Bascom Ventures announced recently its first fund, which will enable University of Wisconsin alumni to invest in companies with a connection to Wisconsin.

“We are directly helping support Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and provide opportunity for the next generation of Wisconsin entrepreneurs,” Bascom Ventures Founding Managing Partner Greg Baker said in a statement. “Connecting with interesting companies and people is an added bonus for investors.”

According to a release, the fund looks to close by late fall with up to 99 alumni investors and will invest in 15-25 early- to later-stage companies over the next few years.

The fund also hopes to offer connections to resource providers and an ambassador network of investment professionals to facilitate deal referrals.

Bascom Ventures, which is based in Chicago, takes its name from Bascom Hill on the UW-Madison campus.