Unusual Ventures
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- $100K – $15M
- Stage
- Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+
- AUM
- $1B+
- Sectors
- AI, DevTools, Cybersecurity
- Founded
- 2018
- HQ
- Menlo Park, CA
About Unusual Ventures
Unusual Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, CA founded in 2018. Explore Unusual Ventures, your partner for achieving product-market fit in technical enterprises. Discover our proprietary playbook. The firm focuses on Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ investments across sectors including AI, DevTools, Cybersecurity. Notable portfolio companies include Ramp, Mercury, Retool, Superhuman and Notion. Embeds full-time Founder Services operators into portfolio startups to accelerate growth and provide hands-on operational support.
Investment Thesis
“Embeds full-time Founder Services operators into portfolio startups to accelerate growth and provide hands-on operational support.”
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
Fund History
- Unusual Ventures has raised three core funds since launching in 2018.
- Fund I closed at $160 million that year, Fund II at $400 million in 2019, and Fund III at $485 million in May 2022, putting roughly $1.045 billion of committed capital behind the platform.
- SEC filings show a parallel set of vehicles running alongside the main funds: Unusual Ventures Investment Partners Fund II, L.P. and Unusual Ventures Investment Partners Fund III, L.P., both California partnerships, which the firm uses to concentrate capital in breakout companies beyond its initial seed positions.
- Fund III arrived with a widened remit, funding enterprise software and AI infrastructure at seed, and the firm opened a Boston office in 2022 to sit closer to East Coast technical teams.
- Unusual also runs Unusual Academy, an accelerator program that feeds its own pipeline rather than operating as a standalone cohort business.
- Portfolio positions disclosed publicly include Arctic Wolf Networks, Traceable AI, Harness, Strella and Alto.
Team (4)
Related Articles (4)
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does Unusual Ventures invest at?
Unusual Ventures primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Where is Unusual Ventures located?
Unusual Ventures is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does Unusual Ventures focus on?
Unusual Ventures focuses on investments in AI, DevTools, Cybersecurity. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is Unusual Ventures's typical check size?
Unusual Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $100K to $15M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
How much does Unusual Ventures have under management?
Unusual Ventures manages approximately $1B+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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