Fundraising FoxChicago · Pre-Seed–Seed · 9 people tracked
Also known as CHINGONA VENTURES MANAGEMENT LLC
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Investment thesis
Chingona Ventures backs founders whose backgrounds uniquely position them to build companies in massive, fast-changing growth markets that are frequently overlooked. Its focus areas span financial technology, the future of work, the future of learning, and health technology. The firm primarily invests at the pre-seed stage, targeting companies raising their first institutional round of capital, and writes initial checks ranging from $250,000 to $2 million.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 29, 2026.
Team · 9 people
from the firm's website & public directories
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Chingona Ventures went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 41 of 49 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×18SaaS ×16Fintech ×12Consumer ×9EdTech ×9Enterprise Software ×5Healthtech ×4InsurTech ×4
HQs:United States×32United Kingdom×1
Investments · 49 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 32025 · 22024 · 62023 · 32022 · 52021 · 32020 · 426 dated
Betterleave provides wrap-around caregiver support and bereavement services—including coaching, text-based support, and support groups—delivered through providers and employers to help caregivers navigate end-of-life decisions and grief.
Digital HealthMental HealthWellness & FitnessAustin, US
Cara Abbott(Founder)inAndy Ambrose(Director)inCara McCarty(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatSamara Mejia Hernandez· per SEC Form D
Co-investorsEverywhere VenturesAlumni VenturesBread And Butter Ventures, LlcCoyote VenturesAARPThe Fund
Cartwheel 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)inMagdim Metshin(Founder)inAlex(Co-Founder, CEO)
Co-investorsAct One Ventures37 AngelsEudemian VenturesMoonshots Capital
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
Co-investorsTechstarsMucker CapitalMercury Fund
Agency built AI products; the company announced it is being acquired by Klaviyo and winding down on August 31, 2026, with its team joining Klaviyo.
AI & Machine Learning
Elias TorresinLukeAdam Silverman(Founder)Alex Reibman(Founder)
Co-investorsArtisanal VenturesFelicis VenturesHubSpot VenturesMenlo VenturesSequoia CapitalAfore Capital+4 more
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 EconomyConsumerMarketplacesBrooklyn, US
Katharine Sanner(Executive Officer)Kate Sanner(Founder)Sarah Pinner(Founder)
Co-investorsBetter Ventures Central LlcBuoyant Ventures Management, LlcXYZ Venture Capital
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Boom operates a leasing platform connecting property managers and renters through the full leasing process, from inquiry to approved resident.
FintechPropTechSaaSAustin, US
Rob Whiting(Co-founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsBungalow CapitalClocktower VenturesFox VenturesMana VenturesMischiefSiesta Ventures+5 more
Cartwheel is a browser-based AI platform that turns text, video and motion libraries into editable, rigged 3D character animation.
Alex Vasilkin(Founder)inAndrew Carr(Founder)Daniel Tartakovsky(Founder)Joe English(Founder)Jonathan Jarvis(Founder)Juliana Chen(Founder)
Co-investorsAccelCraft VenturesTenOneTen VenturesTIRTA Ventures37 AngelsAct One Ventures+11 more
Cartwheel delivers evidence-based mental health and clinical care services to students and families through partnerships with school districts.
Digital HealthEdTechHealthtechMental HealthCambridge, US
Joe English(Co-Founder and CEO)inDaniel Tartakovsky(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardHolly Maloney(Director)inGreg Yap(Director)inSteve Kupfer(Director)in
Co-investorsAble PartnersAlumni VenturesBoxGroupCraft VenturesGeneral CatalystMenlo Ventures+11 more
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Co-investorsCherryrock CapitalHyde Park Venture PartnersZeal Capital Partners
Chord provides a unified data layer and AI-powered agents for commerce brands to centralize fragmented data across tools and automate operations.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureE-commerceMarketing Tech
Bryan Mahoney(Founder)inHenry Davis(Founder)inBola Awoniyi(Founder)
Co-investorsAct One VenturesAlleyCorpBright Pixel CapitalEqual VenturesFoundation CapitalGood Friends+12 more
Ciphero provides a deterministic security layer that lets security teams observe, audit, and verify AI interactions across models, agents, and machines.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Rob Gross(Founder)inSen Tian(Founder)inSaoud Khalifah(Founder)in
Co-investorsEverywhere VenturesPropeller Inc.Bullpen CapitalHustle FundLotus Venture PartnersSovereigns Capital Venture
ConnectCareHero builds Telly, a digital engagement and operations platform for nursing homes, adult day care and community health centers.
