1517
Venture capitalActively deployingTelluride · Pre-Seed–Seed · 10 people tracked
Investment thesis
1517 backs founders others overlook — dropouts, renegade students, uncredentialed makers, and deep tech scientists — prioritizing the 'who' over the 'what.' It invests at the earliest stages, from the R&D/idea phase through seed, across software, hardware with a data play, deep tech/sci-fi tech, and biotech. First checks range from $50,000 at idea stage to $1,000,000 for deep tech seed rounds, with an average $400,000 pre-seed check, and it will lead pre-seed rounds up to $1M and follow on as companies grow. Beyond capital, 1517 offers micro-grants through its Medici Program and cultivates a worldwide community with events, workshops, and office hours.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 10 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 10 of 21 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×4Hardware ×4Deep Tech ×3Enterprise Software ×3Cloud Computing ×2SaaS ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1AgTech ×1
HQs:United States×6Canada×1
Investments · 21 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAmber produces wireless, solar-powered automation kits for grain bin monitoring and fan control that replace traditional cable systems.
AgTechHardwareIoT<UNKNOWN>
Atom Computing develops large-scale quantum computers using optically-trapped neutral atoms for on-premises deployment.
Deep TechHardwareQuantum ComputingBerkeley, US
Ben Bloom(Founder & CEO)inDror Berman(Director)Ethan Batraski(Director)
Deepgram builds foundational voice AI technology that enables speech-to-text, audio intelligence, text-to-speech, and voice agent APIs for businesses to create natural voice interactions.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Scott Stephenson(CEO and Co-founder)Dave Wilner(Director)Adam Sypniewski(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardZach DeWitt(Director)Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan(Director)
HealthtechMedical DevicesKitchener, CA
Moufeed Kaddoura(Founder/CEO)inEric Blondeel(Founder/| CTO)in
Lambda builds modular AI data centers ("AI factories") with power, liquid cooling, and high-bandwidth interconnects, and provides GPU cloud infrastructure for training and deploying AI models.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureSan Francisco, US
Benhamin Nelson(Executive Officer)Austen Allred(Executive Officer, Director)Jessica Verrilli(Director)John Danner(Director)
Loom is a screen recording and video messaging platform that enables users to record, edit, and share video messages with built-in AI capabilities for documentation and collaboration.
ConsumerCreator EconomyFuture of WorkMedia & EntertainmentSaaSSan Francisco, US
Nicolas Bös(Founder)Daniel Wagner(Founder/Technical)inPhilipp Wein(Founder/Design Lead)in
MicroVision develops solid-state lidar sensors and perception software for autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and defense applications.
AI & Machine LearningHardware
nTop provides implicit modeling and field-driven design software that integrates physics simulation to accelerate engineering design iterations.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareNew York, US
Gregory Schroy(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Bradley Rothenberg(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
Zeno develops nuclear batteries that convert heat from decaying radioisotopes into electricity for extended-duration applications in space and deep-sea environments where conventional power sources are inadequate.
Deep TechDefense TechEnergyHardwareSpace Tech
Tyler Bernstein(Founder & CEO)in
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does 1517 invest at?
- 1517 invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is 1517's typical check size?
- 1517 typically writes checks of $50K – $1M.
- What sectors does 1517 focus on?
- 1517 focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Deep Tech, Hardware, SaaS, Space Tech.
- Where is 1517 located?
- 1517 is headquartered in Telluride, US.
- Does 1517 lead rounds?
- Yes, 1517 leads investment rounds.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamS2E9: From Peter Thiel’s Fellowship to 1517 Fund — The VC Who Funds Rebels (Michael Gibson)
Startups Decoded · Michael Gibson
Danielle Strachman - Co-Founder & GP at 1517 | Relentless #39
Relentless · Danielle Strachman
Michael Gibson & Danielle Strachman — The 1517 Rebellion | Episode 279
Infinite Loops · Michael Gibson
Why Smart Investors Prioritize Character over Applications for Success | Michael Gibson, 1517 Fund
Alexander McCobin · Michael Gibson
Interview with Danielle Strachman @ 1517 Fund - O’ChakDe #venturecapitalist #entrepreneur #1517fund
Sachin Syal's "The O'ChakDe Show" · Danielle
Peter Thiel fellowship, Vfounding 1517, & Historical Paradigms, - Michael Gibson 189
Learning with Lowell · Michael Gibson
Co-investors · 14
Alumni Ventures (AV) is a venture firm that gives accredited individual investors access to professionally managed, diversified venture portfolios by co-investing alongside leading lead VC firms. It offers annual funds, syndicate deal-by-deal investing, and various investor clubs.
Uncork Capital is a seed-stage venture firm that backs founders at the earliest stage, before their potential is widely recognized.
Bessemer Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs from early stages through every stage of growth, publishing investment roadmaps across multiple technology sectors.
FJ Labs is a venture capital firm specializing in marketplaces and network-effect businesses, having built a large portfolio of marketplace startups with over 30 becoming unicorns.
Uber is a technology company operating multisided platforms that connect consumers with ride services, transit, delivery of food and groceries, and freight shipping across more than 70 countries and 15,000+ cities.
SOSV is a deep tech venture capital firm that makes first-check pre-seed investments and follow-on rounds in startups focused on human and planetary health, providing lab space and hands-on support at its US locations.
Caffeinated Capital is a venture firm based in San Francisco and New York that leads seed and Series A rounds and continues investing throughout the life of technology companies.
Hustle Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests quickly in startups, offering capital along with educational programs and mentorship. It also runs an angel investing community that lets members invest alongside the fund.
Coinbase Ventures is the venture investment arm of Coinbase that backs early-stage founders building across the crypto and Web3 ecosystem.
LOI Venture is a seed-stage venture fund co-founded by Hootsuite Founder Ryan Holmes and Angel Investor Manny Padda focused on backing founders under 30 usually building tech products attending the LOI Program.
Camber Creek is a venture capital firm focused on real estate technology (proptech), partnering closely with founders and leveraging its network of real estate industry limited partners to support portfolio companies.
Derive Ventures is an early-stage venture fund focused on the next generation of hospitality, experiences, and real estate, aiming to connect technology with the travel industry by backing entrepreneurs.
▶2 more co-investors
Firms observed investing alongside 1517, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with 1517's recorded portfolio.
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