. This $1 B fund is the only 40 Act fund exclusively focused on late stage venture-backed companies.
Panelist
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
Panelist in the “Business Creation Program” where entrepreneurs build companies while in graduate school
Chairman Of The Board Of Trustees
Vertical capital fund
Dallas, Texas
Vertical Capital is a closed end fund specializing in whole mortgage loans. $130M AUM.
Chairman Of The Board
Mid-Con Energy Partners, LP
Director
GAINSCO
GAINSCO, INC. is a property and casualty insurance holding company. Specialized in non-standard personal automobile market, specializing in minimum limits personal auto insurance.
Founder
Pilgrim Funds
Dallas/Fort Worth Area
A venture capital fund focused on fin tech opportunities. This early stage investor identifies technology solutions for traditional financial services companies . Providing strategic capital and advice to founders and their companies to start, grow or monetize.
Director
Pilgrim Funds
Pilgrim provides capital through debt or equity to financial service firms to facilitate growth.
President CEO ING Funds Distributor, LLC
NN Investment Partners
This mutual fund complex with a full range of investment options achieved top ten in national distribution. The distibutor created the closed end business for the global enterprise and was recognized with numerous awards as top in its industry during this period
President and CEO
ING
A wholly owned subsidiary of ING Group. This $100B AUM mutual fund company servicing 30,000 financial professionals and 1.5M shareholders offered a full complement of products including equity fixed income and multi asset class. Directed the distribution of retail mutual funds for affiliated and external institutions as well as individual investors. ING Funds provided investment solutions with an emphasis on equities, fixed income and multi asset strategies. AUM in excess of $100 billion. Highlights include: Numerous awards • Best of Class External Wholesalers • Best of Class Inside Sales Desk • Top Ten Distributor Net Sales • ING Funds Rated Best Mutual Fund Company • Ad Q Award for Outstanding Advertising • Acquired 4 Merged Mutual Fund Companies • Created the Closed End Fund Business for ING
Education
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Private Markets Investments Programme
Northern Arizona University-The W. A. Franke College of Business
Business
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