Rob Born Joins Academy Ventures as Partner

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 11, 2026--

Academy Securities, the nation’s first Post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank, today announced that Rob Born has joined Academy Ventures, the firm’s venture capital arm, as Partner. Mr. Born’s addition to the Academy Ventures team represents an important step for the firm to grow its venture investing efforts, primarily in the defense technology sector. To date, Academy Ventures has invested in over 20 companies with internal partners’ capital and plans to allow select outside investment capital in the near future.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260811113959/en/

Mr. Born brings 25 years of venture capital, operating, and investment banking experience in the technology industry. Most recently, Mr. Born was SVP Corporate and Business Development at Vocera Communications (NYSE: VCRA) where he led the strategy to transform the Company into an intelligent workflow software provider, resulting in an approximate 10x increase in stock price before it was acquired by Stryker. Prior to Vocera, Mr. Born was Partner at Thomas Weisel Venture Partners, an early-stage technology venture capital fund where he had a successful investing track record. Mr. Born started his career as a technology company investment banker at Montgomery Securities. Mr. Born holds a J.D and M.B.A from Duke University, and a B.A. from Amherst College. He is a Member of the State Bar of California.

“Rob’s track record spans two decades of building and investing in technology companies, and his experience guiding Vocera through a $3 billion acquisition speaks to the kind of judgment we want on our investing team,” said Academy’s Chairman and CEO Chance Mims. “He is a strong addition as we grow our early-stage defense technology investing practice.”

Mr. Born commented on joining the firm: “I am excited to be joining the exceptional Academy Securities team to build a world class venture investing platform at Academy Ventures. There are several impactful tailwinds in the defense technology market today that enhance our prospects for future success. We are building a disciplined, pro-active, thematic investment approach that, when combined with the firm’s unique lineage and inherent sector expertise, will allow us to deliver superior returns as a differentiated, value-added investor.”

“Rob’s legal training and years of board service give him a distinctive lens for evaluating early-stage companies,” said Academy’s Vice Chairman Phil McConkey. “That perspective will serve our portfolio companies well.”

About Academy Ventures

Academy Ventures is the venture capital arm of Academy Securities, investing in and partnering with military veteran led and operated companies as well as early-stage defense technology businesses. The firm draws on the military training, financial services experience, and geopolitical knowledge of the broader Academy platform. Information about Academy Ventures is available at www.academy-ventures.com.

About Academy Securities

Academy Securities is a FINRA registered Broker Dealer and a preeminent veteran owned investment bank with strengths in capital markets, asset management, public finance, geopolitical intel, fixed income, and equity trading. Leadership and staff have had intensive military training prior to entering and gaining in-depth financial services experience in global capital markets. We are mission driven with a high ethical code, a solid sense of accountability and strive for excellence in the pursuit of our clients’ success. Academy is our nation’s first post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank and is certified as a DVBE, SDVOB, and MBE. The firm has a strong top and middle tier client base served by a national platform with offices in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Chapel Hill, Louisville, Austin, Dallas, Sacramento, and West Palm Beach. Information about Academy Securities is available at www.academysecurities.com.

Rob Born

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — At least 14 artisanal miners are dead and scores are injured at a disused mine in South Africa, police said Tuesday.

The South African Police Service said the miners were found dead at a mine near the city of Rustenburg, around 130 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

The national police service did not give more details on the circumstances of the deaths, but said the provincial police commissioner was on the way to the mine.

South Africa has tens of thousands of artisanal miners working illegally in gold and platinum mines that are no longer being used by mining companies. The informal miners go into the mines to look for leftover deposits to sell. They often operate without proper safety equipment and sometimes stay underground for weeks.

Rustenburg is a hub for platinum mining in South Africa, which has the largest platinum reserves in the world.

Informal mining is a deep problem in South Africa and is connected to criminal syndicates, according to authorities. The informal miners are renowned and known as zama zamas, which translates loosely as “chance takers.” They often operate in gangs that fight violent battles with rivals.

South Africa's most recent major disaster involving illegal mining was in late 2024, when hundreds of miners became trapped underground at a gold mine that had been surrounded by police.

The standoff lasted months and more than 80 miners died underground, according to authorities.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took the unusual step earlier this year to deploy soldiers on the streets in a yearlong operation to combat organized crime, with illegal mining one of the focuses of the operation.

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

FILE -South African police provide security during a march through the city of Cape Town, South Africa, July 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)