
Mischief
Description
Mischief is an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, United States, founded by experienced operators Ankur Nagpal and Kevin Zhang. Launched with an initial fund of $10 million, the firm primarily focuses on investing in software companies across a diverse range of sectors, including fintech, consumer, and infrastructure. Nagpal, known for founding the successful ed-tech platform Teachable, brings a strong founder-operator perspective to Mischief's investment thesis, aiming to leverage his entrepreneurial experience to support nascent companies.
The firm targets the seed and early-stage venture rounds, positioning itself as a strategic partner for founders building foundational software solutions. Mischief typically writes first checks ranging from $250,000 to $500,000, emphasizing their commitment to being a highly supportive and impactful early investor. Their investment philosophy is rooted in providing more than just capital, offering hands-on guidance and leveraging their network to help portfolio companies navigate the challenges of early growth.
As of early 2024, Mischief has demonstrated a consistent investment pace, having made over 28 investments since its inception. This active approach reflects their dedication to identifying and backing promising software startups. Their unique blend of operational expertise and strategic capital aims to provide significant value to founders, making Mischief a notable player in the early-stage venture landscape for software innovation.
Investor Profile
Mischief has backed more than 54 startups, with 6 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 3 rounds, about 6% of its total and boasts 0 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Pre Seed rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Colombia, Brazil.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Financial Services, FinTech.
- Led 1 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $250K – $500K.
Stage Focus
- Seed (61%)
- Series A (19%)
- Pre Seed (7%)
- Series C (4%)
- Series B (4%)
- Undisclosed (2%)
- Series F (2%)
- Series Unknown (2%)
Country Focus
- United States (94%)
- Colombia (2%)
- Brazil (2%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Information Technology
- Saas
- Finance
- Payments
- Blockchain
- E-commerce
- Internet
Frequently Asked Questions
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