Jyri Engestrom

Jyri Engestrom is a distinguished investor and the co-founder and Partner at Yes VC, a San Francisco-based seed-stage venture capital firm he established with Caterina Fake. The firm's core investment thesis revolves around supporting companies that are developing "tools for human connection," a broad mandate that allows them to explore opportunities across consumer, enterprise, and deep tech sectors. Engestrom's background as a serial entrepreneur, notably as the co-founder of Jaiku (acquired by Google), provides him with a deep understanding of the startup journey and product development, which informs his strategic approach to early-stage investing.

Yes VC primarily focuses on seed-stage investments, aiming to be among the first institutional capital providers for promising startups. Their investment strategy is characterized by a hands-on approach, leveraging Engestrom's and Fake's extensive experience in building and scaling technology companies. Yes VC typically deploys initial checks ranging from $500,000 to $1.5 million, providing crucial early capital to help founders validate their ideas, build their initial teams, and achieve key product milestones before larger funding rounds.

The firm has demonstrated consistent growth and commitment to its investment thesis, successfully raising significant capital to support its portfolio. Yes VC launched with a $30 million Fund I in 2017, which allowed them to back a diverse range of companies aligned with their vision of fostering human connection. Building on this success, they subsequently raised a $40 million Fund II in 2021, further solidifying their position as a key player in the early-stage venture ecosystem. This capital enables them to continue identifying and nurturing innovative companies that are shaping the future of how people interact and connect.