At a Glance
Drive Capital is a Columbus, Ohio-based venture capital firm founded in 2012 by former Sequoia Capital partners Chris Olsen and Mark Kvamme. The firm was established on the contrarian thesis that exceptional companies can be built anywhere, not just in Silicon Valley, and that the Midwest offers unique advantages including lower costs, strong talent pools, and less competition for deals. Drive Capital focuses on software, fintech, and healthcare technology companies from seed through Series C stages. The firm has raised multiple funds totaling over $750 million and has achieved significant success with investments like Root Insurance (IPO 2020), Duolingo (IPO 2021), and healthcare AI company Olive AI. Drive's investment approach emphasizes partnering with founders for the long term and helping companies scale rapidly through their extensive network and operational expertise. The firm has played a pivotal role in developing the Ohio startup ecosystem and proving that world-class venture returns can be generated outside traditional tech hubs.
“Backs founders building category-defining companies from America's heartland.”
Drive Capital primarily invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are building their initial product and finding product-market fit.
Drive Capital is headquartered in Columbus, OH. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Drive Capital focuses on investments in Enterprise, Consumer, Fintech, AI. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Drive Capital's typical investment check size ranges from $500K to $25M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Drive Capital manages approximately $1B+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.