ALUMNI EXCELLENCE
changing the paradigm Alum Brandon Allen ’12 reflects on his path to success founding one of the few Black-owned VC firms in the country.
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n December, Forbes released its annual 30 Under 30 list, which “highlights bold, innovative young leaders who are changing the course and face of business and society.” The Brimmer community was thrilled to learn that 2012 alumnus Brandon Allen was featured on the list of distinguished venture capital (VC) professionals. Allen was recognized alongside his cofounder and college roommate Marcus Stroud for their work leading TXV Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on software and human performance. While at Brimmer, Allen was known to be fiercely curious with an exceptional intellectual mind. Reflecting on his time here as a student, Head of School Judy Guild recalls that Allen always enjoyed a challenge, choosing to read various philosophers for pleasure and then seeking opportunities to debate his new knowledge. That quest for knowledge also showed itself on his Winterim trips to China and South Korea, where he was fascinated by the nuances of governments different from what he was used to in the United States. It is no surprise that Allen’s curiosity and educational accomplishments landed him at Princeton for his undergraduate work, where he majored in politics.
Tell us about your career path leading up to where you are now. I graduated Princeton with a degree in politics. My academic area of focus was comparative politics, which culminated in my thesis. I undertook an analysis of 20th-century theories of macroeconomic development, and how they may be interpreted in the context of the postindustrial age. After considering my options, I ended up in consulting, working for two firms in Boston. The first, Stax, specialized in doing due diligence for over half of the top 20 PE LBO firms, ascertaining market dynamics as it related to acquisitions and operational improvements. I then moved to Chartic, a firm that focused on consulting in industrials, mostly for clients with over $1B in revenue.
Over the last two years, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Jessica Christian became acquainted with Allen through her communication with alumni of color. In their conversations, Allen made clear how his racial identity has always been something that has influenced his educational, social, and professional experiences. He has spent much of his short career reflecting on the intersection of race and career pursuits. It is, therefore, not lost on Allen nor is it insignificant that his firm is one of only a few Black-owned VC firms in the country.
You were recently featured with your business partner on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Congratulations! How is it for you to have been this successful at such a young age?
We had the pleasure of sitting down in December with Allen to reflect on the path to his current success. It was wonderful to hear him talk about his work, what it means to him personally and professionally, and how he is able to navigate the challenges of being a young Black man in his industry.
I suppose my impulse is twofold when I hear questions like this. The first impulse continued on page 4 Brimmer Magazine
Spring 2022
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