Ray Sturm

Straight up, let me put you on to Ray Sturm. This guy’s the real deal in the world of real estate tech and fintech. He’s been around the block, crushed it in finance, and then jumped into startups that actually change how we do investing.

So, he’s a YC W16 alum, that’s a big badge, and before that, he was grinding at all the heavy hitters: Bear Stearns, Lazard, CCMP Capital, Shearman & Sterling, you name it. Basically, he cut his teeth in legit finance, learning the ropes from the top dogs. But dude’s not just about the money; he’s about disrupting the game.

In 2013, Ray co-founded RealtyShares, one of the first real estate crowdfunding platforms. That was way ahead of its time, and it got backed by big names like General Cause and Union Square Ventures. He saw that the old-school way of investing in real estate was boring and ripe for tech innovation. He wanted to make it accessible, transparent, and smarter.

Fast forward a bit, and he founded AlphaFlow in 2015, a tech-driven investment manager for real estate loans. Think of it as the Robinhood of real estate investing, but way more advanced. AlphaFlow managed over $1.5 billion in assets and even did securitizations with major institutional partners. Y Combinator backed it in Winter 2016, which is a huge stamp of approval. This wasn’t just a side project; it was a full-blown game changer in how real estate investments are handled.

What’s crazy is his motivation, he’s all about making finance better, simpler, and more accessible. He’s been involved in building companies that use data, tech, and new models to shake up old industries. And he’s not just a founder, he’s a builder who knows how to raise capital, scale, and lead.

Then, in 2023, he jumped into a new challenge with 10X Capital, leading their Residential Real Estate Income Platform under Tower1. Basically, he’s still all-in on real estate, but now he’s focusing on income strategies, probably thinking about how to give folks steady cash flow in a world full of uncertainty.

Outside of work, Ray’s into hiking, camping, and even small-scale winemaking in Oregon. It’s like he’s always looking for ways to stay grounded and keep that entrepreneurial spark alive, whether it’s in the office or on a mountain trail.

Long story short, Ray Sturm is the guy who saw how tech could totally flip the script on real estate investing. He’s built companies that are changing the way money moves in property markets, and he’s always pushing forward. No bullshit, this guy’s a mover and shaker who’s shaping the future of real estate finance.