Adam Adler
Adam Adler
Founder and Managing Partner of The Adler Fund
Founder and Managing Partner of The Adler Fund
Adam Adler’s career reflects a combination of steady discipline, practical decision-making, and a willingness to build things from the ground up. Based in Charleston, he is the founder of The Adler Fund, a private equity group invested in sustainable real estate, technology, and early-stage innovation. His professional journey spans more than two decades and includes roles as a founder, investor, and operator across multiple industries.
Adam’s first training ground was not in an office but on the tennis court. He spent his early years at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in South Florida, where he was introduced to a highly structured environment focused on improvement and consistency. Those years taught him how to handle pressure, recover from setbacks, and stay committed to long-term goals.
His efforts earned him a scholarship to play tennis at the University of South Carolina. There, he balanced athletic responsibilities with studies, completing a double major in Sports & Entertainment Management and Business. He graduated with honors in 2007. The combination of competitive sports and academics helped form the mindset he would carry into future business roles.
Adam’s interest in building products and communities emerged during his college years. While still a student at USC, he co-founded Ultimate Social Networking Inc., an early effort to create a digital platform centered on social interaction. Alongside that project, he developed the Ultimate College Model, the first modeling network created entirely in a digital format.
These early ventures introduced him to product development, digital engagement, and the challenges of coordinating a growing user base. They also demonstrated the demands of entrepreneurship, long hours, uncertain outcomes, and the need to adapt quickly. The experience became an essential foundation as he moved into more technically complex areas of innovation.
Following graduation, Adam shifted his focus toward biotech, combining his understanding of athletic performance with emerging scientific research. He formed Fuse Science by assembling a team of molecular scientists, including several who previously worked as biochemists at Merck and Amgen. The company operated from a 30k sq. ft. FDA- and cGMP-certified facility in Oxnard, California, which housed both its laboratories and its headquarters.
As CEO, Adam led the development of a nutrient delivery technology based on sublingual, buccal, and transdermal absorption. This system was designed to bypass the digestive tract and allow nutrients to be absorbed more quickly than traditional capsules.
Adam personally financed the company during its early growth and secured intellectual property protections for the technology. He built a leadership team that included executives from Fortune 25 companies and relied on strategic partnerships with well-known athletes to expand the company’s reach. Athletes such as Tiger Woods, Andy Murray, David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Tyson Chandler, Paul Pierce, Andre Ward, and Paul Rodriguez played key roles in building brand recognition. Daymond John from Shark Tank also joined as a partner to help strengthen the company’s market presence. Under his direction, Fuse’s valuation increased from around $500k to more than $100M.
Adam’s understanding of risk was further shaped through competitive poker. Over the years, he has reached multiple World Series of Poker final tables and secured repeated deep runs in major World Poker Tour tournaments. One of his standout achievements came in 2022, when he reached the televised final table of the WPT Championship, an event known for its difficulty and strong field of players.
He has also participated in some of the highest-stakes cash games in the world. The skills required in poker, careful analysis, patience, and the ability to make decisions under uncertainty, align closely with the skills needed in investing. For Adam, both environments reward a calm approach and thoughtful risk management.
When Adam launched The Adler Fund, he combined his interests in real estate, technology, and early-stage ventures. Headquartered in Charleston, the firm invests in projects that balance long-term potential with practical execution. He continues to lead the firm as Managing Partner, shaping its strategy and remaining deeply involved in its operations.
In real estate, his focus is on sustainable development throughout the Lowcountry. He prioritizes projects that consider environmental impact, thoughtful design, and community needs. On the technology side, the Adler Fund supports emerging founders working on meaningful challenges across biotech, cyber, and education.
One notable investment is Wyzly, a learn-to-earn educational app where children earn screen time by completing learning-based activities. The idea initially came from Adam’s 7-year-old daughter, Isla. For him, the project reflects a desire to support technology that benefits families and encourages positive learning habits.
Adam takes an active role in the ventures he supports. His leadership is shaped by his experiences as both an athlete and a founder. Whether guiding a real estate project or helping a startup scale, he brings a practical, hands-on perspective to every partnership.
He describes the Adler Fund’s philosophy as investing in “passion projects,” emphasizing purpose and alignment rather than chasing trends. Strong relationships remain central to his approach, whether in the business community or through partnerships formed earlier in his career.
Much of Adam’s motivation comes from lessons learned growing up. His father, a highly successful day trader, modeled the dedication and mental discipline that shaped his work ethic. Those early examples taught him the importance of persistence and reinforced the idea that setbacks often play a meaningful role in personal and professional growth.
Looking ahead, Adam continues to expand The Adler Fund’s presence in real estate, AI, and early-stage innovation. His focus remains on building investments that reflect purpose, practicality, and long-term value.
Read more here: Wyzly’s Learn-to-Earn App That Turns Screen Time into Educational Wins is Now Available