Academy Ventures has named technology investor and executive Rob Born as a partner as the venture capital arm of Academy Securities expands its early-stage defense technology investment strategy and prepares to open its platform to select outside capital.
Born joins Academy Ventures with 25 years of venture capital, operating and technology investment banking experience. He will help build the firm’s venture investing platform, which has already invested internal partners’ capital in more than 20 companies.
The firm plans to allow select outside investment capital in the near future, representing a significant next step for a venture operation that has so far invested primarily using capital from Academy’s internal partners.
Academy Ventures focuses on military veteran-led and operated companies as well as early-stage defense technology businesses. The investment platform draws on the broader Academy Securities organization, including its military experience, financial services capabilities and geopolitical expertise.
Born’s appointment comes as the firm seeks to formalize and expand its sourcing, evaluation and portfolio support capabilities around defense technology. That market increasingly spans software, autonomous systems, communications, cybersecurity and other technologies that must move from early-stage development into deployable products capable of meeting government and defense requirements.
“Rob’s track record spans two decades of building and investing in technology companies, and his experience guiding Vocera through a $3 billion acquisition speaks to the kind of judgment we want on our investing team,” Academy Chairman and CEO Chance Mims said. “He is a strong addition as we grow our early-stage defense technology investing practice.”
Born most recently served as senior vice president of corporate and business development at Vocera Communications, a publicly traded healthcare technology company. He led a strategy to reposition Vocera as an intelligent workflow software provider, a period during which the company’s stock price increased approximately tenfold before its acquisition by Stryker.
Before Vocera, Born was a partner at Thomas Weisel Venture Partners, an early-stage technology venture capital fund. His experience there included evaluating and investing in emerging technology companies, giving him a background on both the investment and operating sides of company development.
He began his career as a technology investment banker at Montgomery Securities. Born holds a J.D. and MBA from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. He is also a member of the State Bar of California.
At Academy Ventures, Born will help develop a more proactive, thematic investment process around sectors where the firm believes its existing defense and geopolitical expertise can provide an advantage in identifying and supporting companies.
“There are several impactful tailwinds in the defense technology market today that enhance our prospects for future success,” Born said. “We are building a disciplined, pro-active, thematic investment approach that, when combined with the firm’s unique lineage and inherent sector expertise, will allow us to deliver superior returns as a differentiated, value-added investor.”
Academy Vice Chairman Phil McConkey said Born’s legal training and board experience will also contribute to the firm’s evaluation of early-stage businesses and its work with portfolio companies.
The expansion comes as defense technology investors increasingly confront commercialization challenges that differ from conventional enterprise technology. Companies selling into defense markets must navigate procurement processes, testing requirements, long sales cycles and the operational demands associated with deploying technology into mission-critical environments.
Academy Ventures’ connection to Academy Securities gives the venture operation access to a broader financial and defense-focused platform as it builds its investment strategy. Academy Securities operates across capital markets, asset management, public finance, geopolitical intelligence, fixed income and equity trading.
The firm is the nation’s first post-9/11 veteran-owned and operated investment bank and maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Chapel Hill, Louisville, Austin, Dallas, Sacramento and West Palm Beach.
Born’s appointment signals an effort to turn Academy Ventures’ existing portfolio of more than 20 investments into a larger institutional venture platform. With plans to accept select outside capital, the firm is positioning its defense technology practice around disciplined sourcing and investment selection while using Academy’s sector relationships and operational knowledge to support companies as they move toward broader deployment and commercialization.
