Chingona Ventures
Venture capitalActively deployingChicago · Pre-Seed–Seed · 11 people tracked
Also known as CHINGONA VENTURES MANAGEMENT LLC
Investment thesis
Chingona Ventures invests in the next generation of founders operating in industries undergoing massive change, particularly where a founder's background uniquely positions them to build in overlooked growth markets. The firm concentrates on financial technology, the future of work, the future of learning, and health technology. It primarily backs pre-seed companies raising their first institutional round of capital, writing initial checks of $250K to $2M.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 7, 2026.
Team · 11 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 23 of 39 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×9SaaS ×9Fintech ×7EdTech ×5Consumer ×4B2B Marketplaces ×3Healthtech ×3InsurTech ×3
HQs:United States×17
Investments · 39 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathCartwheel provides a software platform for restaurant delivery and order management, serving independent restaurants and multi-unit brands through their own delivery networks.
B2B MarketplacesFoodTechLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSLos Angeles, US
Alexander Vasilin(Founder)Dan Zamylin(Founder)Magdim Metshin(Founder)Alex(Co-Founder, CEO)
SafeHill is a cybersecurity company that combines AI and human ethical hackers to help security teams identify and prioritize real security exposures and attack paths.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareFircrest, US
Mike Pena(CEO/Founder)inHector Monsegur(Chief Research Officer/Founder)inNicholas Gonzalez(Chief Revenue Officer/Founder)in
Austin, US
Board seatSamara Mejia Hernandez· per SEC Form D · $2.8M raise · filed Jul 2023
Plantation, US
Samara Hernandez(Director)Sandra LaPlante(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Barnes(Director)
Board seatSamara Mejia Hernandez· per SEC Form D · $2.3M raise · filed Jan 2023
Los Angeles, US
Board seatSamara Mejia Hernandez· per SEC Form D · $4.3M raise · filed Dec 2021
Beni is a search and discovery platform that aggregates 300 million secondhand deals across resale marketplaces, allowing consumers to find used items from their favorite brands at lower prices through web, mobile app, and browser extension.
Circular EconomyConsumerMarketplaces
Katharine Sanner(Executive Officer)
BetterLeave provides wraparound support and engagement services for healthcare providers and employers to address caregiver needs through resources, coaching, support groups, and bereavement services.
HealthtechHR TechAustin, US
Andy Ambrose(Director)Cara McCarty(Executive Officer, Director)Samara Mejia Hernandez(Director)
FintechHealthtechInsurTechChicago, US
Crate builds a personalization layer for AI systems that learns user preferences and intent from content engagement, enabling AI to make more contextually relevant predictions and recommendations rather than relying on clicks or broad algorithms.
AI & Machine LearningSaaSTarzana, US
Adam Levy(Executive Officer, Director)Joseph Iny(Director)
Brooklyn, US
Benjamin Aldridge(Executive Officer)Alexandra Fine(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Rick Desai(Director)
Encantos is a children's media studio that creates original stories, books, and animations, along with an app that blends storytelling with curriculum-based learning ("storyteaching").
ConsumerEdTechMedia & Entertainment
Hologram provides global IoT connectivity solutions that simplify device management and reduce costs for businesses deploying internet-connected devices across multiple countries.
HardwareIoTSaaSChicago, US
Benjamin Forgan(Executive Officer, Director)Patrick Wilbur(Executive Officer, Director)Anne Rosen(Executive Officer)
BoardNick Solaro(Director)
Honey Homes pairs households with dedicated, vetted handymen to manage home maintenance and upgrades through a technology platform.
B2B MarketplacesConsumerPropTechSaaSOakland, US
Vishwas PrabhakaraAvantika PrabhakaraVanti Prabhakara
Linker Finance provides an end-to-end digital account opening and onboarding platform for banks, handling KYC, fraud verification, core system account creation, funding, and customer communications.
FintechSaaS
Lirvana Labs offers Yeti (including Yeti Confetti Kids and an AI Co-Pilot), an AI-powered K-5 learning platform that personalizes instruction, supports bilingual/dual-language teaching, and provides progress data for teachers and administrators.
