At a Glance
Hustle Fund was founded in 2017 by Elizabeth Yin and Eric Bahn as a pre-seed focused venture capital firm based in San Francisco. The fund is known for its high-velocity investment approach, writing smaller checks ($25K-$100K) to a large number of early-stage startups globally. Yin, formerly a partner at 500 Startups, and Bahn, co-founder of Beat the GMAT, built Hustle Fund on the thesis that exceptional founders exist everywhere, not just in traditional tech hubs. The firm has a strong commitment to diversity, with over 50% of their investments going to underrepresented founders. Hustle Fund operates more like a startup itself, using data-driven approaches and embracing a portfolio construction strategy that mirrors the power law distribution of venture returns. They've made notable early investments in companies like Parade (underwear brand) and have built a reputation for being founder-friendly and accessible to first-time entrepreneurs.
“Bets on the speed of the founder, not just the idea. Backs resourceful, fast-executing entrepreneurs at the earliest stages.”
Hustle Fund primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Hustle Fund is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Hustle Fund focuses on investments in Consumer, Enterprise, SaaS, Marketplace. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Hustle Fund's typical investment check size ranges from $25K to $500K. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Hustle Fund manages approximately $150M in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.