FintechHealthtechInsurTechChicago, US
Osvaldo Montelongo(CEO & Founder)inTornu Ngwayah(CMO & Founder)Bob Lee III(CTO & Founder)
Co-investorsNew Age CapitalTechstarsPivotal Ventures
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
Dessy Levinson(Founder)inAnna Bofa(Founder)inAdam Levy(Executive Officer, Director)Joseph Iny(Director)
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesBase Venture Management, Inc.MaC Venture CapitalSlauson & Co.Upfront Ventures
Dame designs and engineers sexual wellness products, including vibrators such as Eva and Fin, developed in-house to address disparities in sexual pleasure and satisfaction for women.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFemTechWellness & FitnessNew York, US
Alexandra Fine(Co-founder)inJanet Lieberman(Co-founder)Benjamin Aldridge(Executive Officer)
BoardRick Desai(Director)in
Co-investorsAmboy Street VenturesAssembled BrandsigniteXL VentureJoyance PartnersListen Ventures
EarlyBird offers UGMA custodial investment accounts that let parents and family members invest on behalf of a child, with funds usable for education, a home down payment, starting a business, or other purposes.
ConsumerFintechSaaS
Caleb Frankel(Founder)Jordan Wexler(Founder)
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesBridge Venture FundChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)JourneyOne VenturesKairos AngelsRareBreed Ventures+7 more
Encantos is a children's media studio that creates original stories, books, and animations combining global storytelling with curriculum-based learning (which it calls "storyteaching").
ConsumerEdTechMedia & Entertainment
Susie Jaramillo(Founder)in
Co-investorsAmplifica CapitalKapor CapitalL'ATTITUDE VenturesPortfoliaRevolutionWestbound Equity Partners+4 more
Finix provides embedded payments infrastructure for software platforms, acting as an outsourced PayFac (PayFac-as-a-Service) with end-to-end payments technology, compliance and risk management, merchant onboarding, and reporting tools.
Data & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSSan Francisco, US
Richie Serna(Founder)inSean Donovan(Founder)in
Co-investorsAcrew CapitalHomebrewInsight PartnersInspired CapitalLightspeed Venture PartnersTribeca Venture Partners+24 more
Optibot is an AI-powered code review platform that provides engineering managers and CTOs with real-time visibility into PR cycle time, DORA metrics, AI code adoption, and sprint health by analyzing GitHub and GitLab activity.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Co-investorsAct One VenturesMindshift Capital
heyC builds AI-powered training and real-time support tools that help employees learn and develop skills in their everyday workflow rather than through traditional workshops.
AI & Machine LearningEdTechHR Tech
Shaily Baranwal(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsCorazon Capital
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)inPatrick Wilbur(Executive Officer, Director)Anne Rosen(Executive Officer)
BoardNick Solaro(Director)in
Co-investorsBullpen CapitalCapital Midwest FundConvergeDrive CapitalFounders Circle CapitalGutbrain Ventures+10 more
Honey Homes pairs households with dedicated, vetted handymen to manage home maintenance and upgrades through a technology platform.
B2B MarketplacesConsumerPropTechSaaSOakland, US
Vishwas Prabhakara(Founder)inAvantika Prabhakara(Founder)inVanti Prabhakara
Co-investorsAngel Collective Opportunity FundEra VenturesFlybridge Capital PartnersGaruda VenturesKhosla VenturesPear VC+3 more
Hoop builds AI agents that help individuals and teams manage context, prioritize what matters, and follow through on work spread across email, chat, meetings, and documents.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceFuture of WorkSaaSNew York City, US
Brian Schmidt(Co-founder, Operations, Finance & Legal)inJustin Gallagher(Co-founder, Product, Engineering & Design)inStella Garber(Co-founder, Go to Market)in
Co-investorsDivergent CapitalIndex VenturesOrigin VenturesustwoVenture Guides Management, L.P.Y Combinator
iAsk AI is a free AI-powered search engine that answers user questions with instant, source-backed responses without storing user data.