AI & Machine LearningEdTechSaaS
LuminX provides an on-device visual AI system for warehouse dock operations, using compact camera units at dock doors to read barcodes, labels, case counts, and damage on pallets in real time and reconcile them against the BOL and WMS.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareLogistics & Supply Chain
OutRival is a no-code AI platform that enables non-technical customer experience teams to create and deploy AI solutions including chatbots, voice agents, and workflow automation for customer interactions.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareInsurTechSaaSMiami, US
Papaya Tutor connects K-12 students with bilingual tutors for personalized 1:1 tutoring, using assessment data to build tailored learning plans and coordinate with students, parents, and schools.
EdTech
Scout provides financial advisory and wealth management services for college athletes, particularly those benefiting from NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities.
Fintech
Sigo Seguros is a digital auto insurance agency that lets customers compare quotes from multiple insurers online and buy a policy in Spanish, with or without a US driver's license.
FintechInsurTech
Tendrel is a manufacturing operations platform that connects existing plant systems (MES, CMMS, historians, quality systems) and uses AI to answer operational questions and flag production issues before they cost the business.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureSammamish, US
Akash Nandi(Executive Officer, Director)Esteban Reyes(Director)Karsten Kell(Executive Officer)Mark Keller(Executive Officer, Director)
Plasma is a fintech platform providing global account services and cryptocurrency-linked financial products, including a Visa card and stablecoin account features for users internationally.
Crypto & Web3Fintech
Rows marked “SEC filing” are inferred from directors named on the company's SEC Form D — public regulatory data, not a portfolio list published by the firm.
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Chingona Ventures invest at?
- Chingona Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Chingona Ventures's typical check size?
- Chingona Ventures typically writes checks of $250K – $2M.
- What sectors does Chingona Ventures focus on?
- Chingona Ventures focuses on Digital Health, EdTech, Fintech, Future of Work, Healthtech, Wellness & Fitness.
- Where is Chingona Ventures located?
- Chingona Ventures is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Does Chingona Ventures lead rounds?
- Yes, Chingona Ventures leads investment rounds.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamStartup Superhero: Samara Mejia Hernandez, Founding Partner at Chingona Ventures | Stacklist
Samara Mejia Hernandez · stacklist.app
Chingona Ventures' Samara Mejia Hernandez
Startup Cuba · Samara Mejia Hernandez
Co-investors · 31
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Techstars is a startup accelerator and early-stage investor that funds ambitious founders and provides capital, mentorship, and access to a global network of investors, operators, and corporate partners.
Female Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that invests in female-founded companies building category-defining businesses across sectors, backed by a strong founder community.
Listen Ventures is a consumer-focused venture capital firm founded in 2010 that partners with founders to build disruptive brands amid shifts in consumer behavior.
Index Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs founders across the globe, investing in the people behind ideas from early through later stages.
Ulu Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on finding and funding early-stage founder teams, emphasizing diversity and data-driven investment decisions.
Hyde Park Venture Partners (HPVP) is an early-stage venture fund investing in AI, software, and tech-enabled services companies connected to the Midwest, Toronto, or the Southeast.
Origin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm backing founders building companies in the artificial intelligence economy, focusing on infrastructure, software, applications, services, and marketplaces that transform productivity and automation.
Backstage Capital is a venture capital firm focused on supporting underrepresented founders.
Supply Change Capital is an early-stage venture firm that invests in technology across the food supply chain, spanning logistics, automation, predictive tools, and ingredient intelligence.
Ausum Ventures is a venture fund investing at the intersection of blockchain technology and social impact, backing both early-stage startups and cryptoassets.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies, with a strong current focus on artificial intelligence.
▶19 more co-investors
General CatalystEverywhere VenturesFundersClubC2 InvestmentsPareto HoldingsGaingelsArray Ventures Management LlcPropeller VCConvictionLightShed Venturessuper{set}10x GenomicsANIMO VenturesGanas VenturesDivergent CapitalOVO FundVSC VenturesZeal Capital PartnersFirebrand Ventures
Firms observed investing alongside Chingona Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Chingona Ventures's recorded portfolio.
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