Drive Capital
Venture capitalActively deployingColumbus · Pre-Seed–Late Stage · 41 people tracked
Also known as DRIVE CAPITAL LLC · Drive Shack Inc.
Investment thesis
Drive Capital focuses on backing great entrepreneurs building companies outside the traditional coastal tech hubs, emphasizing markets across the American Midwest, Heartland, and cities such as Columbus, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Denver, Austin, Atlanta, and Toronto. The firm positions itself as a convicted, hands-on partner that supports founders from initial idea through IPO. Rather than acting as passive cheerleaders, Drive stresses candor and conviction — pushing founders with honest feedback about what is and isn't working, and providing the tools they need to build enduring businesses.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 41 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 65 of 106 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×31SaaS ×25Enterprise Software ×22Healthtech ×12Fintech ×9Advanced Manufacturing ×7Data & Infrastructure ×7Cloud Computing ×6
HQs:United States×52Canada×3
Investments · 106 tracked
founders shown can be your intro path
Duolingo offers a language-learning app with short, game-like lessons that teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking, using research-based teaching methods and AI to personalize lessons for learners.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerEdTechPittsburgh, US
Andrew Moore(Director)Severin Hacker(Director)Luis von Ahn(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardBrad Burnham(Director)
Astrus develops AI software for analog microchip design, automating the hand-crafted layout of analog circuits used in high-speed interconnects and other critical chip components.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechSemiconductors
Kenny Young
Beam Benefits is a digitally-native employee benefits company offering dental, vision, life, and supplemental health insurance through an online platform with personalized rewards and AI-powered underwriting.
HealthtechHR TechInsurTechMadison, US
Alex Frommeyer(CEO)Alex CurryDan Dykes
Cofactor AI builds artificial intelligence software to automate healthcare administrative workflows, specifically denials management and revenue cycle optimization for hospital systems.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechChicago, US
Adi Tantravahi(Chief Executive Officer (CEO))inJuan Sebastian Lozano(Chief Technology Officer (CTO))in
Columbus, US
Sue Tyler(Director)Dana Lodge(Executive Officer)Kimber Lockhart(Director)Dan Dykes(Executive Officer, Promoter)Christopher Olsen(Director)Alex Curry(Executive Officer, Promoter)
Board seatChristopher Olsen· per SEC Form D · $24M raise · filed Aug 2025
Toronto
Shardul Frey(Director)Masha Khusid(Director)Matthew Bogoroch(Chief Executive Officer)Adam Bogoroch(Executive Officer)
Board seatMasha Khusid· per SEC Form D · $5M raise · filed Oct 2025
CirrusMD offers a virtual care platform called "Physician-first Care & Guidance," connecting patients to physicians via chat in under 60 seconds for diagnosis, treatment, and guidance to benefits.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaSDenver, US
JAMIE HALL(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)JENNIFER PEARCE(Executive Officer)SCOTT REICH(Executive Officer)Elliot Sands(Director)Chris Saxman(Chief Operating Officer)Andrew Altorfer(Chief Executive Officer)
Board seatMolly BonakdarpourMolly McCartin· per SEC Form D
Chicago, US
Dan Wagner(Executive Officer, Director)Alan Fu(Executive Officer)Tim O'Reilly(Director)Christopher Olsen(Director)Eric Schmidt(Director)
Board seatChristopher Olsen· per SEC Form D
Columbus, US
Board seatMolly Bonakdarpour· per SEC Form D · $3M raise · filed Apr 2024
ClusterTruck operates its own kitchen and delivery service, cooking meals to order across multiple menus and delivering them directly with its own couriers rather than acting as a third-party marketplace.
ConsumerFoodTechLogistics & Supply ChainIndianapolis, US
Chris Baggott(Director)Michael Cunnigham(Director)Janet . Monroe(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatNick Solaro· per SEC Form D
New York, US
Natan Wise(Executive Officer, Director)Robert Seftel(Executive Officer, Director)Molly Bonakdarpour(Director)
Board seatMolly Bonakdarpour· per SEC Form D · $21.9M raise · filed Mar 2026
Columbus, US
LANE SEAN(Executive Officer, Director)CHRISTOPHER OLSEN(Director)BRAD MASCHO(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatChristopher Olsen· per SEC Form D · $471.1M raise · filed Jul 2021
Encamp provides software and expert support to help enterprises centralize environmental compliance data and monitoring across their organization.
Climate TechEnterprise SoftwareGovTechIndianapolis, US
Heather Shanahan(CPA)Josh MoyersJenny VanceJon SchmollSam Jacobs(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Ben Jacobs
Board seatTJ Dembinski· per SEC Form D
Forge Biologics provides contract manufacturing and process development for AAV-based gene therapies, operating a large-scale cGMP facility with proprietary manufacturing technologies to support developers from early discovery through commercial production.
