/Investor DB

BuildGroup

Venture capital

Austin · Series A–Growth · 8 people tracked

Also known as BUILDGROUP MANAGEMENT, LLC

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Investment thesis

BuildGroup invests in AI-enabled workflow companies and focuses on helping founders through the 'awkward phase' of growth—the period after achieving initial product and customer traction when a company must build a sustainable business. The firm is a collective of former operators turned investors, some from Rackspace and OpenStack backgrounds, who take a high-touch, long-term approach. It deliberately limits the number of investments so its operators can dedicate time to each company. Rejecting the standard five-year exit horizon, BuildGroup aims to prime companies for sustainable growth over the timeline suited to each company's market conditions rather than an arbitrary expiration date.

Source: firm website, verified Sep 29, 2026.

Stage
Series A–Growth
HQ
Austin, Texas, US
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2015
AUM
$294.4M
Tracked investments
15
Unicorns
1
IPOs
1
Acquisitions
2

Team · 8 people

from public directories
Kenneth Herz· Executive Officer
Peter Freeland· Executive Officer
Flavia de la Fuente· Senior Associate

What they invest in

from 14 of 15 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×7Enterprise Software ×7SaaS ×7Cloud Computing ×2Data & Infrastructure ×2Fintech ×2Marketing Tech ×2AdTech ×1

HQs:United States×8Canada×2Switzerland×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 9 portfolio companies
33%
solo founders
3 of 9 mapped founding teams
60%
repeat founders
of 10 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×32 founders×23 founders×4

Where their founders studiedfrom 11 founders with education data

Stanford University ×3Cornell ×2University of Toronto ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Y Combinator ×2

Investments · 15 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2023 · 12022 · 32021 · 12020 · 22018 · 18 dated

SoundHound AIsoundhound.comin𝕏NASDAQ: SOUNJan 2023

SoundHound AI develops a voice AI platform that enables conversational interactions with products, services, and applications across industries.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSector AgnosticSanta Clara, US

Keyvan Mohajer(Co-Founder & CEO)inMajid Emami(Executive Officer)inJames Hom(Executive Officer, Director)inNitesh Sharan(Executive Officer)inTimothy Stonehocker(Executive Officer)Michael Zagorsek(Executive Officer)in

Co-investorsArrowshare VenturesCota CapitalFelicis VenturesGFT VenturesHonda Innovations Silicon ValleyKensington Capital Partners Limited+12 more

DigniFidignifi.cominJun 2020 · $14M

DigniFi provides financing solutions for vehicle repairs, parts, and accessories to consumers through dealership partners.

FintechMesa, US

Noam Ohana(Director)Richard Counihan(Executive Officer, Director)Barry Libert(Director)

Board seatLanham NapierJim Curry· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsFraser McCombs CapitalExor Seeds

Vidmobvidmob.cominDec 2020

Vidmob provides software to help brand marketing teams discover top-performing creative requirements, maintain consistent brand guidelines across advertising platforms, and manage creative data at scale.

AdTechAI & Machine LearningMarketing TechNew York, US

Alex Collmer(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inStephanie Bohn(Executive Officer)inGreg Lieber(Executive Officer)inJason Donnell(Executive Officer, Director)George Rose(Director)Craig Coblenz(Executive Officer)

Board seatKlee Kleber· per SEC Form D

Co-investors3Spoke CapitalDentsu VenturesDrive by DraftKingseGateway CapitalInterlock PartnersJDS Sports+4 more

Ameliaamelia.aiin𝕏

Amelia is a conversational AI platform that automates front-end interactions between companies and their customers or employees, handling tasks like password resets, returns, and contact center or internal service desk requests.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaS

Chetan Dube(Founder)in

Anacondaanaconda.comin𝕏

Anaconda provides a secure, governed platform for building and deploying AI at scale, using open-source software and the Conda package manager to ensure compatibility and reproducibility across development and production environments.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeveloper Tools

Peter Wang(Founder)inTravis OliphantinTravis E. Oliphant(Founder)in

Co-investorsIn-Q-TelCiti VenturesInsight PartnersMubadala Capital

Benefitfocus Incbenefitfocus.comin𝕏

Benefitfocus provides cloud-based software solutions for benefits and health care administration, serving employers, health plans, and brokers.

Cloud ComputingEnterprise SoftwareHR TechCharleston, US

Mason R. Holland, Jr.(Executive Chairman, Director)Shawn A. Jenkins(President and Chief Executive Officer, Director)inFrancis J. Pelzer, V(Director)Donald R. Taylor, Jr.(Chief Technology Officer)Raymond A. August(Chief Operating Officer)Milton A. Alpern(Chief Financial Officer and Secretary)in

Co-investorsCouncilOak HC/FTOak Investment Partners

Casetextthomsonreuters.comin𝕏Jan 2022 · $25MAcquired

Thomson Reuters is a content and technology company providing AI-powered tools and information services—including CoCounsel and ONESOURCE—for legal, tax, accounting, risk, fraud, and government professionals.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLegalTechSan Francisco, US

Jake Heller(CEO)inSteve Hasker(President and Chief Executive Officer)inLaura Safdie(Founder)Pablo Arredondo(Founder)Joanna Hueyr w(CTO)

Co-investors8VCAccess Venture PartnersAllen Institute for AI (AI2) IncubatorBoxGroupCanvas VenturesCerity Partners Ventures+24 more

Colossuscolossus.comin𝕏Jan 2022

Colossus publishes digital and print media covering business, investing, and technology topics, including a magazine and podcast network.

