The secret ingredient to building a robust investment fund for startups might just be Badger pride. That’s the idea behind a new venture capital fund called Bascom Ventures, anyway.

The 10-week-old endeavor is fundraising from University of Wisconsin alumni to create a pool of millions of dollars to go toward startups with UW alumni at the helm. The fund’s managing partner, Greg Baker, said that the idea is to keep alums connected with their alma mater.

He characterized it as “an opportunity to follow what other Badgers are doing,” as well as an opportunity to simply give a promising venture a boost.

“(Badgers) like helping each other,” he said.

He said that aspect of Wisconsin culture is why he’s confident Bascom Ventures will outstrip other alumni funds that exist around the U.S. Indeed, the premise of an alumni-centered venture capital fund is nothing new. Bascom Ventures is part of Launch Angels Management, a private equity firm that manages other such funds at elite colleges and universities like Dartmouth, MIT and Yale. Read the full story here.