Advanced ManufacturingBiotechMedical DevicesGrove City, US
Chris Garabedian(Director)Molly McCartin(Director)Timothy J. Miller(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatMolly BonakdarpourMolly McCartin· per SEC Form D
Atlanta, US
Johnson Cook(Executive Officer, Director)Timothy Sheehan(Executive Officer, Director)Alex Baker(Director)Gardiner Garrard(Director)Chris Olsen(Director)Neil Underwood(Director)
Board seatChris Olsen· per SEC Form D · $260M raise · filed May 2021
Humanly builds conversational AI and automated interviewing technology for high-volume hiring, helping organizations qualify candidates and conduct structured interviews at scale.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHR TechSaaSSeattle, US
Andrew Gardner(Founder)inPrem Kumar(Founder)inBryan Leptich(Founder)inChris Olsen(Director)
Board seatChris Olsen· per SEC Form D
Landline operates a premium airport shuttle service that connects riders to major airports via bus, with connections integrated into airline itineraries so travelers can check bags and clear TSA security near their origin.
Logistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationTravel & HospitalityFort Collins, US
David Sunde(Chief Executive Officer)Ben Munson(Chief Financial Officer and Secretary)Greg Bettinelli(Director)
BoardStuart Lander(Director)
Board seatMasha Khusid· per SEC Form D
Cincinnati, US
Board seatChristopher Olsen· per SEC Form D · $13.5M raise · filed Apr 2024
SonderMind is a digital health platform providing therapy and psychiatry services available nationwide across all 50 states through virtual and in-person modalities.
Digital HealthHealthtechMental HealthWashington, US
Sean Boyd(Manager)Mark Frank(Manager)Curt Roberts(Director)Jonathan Bush(Director)
Board seatMolly Bonakdarpour· per SEC Form D
Aston, US
Eric R. Foster(Executive Officer, Director)Molly Bonakdarpour(Director)Kevin Horio(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatMolly Bonakdarpour· per SEC Form D · $6.5M raise · filed Mar 2022
AcreTrader is an investment platform that allows investors to buy stakes in farmland and agricultural operations through its offerings and management services.
AgTechB2B MarketplacesFintechPropTech<UNKNOWN>, US
Stephen Carter Malloy(Executive Officer)Murry Garrott McClintock(Executive Officer)Mary Elise Alexander(Executive Officer)
Montreal
Jason Nolte(Director)Allan Benchetrit(Chief Executive Officer and Director)Christopher Rowen(Director)Domenic Durante(Chief Financial Officer)Mark Kvamme(Director)
BoardAlan MacIntosh(Director)
ApplyBoard operates a platform connecting international students with educational institutions across Canada, the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, and Germany.
B2B MarketplacesEdTechMarketplacesSaaSLondon, CA
Columbus, US
"Alexander ""Sasha""" Gainullin(Executive Officer, Director)Molly Bonakdarpour(Director)Christopher Paul Catrambone(Director)Susan Sufen(Director)Andrew Sagon(Director)Lucas Timberlake(Director)
Asynchronous, chat-first telehealth platform giving patients rapid access to physicians.
Conduit automates freight handoff and transfers through digital tools, addressing the analog processes that occur when freight changes hands between logistics operators.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSSan Francisco, US
Conrad Lilleness(Founder)in
Conduit provides an AI agent platform for the hospitality industry that automates guest interactions across multiple channels, handles bookings and upsells, manages internal operations, and delivers leadership insights integrated with existing systems.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSan Francisco, US
DisruptOps provides a platform for managing and controlling firewall policies across firewalls, clouds, and segmentation tools in enterprise environments.
Cloud ComputingCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareKansas City, US
Joseph Brazil(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Rothman(Executive Officer, Director)Richard Mogull(Executive Officer)
BoardCharles Beeler(Director)
EngineEars is a platform that connects musicians with recording studios and engineers for booking and collaboration, while also providing music distribution and direct-to-fan sales tools.
B2B MarketplacesCreator EconomySaaS
Bushel is a farm management software platform that provides farmers with operational and financial insights, including grain contract tracking, profit analysis, and automated data integration.
Advanced ManufacturingAgTechFintechSaaSAnn Arbor, US
Brad Koch(Founder)inJesse Vollmar(Cofounder)
SyBridge Technologies is a precision injection molding tooling manufacturer serving OEMs and contract manufacturers across medical, consumer, automotive, and industrial sectors.
Advanced ManufacturingUNKNOWN, US
Richard A. Smith(Director)David Crowder(Director)Davd Mitchell Free(Executive Officer)Pat McCusker(Executive Officer)Lou Rassey(Executive Officer, Director)Charlie Covert(Director)
Finite State provides an AI-native platform for embedded device and IoT security that integrates security scanning and compliance automation directly into software release workflows.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityIoT
Gecko Robotics builds robots equipped with sensors and cameras to inspect industrial structures like boilers for structural defects, replacing dangerous manual inspections at height.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningDeep TechRoboticsPittsburgh, US
Jake Loosararian(Founder/CEO)Troy Demmer(Founder/COO)Gaetano Crupi(Director)Andrew Davis(Director)Trae Stephens(Director)
Hallow is a mobile app that offers guided contemplative and meditative prayer techniques rooted in Catholic tradition.