Marketing TechMedia & Entertainment

Patrick

Co-investorsRampTop Corner CapitalPoplar VenturesRTP Global

Continuum Analyticsin

Austin, US

Peter Wang(Executive Officer, Director)inTravis Oliphant(Executive Officer, Director)Michele Chambers(Executive Officer)Matthew Harward(Executive Officer)Jon Shepherd(Executive Officer)

BoardDonald Fischer(Director)

Co-investorsGeneral Catalyst

Cybrarycybrary.itin𝕏Aug 2022 · $25M

Cybrary provides online cybersecurity training courses, certification prep programs, and hands-on labs for individuals and enterprise teams.

CybersecurityEdTechSaaSRiverdale, US

Ryan J. Cory(Executive Officer, Director)Ralph, Jr. P. Sita(Executive Officer, Director)inJeremy Gehring(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardKlee Kleber(Executive Officer, Director)inRon Gula(Director)inJim Curry(Director)in

Co-investorsGula Tech AdventuresInner Loop CapitalNew Stack VenturesStoneMill VenturesArthur Ventures

Fiixfiix.ioMay 2018 · $12MAcquired

Fiix provides on-demand auto repair services performed at customers' homes or offices, covering battery, brake, engine, tire, transmission, and related vehicle maintenance and diagnostics.

ConsumerMobility & TransportationToronto, CA

Arif Bhanji(CEO \u0026 President)inKhallil Mangalji(CTO)inZain Manji(COO)in

Co-investorsY CombinatorAltaIR CapitalBurst CapitalGarage CapitalHappy Street VenturesJavelin Venture Partners+4 more

FIIXfiixsoftware.comin𝕏

Fiix provides a cloud-based CMMS (computerized maintenance management software) for managing asset performance and maintenance operations, with IoT integrations to connect sensors, PLC, SCADA, and enterprise systems.

Advanced ManufacturingCloud ComputingEnterprise SoftwareIoTSaaSPerth, CA

Marc Castel(Founder)in

Co-investorsSWO Angel Group

Flowspaceflow.spacein𝕏Mar 2021

Flowspace provides end-to-end fulfillment and logistics services for e-commerce brands, offering warehousing, order management, and logistics support across the United States.

E-commerceEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSLos Angeles, US

Ben Eachus(CEO)inJason Harbert(CTO)inHarry Wilson(Founder)Josh Praus(Recruiter)Mitch Oliver(Engineering Manager)Chris Changchien(Engineering Manager)

Co-investorsCanvas VentureseGateway CapitalIndustrious VenturesMoment Ventures, LlcNextwave [X] PartnersPLG Ventures+9 more

Granicusgranicus.comin𝕏

Granicus provides cloud software and customer experience services for government agencies, including online meeting and agenda management, digital permitting and licensing, public records request automation, resident communications, and an AI layer for public services.

AI & Machine LearningGovTechSaaS

Co-investorsVista Equity PartnersJMI Equity

Squirrosquirro.comin𝕏

Squirro is a unified AI platform for enterprise data integration, enrichment, and intelligent automation.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSSwitzerland, CH

Co-investorsDigital Space VenturesElevate Innovation PartnersFinch CapitalRiverside Acceleration Capital

Exits · 3

1 IPOs · 2 acquisitions · showing 1

SoundHound AINASDAQ: SOUN

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has BuildGroup made?
BuildGroup has 15 tracked investments, 3 of which have exited.
What stage does BuildGroup invest at?
BuildGroup invests at the Series A, Series B, Growth stages.
What sectors does BuildGroup focus on?
BuildGroup focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
Where is BuildGroup located?
BuildGroup is headquartered in Austin, US.
Does BuildGroup lead rounds?
BuildGroup has led 6 of the 8 rounds where its role is on record.
Who does BuildGroup co-invest with?
BuildGroup most often shares deals with Canvas Ventures, eGateway Capital, PROOF, among 60 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

M&P Ep. 99: Lanham Napier, CEO of BuildGroup & Bud Scruggs, Managing Director of Cynosure Group

Silicon Slopes · Lanham Napier

Lanham Napier, CEO of BuildGroup

AIMatters · Lanham Napier

Lanham Napier the former CEO of Rackspace Hosting & Co-Founder of BuildGroup, took part in the CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship Speaker Series... | By CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship

Lanham Napier · facebook.com

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