Wayfinder Ventures
Description
Wayfinder Ventures is a San Francisco-based early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to backing transformative companies. Founded by experienced investors Jordan Kong and Brian O'Malley, the firm primarily focuses on Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A rounds. Their investment thesis centers on the evolving landscapes of work, commerce, and human connection, seeking out innovative startups that are poised to redefine these fundamental aspects of modern life. They aim to be the first institutional capital in a company, often taking a lead or co-lead position in funding rounds.
The firm's investment strategy is characterized by a hands-on approach, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to their portfolio companies. Wayfinder Ventures typically writes initial checks ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for Pre-Seed and Seed stage investments. This allows them to engage with founders at the earliest stages of their journey, helping to shape their product, market fit, and team development. For more mature Series A opportunities, Wayfinder Ventures has the capacity to deploy larger initial investments, extending up to $5,000,000.
Wayfinder Ventures has built a robust portfolio reflecting their commitment to pioneering innovation. As of recent data, the firm has made over 60 investments across various sectors aligned with their core themes. Their strategic support and initial capital have enabled these portfolio companies to achieve significant milestones, collectively raising over $1.5 billion in follow-on capital from other leading venture firms. This impressive track record underscores Wayfinder Ventures' ability to identify promising ventures and contribute to their long-term success, solidifying their reputation as a key player in the early-stage venture ecosystem.
Investor Profile
Wayfinder Ventures has backed more than 60 startups, with 8 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 1 rounds, about 2% of its total and boasts 3 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Seed, Pre Seed, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Canada, Mexico.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Information Technology, SaaS.
- Led 1 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $500K – $5M.
Stage Focus
- Seed (57%)
- Pre Seed (28%)
- Series A (8%)
- Series Unknown (3%)
- Undisclosed (2%)
- Non Equity Assistance (2%)
Country Focus
- United States (70%)
- Canada (13%)
- Mexico (5%)
- Nigeria (3%)
- Sweden (2%)
- India (2%)
- The Netherlands (2%)
- United Kingdom (2%)
- Singapore (2%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Information Technology
- Saas
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Health Care
- Machine Learning
- Developer Tools
- Enterprise Software
Frequently Asked Questions
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