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Sam Strickberger

Sam Strickberger

Empowering student founders to solve major global crises through venture capital

sam-strickberger
New York, New York, United States
Joined January 2025
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Summary

Sam Strickberger is a dedicated advocate and enabler of student entrepreneurship and impact investing. Through co-founding Critical Venture Partners and Impact First Ventures, he actively funds and supports young founders who are building companies to address major global challenges in climate, healthcare, and economic opportunity. He champions the idea that young people can create both significant financial returns and positive societal change. critical+6
Strickberger has a strong academic background from the University of Pennsylvania, where he pursued intellectual history with minors in survey research and data analytics, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. His academic work included an honors thesis on Jewish Orthodox reactions to slavery, demonstrating a scholarly interest in the intersection of history, ethics, and social issues. He also held a leadership role as Class President and received the President's Engagement Prize for his impactful work with College Green Ventures. upenn+2
He is a co-founder of InLight Magazine, a student-led publication focused on exploring cultures, lifting voices, and interrogating injustices. This initiative, which scaled to numerous schools and received the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, highlights his long-standing commitment to fostering dialogue, empathy, and social impact through media and student engagement. wordpress+2
Sam possesses a thoughtful perspective on personal and professional development, as evidenced by his Baccalaureate speech advocating for 'pursuit'—discovering one's deeper 'why'—over sole 'projection' on linear career paths. He values creative, values-based living and encourages others, particularly students, to align their ambitions with meaningful societal contributions. upenn+1

Work

Education

Writing

Build something that matters at Penn

August 1, 2025

An article advocating for students to focus on creative entrepreneurship and building impactful ventures rather than solely pursuing traditional corporate paths. He shares his experience as founder of Critical, a venture capital firm that invests in students tackling major crises.

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Projection and Pursuit: A Two-Fold Meaning of Longing

May 1, 2022

Baccalaureate speech delivered to the University of Pennsylvania Class of 2022, reflecting on the concepts of 'projection' (concrete, linear thinking) and 'pursuit' (abstract, values-based thinking) in life choices, advocating for prioritizing one's 'why'.

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Covenant in Crisis: The Jewish Orthodox Reactions to Slavery, 1848-1861

January 1, 2022

A history honors thesis examining the interplay between religious authority, morality, and politics in antebellum Jewish Orthodox debates over race-based slavery, analyzing rabbinical sermons, responsa, and newspaper articles.

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Hobbies

Enjoys playing ping pong, reading Jewish philosophy, and hiking with PennQuest. upenn