AI & Machine LearningEdTechSaaS
Brad F.(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Corazon CapitalPritzker Group Venture Capital
Innovare offers Inno, a strategic intelligence platform for schools that connects data sources such as attendance, assessment, and student support into one workspace.
AI & Machine LearningEdTechSaaSChicago, US
Fernando DeLeón(Founder)inNicholas Freeman(Executive Officer)Adrian DeLeon(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardMarcos Gonzalez(Director)in
Co-investorsCleveland AvenuePortfoliaPropellant VenturesTAWANI VenturesVamosVenturesDux Capital+1 more
Leaf Trade is a B2B marketplace platform connecting cannabis cultivators and dispensaries for wholesale transactions.
AgTechB2B MarketplacesFintechSaaSChicago, US
James Yi(Executive Officer, Director)inMichael Piermont(Executive Officer, Director)Daniel Reich(Director)Jeff Kleban(Director)Woody Benson(Director)
Co-investorsArtemis Growth PartnersGreat Oaks Venture CapitalHyde Park AngelsLeaps by Bayer
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
Alejandro Corpeño(Founder)in
Co-investorsFf Venture CapitalAudaz CapitalCommerce VenturesTechstars
Linker Finance provides digital banking technology for community financial institutions to enhance customer relationships and serve business customers.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechInsurTechSaaSPasadena, US
Jorge Garcia(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsTechstarsAudaz CapitalCommerce VenturesTenOneTen Ventures
Lirvana Labs makes an AI-powered K-5 learning platform that offers personalized, bilingual instruction, adaptive games, and data tools for teachers to identify learning gaps and generate reports.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerEdTechMenlo Park, US
Christie Pang(Founder)inHong Yee Christie Pang(Executive Officer, Director)Ho Yan Clement Pang(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsGobi PartnersKapor CapitalTranscend Capital Partners
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 LearningEdTechSaaSMenlo Park, US
Christie Pang(Founder)
LuminX builds a visual AI layer for warehouse operations, using slim edge units that read every pallet as it moves to create a real-time digital twin of the dock.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsSan Francisco, US
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
Ruben A. Harris(Co-Founder and CEO)inTimur Meyster(Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer)inArtur MeysterJared Forman(Analytics \u0026 Data Manager)Mary Cornesio(Recruiting Coordinator)Carlo zambon(talent)
Co-investorsInitialized CapitalY CombinatorAlumni VenturesBronze InvestmentsKapor CapitalNecessary Ventures+17 more
Scout provides financial advisory and wealth management services for college athletes, particularly those benefiting from NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities.
Fintech
Michael Haddix Jr(Founder)in
Co-investors125 VenturesAusum VenturesJ4 VenturesMoai CapitalOUTBOUND CAPITALSymphonic Capital+1 more
The She Matters Alliance collects insights from pregnant and postpartum mothers to improve maternal health outcomes through partnerships with hospitals and healthcare organizations.
FemTechHealthtechHR TechWellness & FitnessNew York City, US
Co-investorsEmmeline VenturesNYU Innovation Venture FundTechstarsTwo RavensAlmi InvestThe Fund
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
Nestor Hugo Solari(Founder)in
Co-investorsKern Venture GroupNewlin VenturesRemarkable VenturesRevolutionBlockchain Founders FundEntrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA)+3 more
Suma Wealth provides AI-powered financial coaching through chatbot assistants that help users budget, track spending, and build savings with personalized advice available in English and Spanish.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerFintech
Beatriz Acevedo(Founder)in
Co-investors2045 VenturesBackstage CapitalFemale FoundersHow Women InvestPortfoliaRadicle Impact+5 more
Teal provides telehealth healthcare services for people assigned female at birth, offering virtual care without traditional in-office procedures.
Digital HealthFemTechHealthtechSan Francisco, US
Kara Egan(Founder)inAvnesh Thakor(Founder)Joseph DeSimone(Director)Matthew Bettonville(Director)Kathryn Taylor Reddy(Director)Sarah Rose(Executive Officer)
Co-investors.406 VenturesAventurine PartnersBlack Jays VenturesFelicis VenturesForerunner VenturesHalogen Ventures Management Company Llc+7 more
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
Esteban Reyes(Director)Karsten Kell(Executive Officer)Mark Keller(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardAkash Nandi(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsBread And Butter Ventures, LlcMoment Ventures, LlcSUPPLY CHANGE CAPITAL
Plasma is a financial technology company offering Plasma One, a stablecoin-based account and Visa card that supports USD₮ transfers, cashback, and yield through third-party DeFi protocols.
