At the heart of Boston’s innovation hub, Drew Volpe is quietly building one of the most ambitious pre-seed venture portfolios in deep-tech today. As Founder & Managing Partner of First Star Ventures, Volpe is backing the founders who aren’t chasing trends, they’re creating them. From AI-powered pathology to synthetic biology and robotics, his investment thesis is simple: fund the scientists and engineers shaping the future.
First Star Ventures: Betting Early on Hard Science
Since launching First Star Ventures around 2016, Volpe has grown the fund into a deep-tech magnet, headquartered in Kendall Square, one of the world’s most fertile grounds for biotech and frontier innovation.
The firm has raised has successfully raised around $35 million across two funds ($10 million for Fund I and $25 million for Fund II), and is now actively fundraising for a third fund, aiming to reach up to $40 million, investing in bold, technical ventures like Vistapath, Nomic Bio, Robigo, and Jellyfish. Volpe and his team specialize in pre-seed and seed investments, bringing both capital and operational expertise to first-time founders in complex industries.
“The founders that have the patience and vision … five years from now … are the ones who are successful,” Volpe wrote on LinkedIn, reinforcing his belief in long-game innovation.
Backing Builders at the Edge of Discovery
Volpe’s portfolio reads like a who’s who of frontier innovation, startups tackling problems in genomics, AI-driven pathology, robotics, synthetic biology, and energy. What sets him apart is a willingness to fund first-time technical founders, often straight out of labs or academia, who might otherwise be overlooked by mainstream VC.
He doesn’t just invest, he builds. Volpe frequently hosts founder seminars like “Selling Your Startup,” offers 1:1 mentoring, and participates in accelerators such as MassChallenge. His LinkedIn feed is a goldmine of hard-won advice, especially for scientists navigating the commercial startup world for the first time.
From Product Engineer to Visionary Investor
Before founding First Star, Volpe earned his stripes as a product leader and technologist. He served as VP of Product Development at Endeca Technologies (acquired by Oracle), co-founded Locately, and worked at high-profile ventures including Semantic Machines and Idiom.
His academic roots are equally strong: an A.B. in Computer Science from Harvard University, where he also served as a Teaching Fellow.
Driving Boston’s Deep-Tech Narrative
Volpe is also one of Boston’s most vocal advocates for its startup storytelling culture. He regularly encourages founders to “raise their surface area of luck” by leaning into visibility, community, and collaboration.
He’s a keynote speaker and panelist at events including SXSW, MassChallenge, and private VC-founder gatherings. In media, he’s appeared on MGMT Boston’s “The Lantern” podcast, speaking on biotech, AI, and the unique DNA of Boston’s innovation ecosystem.
Why Drew Volpe Matters
Drew Volpe is building more than a fund, he’s building a legacy of technical courage, deep conviction, and founder-first mentorship. In a time when venture capital often chases hype, Volpe is investing where it matters: at the intersection of breakthrough science and determined execution.
As AI, biotech, and frontier tech redefine industries over the next decade, expect Drew Volpe and First Star Ventures to be at the center of the story, powering patient builders and paradigm-shifting ideas from the lab bench to the boardroom.
