Firsthand Alliance

Firsthand Alliance, operating as FirsthandVC, is a New York-based early-stage venture capital firm distinguished by its deep ties to the "Salesforce Mafia." Launched in March 2022, the firm successfully raised $100 million for its debut fund, signaling its intent to be a significant player in the software investment landscape. This capital underpins their strategy to invest in exceptional founders who are shaping the future of software, with a particular emphasis on enterprise SaaS, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and fintech infrastructure. Their investment scope typically spans from Seed to Series A rounds, targeting companies with high growth potential in these critical sectors.

The firm's unique value proposition stems from its managing partners: Alex Bard, Mike Lazerow, and Michael Baum. These seasoned operators and entrepreneurs bring a wealth of experience from their prior leadership roles at companies like Salesforce, Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce), and Splunk (acquired by Cisco). Their collective background provides portfolio companies with not just capital, but also invaluable strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to an extensive network within the software industry. This hands-on approach aims to accelerate the growth and market penetration of their portfolio companies.

Firsthand Alliance typically writes initial checks ranging from $500,000 to $5 million, with an average investment size often falling between $1.5 million and $2 million. As of late 2023, the firm has already made over 40 investments, demonstrating an active deployment of capital since its inception. Notable companies in their portfolio include Abridge, Anrok, Arc, and Clay, all operating within their core focus areas. Firsthand Alliance positions itself as a founder-friendly partner, leveraging its operational pedigree to help early-stage software companies navigate the complexities of scaling and achieving market leadership.