Crypto & Web3FintechLondon, GB
Co-investors1/1 Capital6th Man VenturesBeni Venture CapitalImpossible FinanceMercury FundMirana Ventures+12 more
A weekly podcast featuring deep dives into vertical AI, with founders and VCs discussing what it takes to build and scale such companies.
AI & Machine LearningMedia & Entertainment
Co-investorsEuclid Venture PartnersAlpha Square GroupAlumni VenturesAUDEO VENTURESEmergence Capital PartnersFIRST ORDER+8 more
Vilya designs novel macrocycles using AI and computational biology to create medicines that don't exist in nature.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
David Baker(Founder)Patrick Salveson, PhD(Co-Founder, CTO)Adam Moyer, PhD(Co-Founder, VP of Molecular Design)David Baker, PhD(Nobel laureate, Co-Founder, Director, IPD UW, Prof. Biochemistry)Gaurav Bhardwaj, PhD(Co-Founder, UW, Asst. Prof. Medicinal Chemistry)Lance Stewart, PhD, MBA(Co-Founder, CSO & COO, IPD)
Co-investorsARCH Venture PartnersMadrona Venture GroupMenlo VenturesAltitude Ventures Management, LlcAlumni VenturesAtomic+10 more
Viva provides a resident benefits app that bundles services such as 24/7 telehealth, bilingual K-12 tutoring, high-yield savings, rent reporting for credit building, and homebuying grants for renters and households across the U.S.
ConsumerFintechPropTechEdinburg, US
Co-investorsAtlanta Technology AngelsRevUp CapitalSidecut VenturesTechstarsAltari VenturesEverywhere Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Papaya Tutoring ServicesSuma WealthBeaglelabsMeilitechnologiesViva
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.
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesTeal · techfundingnews.com · Sep 22, 2026
Linker Finance · prnewswire.com · Jul 14, 2026
OutRival, Inc. · ycombinator.com · Jun 26, 2026
Chord Commerce · thesaasnews.com · Jun 8, 2026
Ciphero · thesaasnews.com · Dec 22, 2025
SafeHill · fintech.global · Sep 29, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Chingona Ventures made?
- Chingona Ventures has 49 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 7 dated in the last 24 months.
- 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 · 32
Techstars is a global startup accelerator and early-stage investor that funds and mentors ambitious founders, providing $220K in capital, a three-month program, and access to a worldwide network of mentors, investors, and corporate partners.
VamosVentures is a mission-driven venture firm backing early-stage founders building disruptive technology solutions, with an emphasis on diverse, Latinx, female, and immigrant/first-gen-led companies.
Everywhere Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that writes pre-seed checks and is backed by a community of founder and operator LPs.
Backstage Capital is an investment firm focused on supporting underrepresented founders. It publishes a weekly newsletter, The Mixtape, sharing news, opportunities, and stories for these founders.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies.
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.
Zeal Capital Partners is an early-stage venture firm backing founders building companies across fintech, healthcare, and the future of learning and work, with a focus on closing gaps in wealth, health, and skills.
General Catalyst is a venture capital firm operating as a partnership focused on company building and accelerating the growth of the businesses it backs.
Index Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs founders across industries and geographies, emphasizing the people behind ideas as much as the businesses themselves.
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.
Array Ventures is a pre-seed and early-stage venture capital firm that invests in founders building enterprise software and AI companies, offering hands-on support such as helping with business development and reaching a second wave of customers.
▶20 more co-investors
Hyde Park Venture PartnersPropeller VCOrigin VenturesDivergent CapitalOVO FundSUPPLY CHANGE CAPITALAusum VenturesEudemian VenturesFundersClubC2 InvestmentsPareto HoldingsGaingelsConvictionLightShed Venturessuper{set}10x GenomicsANIMO VenturesGanas VenturesVSC VenturesFirebrand 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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