Drew Beard Promoted to Principal with Serra Ventures, LLC

Champaign, IL – WEBWIRE – Monday, February 9, 2026

Serra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm and consulting service provider to middle market companies, announced the week of February 9 that Drew Beard, previously serving as an Associate with Serra, will transition into the role of Principal, with a strong emphasis on investment-related responsibilities.

Since joining Serra, Drew has played a key role in investment sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio company growth. His work spans the full investment lifecycle—from identifying opportunities to supporting companies post-investment.

“Drew has become an indispensable member of our investment team. He has consistently demonstrated growing leadership in sourcing high-quality opportunities, leading new investments, and partnering closely with our portfolio companies to drive results,” said Rob Schultz, Partner with Serra. “His promotion to Principal reflects the impact he has made on Serra Ventures and the confidence we have in his continued contributions.”

Drew brings experience across early-stage investing, M&A advisory, and portfolio company operations. Before joining Serra Ventures, he worked in public accounting in Chicago and Champaign, where he specialized in private equity, venture capital, and agribusiness clients. He is also a licensed pilot and flight instructor with a lifelong passion for aviation.

Drew is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics and a Master’s degree in Accounting.

“I’m excited to step into the Principal role and continue supporting the next wave of founders solving problems that matter. I’m especially energized by opportunities to help Serra continue to sharpen our fund strategy, support capital-efficient growth, and back teams with the discipline and vision to build enduring businesses,” Drew commented. “It’s a privilege to grow with Serra and contribute to both our portfolio and the firm’s continued evolution.”

About Serra Ventures

Serra Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in technology companies throughout the U.S. and in selected international geographies. The firm has completed over 110 deals and has deployed nearly $200 million in capital. Their current fund focuses on ag and food tech companies in the sectors of land stewardship, digital ag and automated ag.

Serra also provides consulting and M&A services through its Serra Advisors division. The deep expertise of the Serra team and their entrepreneurial experience make them uniquely qualified to serve companies ranging from tech startups to mature SMB entities. For more information, visit www.serraventures.com.