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Goodwater Capital

North America, California, United States, Burlingame

Description

Goodwater Capital is a prominent venture capital firm headquartered in Burlingame, California, with a singular focus on the global consumer technology sector. Founded in 2014 by Chi-Hua Chien and Eric J. Kim, the firm distinguishes itself through a data-driven investment approach, leveraging proprietary analytics to identify and support disruptive consumer-facing businesses worldwide. Goodwater Capital invests across all stages of a company's lifecycle, from early-stage seed rounds to late-stage growth equity, demonstrating a flexible and long-term commitment to its portfolio companies.

The firm has consistently demonstrated its capacity to deploy substantial capital, having successfully raised significant funds. In 2021, Goodwater Capital closed two new funds, Goodwater Capital VIII and Goodwater Capital Select IV, each totaling $500 million, bringing their capital under management to a considerable sum. This was followed by another successful fundraising effort in 2023, where they secured an additional $1 billion across Goodwater Capital IX and Goodwater Capital Select V, further solidifying their position as a major player in consumer tech investing. These large fund sizes enable them to write substantial checks, supporting companies through multiple funding rounds.

Goodwater Capital's investment thesis centers on empowering exceptional entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to redefine consumer experiences. Their portfolio spans a wide array of consumer tech sub-sectors, including social platforms, e-commerce, fintech, digital health, and entertainment. While they invest globally, they maintain a strong presence in the U.S. and actively seek opportunities in emerging markets. Typical initial investment sizes for Goodwater Capital can range from approximately $1 million for early-stage opportunities, extending up to $50 million or more for significant growth equity rounds, reflecting their multi-stage investment mandate and robust capital base.

Investor Profile

Goodwater Capital has backed more than 789 startups, with 34 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 95 rounds, about 12% of its total and boasts 22 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Pre Seed, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, India, South Korea.
  • Strong thematic focus on FinTech, Financial Services, Software.
  • Led 11 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $1M – $50M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (47%)
  • Pre Seed (21%)
  • Series Unknown (12%)
  • Series A (8%)
  • Series B (5%)
  • Series C (3%)
  • Series D (2%)
  • Series E (1%)
  • Series G (1%)
  • Convertible Note (1%)

Country Focus

  • United States (51%)
  • India (9%)
  • South Korea (6%)
  • Mexico (4%)
  • United Kingdom (4%)
  • Singapore (3%)
  • Indonesia (3%)
  • Canada (3%)
  • Vietnam (2%)
  • Brazil (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Fintech
  • Financial Services
  • Software
  • Apps
  • Health Care
  • Mobile Apps
  • E-commerce
  • Information Technology
  • Internet
  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
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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 Goodwater Capital frequently co-invest with?

Gaingels
North America, Vermont, United States, Burlington
Co-Investments: 18
Altos Ventures
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 20
Techstars
North America, Colorado, United States, Boulder
Co-Investments: 14
Soma Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 30
500 Global
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 23
Y Combinator
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Co-Investments: 236
Pioneer Fund
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 20
Unpopular Ventures
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 17
Global Founders Capital
Europe, Berlin, Germany, Berlin
Co-Investments: 28
Alumni Ventures
North America, New Hampshire, United States, Manchester
Co-Investments: 13

Which angels does Goodwater Capital often collaborate with?

Ramakant Sharma
Asia, Karnataka, India, Bengaluru
Shared Deals: 4
EL
North America, Florida, United States, Miami Beach
Shared Deals: 11
AF
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 7
Cyan Banister
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 4
NB
North America, Florida, United States, Miami
Shared Deals: 6
Kunal Shah
Asia, Karnataka, India, Bengaluru
Shared Deals: 11
AR
North America, California, United States
Shared Deals: 4
AA
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 4
JK
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 4
AS
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3

What are some of recent deals done by Goodwater Capital?

Willow Voice

San Francisco, California, United States

Willow Voice is a startup dedicated to building an artificial intelligence voice input platform.

EnterpriseInformation TechnologySoftware
SeedJul 15, 2025
Amount Raised: $4,200,000
Memebox

San Francisco, California, United States

Memebox is a consumer company that provides customers with the Asian beauty products, culture, and trends.

BeautyConsumer GoodsCosmeticsE-Commerce
Convertible NoteJul 9, 2025
Amount Raised: $6,500,000
Stackup

Culver City, California, United States

Stackup helps businesses manage their crypto assets.

BlockchainCryptocurrencyDecentralized Finance (DeFi)Web3
SeedJun 20, 2025
Amount Raised: $4,200,000
Bigger Games

Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

Bigger Games is a mobile gaming company that has a passion for creating games that millions of people play every day.

GamingMobileOnline Games
Series AJun 16, 2025
Amount Raised: $25,000,000
Truely Travel eSIM

Singapore, Central Region, Singapore

Truely Travel eSIM provides digital SIM solutions designed for international travelers seeking mobile data access.

InternetMobileMobile AppsTelecommunicationsTravel
SeedJun 2, 2025
Amount Raised: $2,000,000
Slash

San Francisco, California, United States

Slash is a financial technology company that offers deposits, payments, virtual cards, and expense tracking.

BankingFinancial ServicesPayments
Series BMay 20, 2025
Amount Raised: $41,000,000
Stash

New York, New York, United States

Stash develops a personal finance application to combine banking, investing, and advice into one platform.

AppsBankingFinTechMobile AppsPersonal Finance
Series HMay 12, 2025
Amount Raised: $146,000,000
Rabbit

Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt

Groceries and more in 20 minutes

E-Commerce
SeedApr 15, 2025
Wrtn Technologies

Seocho, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea

Wrtn Technologies develops an AI and NLP-based writing assistant to enhance creativity and productivity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)ContentMachine LearningNatural Language Processing
Series BMar 31, 2025
Amount Raised: $73,249,763
Liminal Experiences

Santa Monica, California, United States

Liminal is a brand-new user-generated content game for narrative action role-playing games.

SeedMar 11, 2025
Amount Raised: $5,800,000