Organization · Angel Group
CAV Angels
CAV Angels is a non-profit angel investment group based in Charlottesville, Virginia, focused on engaging University of Virginia alumni in entrepreneurial ecosystems. It invests in early-stage technology and healthcare startups with strong UVA connections.
Overview
What CAV Angels does
What CAV Angels is
CAV Angels is a non-profit angel investment group based in Charlottesville, Virginia, focused on engaging University of Virginia alumni in entrepreneurial ecosystems. It invests in early-stage technology and healthcare startups with strong UVA connections.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community and event host capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Angel Group
- Founded
- Founded in 2015
- Approximate age
- About 11 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community · Event host
- Last reviewed
- March 19, 2026
Official channels
Find CAV Angels elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
CAV Angels as a funder
Investment thesis
CAV Angels aims to mobilize investments in early-stage companies, particularly those with ties to the University of Virginia, through educational programming and access to deal flow.
Focus narrative
CAV Angels primarily invests in technology and healthcare startups seeking Seed or Series A funding. The organization emphasizes companies with strong affiliations to UVA, including founders, major investors, or board members who are alumni or otherwise connected to the university.
Value beyond capital
CAV Angels provides educational resources and networking opportunities to its portfolio companies, leveraging the expertise and connections of its members to support startup growth.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $600,000–$1,400,000
- Sweet spot
- $1,000,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Seed · Series A
- Regions
- United States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 7
Portfolio context
CAV Angels has invested in several notable companies, including: Alfie: An AI-powered digital health platform for obesity management, funded with $314k in Q4 2023. Artglass: An augmented reality platform for cultural institutions, with total funding of $1.375 million from 2018 to 2022. Astraea: An Integrated GeoAI Ops Platform, which received $750k in Series A funding in Q3 2022. Babylon Micro Farms: A sustainable indoor hydroponic farming system, with total investments of $1.1 million. Brandefy: A woman-founded app for finding cheaper alternatives to beauty products, funded with over $600k in 2021. Cerillo: A microplate reader for lab experiments, with total investments of $1.627 million. DwellWell: An AI solution for remote detection of failures in home systems, funded with $400k. Karios: A sprayable hydrogel for cardiac adhesion prevention, with total investments of $774k.
Capability profile
CAV Angels as a community
Community overview
CAV Angels is a non-profit network founded to engage University of Virginia (UVA) alumni, faculty, parents, students, and friends in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the organization aims to mobilize investments in early-stage companies through educational programming and access to deal flow.
Community focus
CAV Angels invests primarily in technology and healthcare startups seeking Seed or Series A funding. The organization focuses on companies with a strong affiliation to UVA, including founders, major investors, or board members who are alumni or otherwise connected to the university.
Member value
Members benefit from access to a network of investors and entrepreneurs, educational programming, and opportunities to engage with startups affiliated with UVA.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free and fixed-tuition
Format and cadence
- Modality
- hybrid
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Students
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- open and application
- Stages
- Seed · Series A
- Sectors
- Healthcare
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Events and activity
CAV Angels hosts various events, including the CAV Angels Virtual Founders Forum for discussing entrepreneurship within the UVA community, the Galant Challenge, an annual pitch competition for startups, and participation in the Tom Tom Festival featuring entrepreneurship and tech-focused events.
Notable members
Key team members include Rich Diemer (Managing Director), Jim Cheng (Cofounder), Scott Ukrop (Chair), Rahul Keshap (General Counsel), Katie Begando (Entrepreneur in Residence), and Evan Rabb (Chief of Staff).
Capability profile
CAV Angels as an event host
Event focus
CAV Angels invests primarily in technology and healthcare startups that are seeking Seed or Series A funding. The organization focuses on companies with a strong affiliation to UVA, including founders, major investors, or board members who are alumni or otherwise connected to the university.
Format narrative
CAV Angels hosts various events, including the CAV Angels Virtual Founders Forum, an annual pitch competition called the Galant Challenge, and participation in the Tom Tom Festival, which features entrepreneurship and tech-focused events.
Participant value
CAV Angels aims to mobilize investments in early-stage companies through educational programming and access to deal flow, providing a platform for UVA community members to engage in entrepreneurship.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- pitch-night and workshop
- Recurrence
- annual
- Modality
- online
- Startups can present
- Yes
Availability
- Registration state
- Not currently accepting
Audience and fit
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Seed · Series A
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Students
- Sectors
- Healthcare
- Regions
- United States
Common questions
What to know about CAV Angels
Upseed classifies CAV Angels under the Angel Group organization type. Its current public profile includes funder, community, and event host capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 19, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.