For Adam Adler, building a career has always been a gradual process, one shaped by steady learning, consistent effort, and a commitment to seeing projects through. Now based in Charleston as an entrepreneur and investor, he leads The Adler Fund, a private equity group investing in sustainable development, technology, real estate, and high-growth startups. His trajectory shows how experience across different fields can be combined into a thoughtful long-term vision.

Adam’s earliest foundation came from competitive tennis. As a young player, he trained at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in South Florida, where structure and repetition were central to daily life. His dedication earned him a scholarship to the University of South Carolina, where he balanced the demands of NCAA athletics with a double major in Sports & Entertainment Management and Business. He graduated with honors in 2007. The expectations placed on him as a student-athlete helped shape his discipline, resilience, and ability to handle pressure, qualities he leaned on heavily in his later ventures.

Entrepreneurship first entered Adam’s life while he was still in college. At USC, he co-founded Ultimate Social Networking Inc. and Ultimate College Model, which became the first digitally native modeling network. These initial projects gave him an understanding of early-stage technology, online engagement, and the challenges of building communities in the digital space. They also sparked his interest in how emerging technologies could reshape traditional industries.

After completing college, Adam transitioned into the biotech space. He gathered a team of molecular scientists, including several who had previously served as biochemists at Merck and Amgen, to launch Fuse Science. The company built a 30k sq. ft. FDA- and cGMP-certified facility in Oxnard, California, which housed its headquarters and lab operations. As CEO, he oversaw the development of a nutrient delivery system that uses sublingual, buccal, and transdermal absorption to bypass digestion and enable faster nutrient uptake than capsules. During the company’s early phase, he self-funded operations, secured valuable intellectual property, and assembled a leadership group with Fortune 25 backgrounds. He then expanded the company’s visibility by partnering with distinguished athletes, including Tiger Woods, Andy Murray, David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Tyson Chandler, Paul Pierce, Andre Ward, and Paul Rodriguez. With support from Daymond John, Fuse Science scaled rapidly, rising from an approximate valuation of $500k to more than $100M.

Alongside entrepreneurship, Adam built a presence in professional poker. Over the years, he reached several final tables at World Series of Poker events and achieved multiple deep runs in major World Poker Tour tournaments. His appearance at the televised final table of the 2022 WPT Championship demonstrated his ability to make disciplined, strategic decisions under high pressure. His experience in high-stakes cash games sharpened his risk assessment and patience, skills that closely reflect his investment philosophy.

The Adler Fund emerged from Adam’s desire to bring together his interests and experiences across multiple industries. Headquartered in Charleston, the firm invests in AI, real estate development, and emerging companies. As Managing Partner, he remains actively involved in evaluating opportunities, shaping strategies, and supporting founders.

In real estate, he focuses on sustainable development across the Lowcountry, emphasizing environmental responsibility, community value, and thoughtful design. In technology, he backs founders working on meaningful advancements in biotech, cyber, and child-focused education. One such investment is Wyzly, a learn-to-earn app where children earn screen time by completing educational challenges. The idea came from his 7-year-old daughter, Isla, and reflects Adam’s interest in healthier digital habits for families.

Adam’s leadership style is grounded in clarity, involvement, and purpose. Influenced early by observing his father’s success as a day trader, he learned the importance of resilience and disciplined decision-making.

As he looks ahead, Adam plans to continue expanding The Adler Fund’s work across real estate and technology, deepen partnerships with AI-driven companies, and support founders building ventures with long-term value. His focus remains on contributing to Charleston’s growth and helping shape projects that leave a lasting impact.