Caltech—one of the world’s most well-regarded science and engineering research universities—was seeking to raise $2 billion, knowing this would require reaching well beyond an alumni base of about 23,000 living graduates. We observed that most public narratives about science were missing the sense of excitement, curiosity, and courageous risk-taking that infused Caltech. Meanwhile, ambitious donors were searching for a philanthropic investment vehicle that could deliver on sky’s-the-limit aspirations. Caltech’s special culture of innovative collaboration and intellectual freedom was a perfect fit—but too few people knew it.