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Ben Narasin

North America, California, United States, San Francisco

Description

Ben Narasin is a highly experienced and prolific venture capitalist, currently serving as the Founder and General Partner at Tenacity Venture Capital, a firm he launched to focus on early-stage investments. Prior to establishing Tenacity, Narasin built a distinguished career across various capacities in the venture ecosystem. He was a Venture Partner at the renowned firm NEA (New Enterprise Associates) and a General Partner at Canvas Ventures, where he played a pivotal role in numerous successful investments. His journey into venture capital began as a highly successful angel investor, demonstrating an early knack for identifying disruptive companies and backing visionary founders.

Narasin's investment thesis is characterized by a keen focus on Seed and Series A rounds, targeting companies poised for significant growth and market disruption. He is particularly active in sectors such as consumer technology, fintech, marketplaces, SaaS, and increasingly, artificial intelligence. Known for his founder-friendly approach, Narasin is often praised for his quick decision-making and hands-on support for portfolio companies. He seeks out entrepreneurs with strong product visions and the tenacity to execute, often investing in companies that are still in their nascent stages but show immense potential.

At Tenacity Venture Capital, Ben Narasin typically writes initial checks ranging from $500,000 to $3 million, aligning with his strategy of providing crucial early capital to promising startups. The firm successfully raised $100 million for its debut fund in 2021, underscoring investor confidence in Narasin's ability to generate returns. His investment philosophy emphasizes conviction and a willingness to lead rounds, providing significant value beyond just capital through his extensive network and operational experience.

Throughout his career, Narasin has compiled an impressive portfolio of investments and exits. As an angel investor, he was an early backer of companies like Dropcam (acquired by Nest/Google), Kabbage (acquired by American Express), and Lending Club (IPO). During his tenure at Canvas Ventures, he supported firms such as FutureAdvisor (acquired by BlackRock). At NEA, he was a key investor in high-profile companies including Robinhood and MasterClass, further solidifying his reputation for identifying market-leading innovators. His consistent track record across different investment vehicles highlights his enduring influence in the venture capital landscape.

Investor Profile

Ben Narasin has backed more than 27 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 0 rounds, about 0% of its total and boasts 12 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Angel rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Canada, United Arab Emirates.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Mobile, Mobile Apps.
  • Typical check size: $500K – $3M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (74%)
  • Series A (19%)
  • Angel (4%)
  • Series B (4%)

Country Focus

  • United States (93%)
  • Canada (4%)
  • United Arab Emirates (4%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Mobile
  • Mobile Apps
  • Saas
  • Apps
  • E-commerce
  • Lifestyle
  • Retail
  • Financial Services
  • Analytics
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Ben Narasin frequently co-invest with?

TriplePoint Capital
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 8
LAUNCH
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 3
Pear VC
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 4
Google Ventures
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Co-Investments: 2
New Enterprise Associates
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 5
AngelPad
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 3
Tuesday Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 2
Greylock
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 3
Marc Bell Ventures
North America, Florida, United States, Boca Raton
Co-Investments: 3
Founders Fund
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Ben Narasin often collaborate with?

ZC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
RG
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
JL
North America, California, United States, Los Gatos
Shared Deals: 1
ED
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
CL
North America, Tennessee, United States, Nashville
Shared Deals: 2
Ryan Holmes
North America, British Columbia, Canada, Vancouver
Shared Deals: 2
D(
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Shared Deals: 1
AH
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
SD
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Shared Deals: 1
SD
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Shared Deals: 2

What are some of recent deals done by Ben Narasin?

Vendelux

New York, New York, United States

Vendelux is a provider of an event intelligence platform.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Business IntelligenceEventsSaaS
SeedJan 28, 2022
Amount Raised: $2,400,000
SoleSavy

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

SoleSavy is a step into a genuine collective of sneaker culture.

AppsCommunitiesE-CommerceFashionLifestyleMarketplaceMobileRetail
SeedJan 11, 2021
Amount Raised: $2,000,000
Outlaw

Sparks, Nevada, United States

Outlaw provides personal care and home fragrance for people who want to smell like campfire, whiskey, leather, and the great outdoors.

Consumer GoodsE-CommerceFast-Moving Consumer GoodsGiftHealth CareLifestyleRetail
SeedMar 1, 2020
Amount Raised: $1,400,000
Lottery.com

Austin, Texas, United States

Lottery.com is a lottery ticket management service that allows users to play and monitor the lottery from their phones.

GamingMobileTicketing
Series AJul 10, 2017
Amount Raised: $17,000,000
Wove

San Francisco, California, United States

Wove is building the world’s largest network for marketing partnerships

AnalyticsBig DataMarketing
SeedOct 4, 2016
Amount Raised: $3,000,000
Branch

Palo Alto, California, United States

Branch helps companies drive seamless mobile experiences through its linking infrastructure powering thousands of today's top brands.

App MarketingMobile AdvertisingMobile AppsSoftware
Series BJan 27, 2016
Amount Raised: $35,000,000
Fetchr

Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Fetchr is an international express, mail delivery and logistics services company.

Delivery ServiceE-CommerceInformation TechnologyLogisticsSupply Chain Management
Series AJun 12, 2015
Amount Raised: $11,000,000
Neumob

Sunnyvale, California, United States

Neumob is the leader in reducing mobile app errors, speeding up app performance and boosting conversions.

Cloud ComputingInfrastructureMobileMobile AppsSoftware
SeedMay 13, 2015
Amount Raised: $2,400,000
Branch

Palo Alto, California, United States

Branch helps companies drive seamless mobile experiences through its linking infrastructure powering thousands of today's top brands.

App MarketingMobile AdvertisingMobile AppsSoftware
Series AFeb 26, 2015
Amount Raised: $15,000,000
Tuition.io

Santa Monica, California, United States

Tuition.io delivers student loan contributions as a benefit, allowing companies and governments of all sizes to recruit and retain talent.

EducationEmployee BenefitsFinanceFinancial ServicesPersonal FinanceSoftwareSoftware Engineering
SeedJan 1, 2015
Amount Raised: $1,250,000