Visiblehands

Visible Hands is a pre-seed venture capital firm that invests in early-stage founders from groups it describes as the "future's majority" — women, people of color and other overlooked populations. The firm combines check-writing with individualized, non-curricular support, stating that instead of a standard program it diagnoses what each founder needs, whether branding, sales coaching or childcare.

Alongside direct investment, Visible Hands runs founder fellowship programs, including VHNYC, a 10-week hybrid fellowship for roughly 15 early-stage, underrepresented founders building high-growth tech and tech-enabled businesses in New York City; VHBOS, a Boston-based fellowship for entrepreneurs reflecting Greater Boston's racial and gender diversity; and Blueprint: Tulsa. The firm also maintains an alumni community, a mentor network and corporate partnership offerings.

Business model

Visible Hands operates as a venture capital fund making pre-seed investments, typically checks of $100,000 or more, and supplements capital with bespoke founder support and fellowship programming. It also invites companies to become corporate partners in support of its mission and founder network.

Traction

The firm reports more than 57 investments of $100,000 or more, $8.3 million total invested, 36 portfolio companies that have closed pre-seed and seed rounds, and more than $50 million raised by portfolio companies. It highlights a 2021 investment in Parfait, founded by an MIT PhD and Wharton MBA, which it says is addressing the $13 billion wig industry.