ConsumerWellness & Fitness
Alex Jones(CEO)
Immuta provides data access and governance solutions that enable safe, instant provisioning of data at scale for humans and AI systems.
Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareAnnapolis, US
Sapan Shah(Director)Steven Touw(Director)Matthew Carroll(Executive Officer, Director)inMichael Schiller(Executive Officer, Director)
Woop Insurance provides a free platform that helps consumers understand and optimize their auto insurance coverage by offering transparent, price-locked quotes and personalized recommendations based on complete cost analysis.
FintechInsurTech<UNKNOWN>
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.
Fund performance · per public LP disclosures · 5
as of Dec 2025| Fund | Vintage | Committed | Net IRR | TVPI | DPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drive Capital Fund IVLPs: Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association | 2022 | — | -2.2% | 0.95x | 0.00x |
| Drive Capital Overdrive Fund IILPs: Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association | 2022 | — | — | 1.22x | 0.19x |
| Drive Capital Fund IIILPs: Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association | 2019 | — | 16.8% | 1.78x | 0.90x |
| Drive Capital Overdrive Fund ILPs: Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association | 2019 | — | 16.6% | 2.22x | 0.00x |
| Drive Capital Fund IILPs: Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association | 2016 | — | 16.7% | 2.65x | 0.34x |
Source: public limited-partner disclosures (CalPERS, CalSTRS). Net IRR / TVPI / DPI as reported by the limited partner; a fund's early-year IRR is an interim estimate (J-curve).
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Drive Capital invest at?
- Drive Capital invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth, Late Stage stages.
- What is Drive Capital's typical check size?
- Drive Capital typically writes checks of $5M – $30M.
- What sectors does Drive Capital focus on?
- Drive Capital focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Drive Capital located?
- Drive Capital is headquartered in Columbus, US.
- Does Drive Capital lead rounds?
- Yes, Drive Capital leads investment rounds.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamMasha Khusid: On Drive Capital's Investment Thesis - YouTube
Purdue Foundry · Masha Khusid
Drive Capital Partner Masha Khusid Goes Live on Business as Usual - YouTube
Pittsburgh Technology Council · Masha Khusid
139. Drive Capital: Masha Khusid on Venture Investing in the Midwest - YouTube
Middle Tech Podcast · Masha Khusid
Ep. 133 - Drive Capital’s Chris Olsen on Investment Innovation in the Midwest - YouTube
Inside Outside Innovation · Chris Olsen
Investing in Companies that Change Lives with Molly Bonakdarpour, Drive Capital - YouTube
614startups · Molly Bonakdarpour
A Master Class In Venture Capital with Drive Capital's Chris Olsen - YouTube
Drive Capital · Chris Olsen
Images
Co-investors · 61
Andreessen Horowitz's Strategic Partnerships page describes collaborations that connect its portfolio companies with established institutions to help scale and deploy their technology.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies, with a strong current focus on artificial intelligence.
General Catalyst is a venture capital and investment firm that backs founders across industries, with a strong focus on AI-driven transformation, fintech, healthcare, and other sectors.
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that invests in technology companies across sectors, backing companies such as Anduril and Palantir.
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.
Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm known for backing bold, contrarian bets in world-class teams that can reshape entire industries.
Greylock Partners is a venture capital firm that backs founders at the earliest stages, often as their first investor before a product exists.
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.
First Round Capital is an early-stage venture firm that partners with founders at the earliest stages of company creation, pairing active partners (many former founders) with functional teams for go-to-market, recruiting, and other support.
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm that backs founders across technology and life sciences, with a portfolio of companies from early stage through growth.
Menlo Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs transformative, early-stage technology companies reshaping how people live and work.
▶49 more co-investors
DCVC (Data Collective)CRV (Charles River Ventures)Tiger Global ManagementEniac VenturesOak HC/FTInnovation EndeavorsAdditionSoftBank Vision FundBond Capital ManagementBonfire VenturesNext47Social Leverage2048 VenturesIntel CapitalDell Technologies CapitalGeneral AtlanticTenaya CapitalDraper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ)Ballistic VenturesBaseline VenturesDnx VenturesHigh AlphaTransmedia CapitalHyde Park Venture PartnersFf Venture CapitalBaruch Future VenturesCrosscut VenturesGolden VenturesBDC Venture CapitalKickstart FundRally Ventures Management, LlcTen ElevenGreatPoint VenturesTRANSFORMATION CAPITALStrawberry Creek VenturesTTV CapitalE1 VenturesOpenView Venture PartnersPortage VenturesVenture Guides Management, L.P.Cathay InnovationAisling CapitalArthur VenturesHuron River VenturesMatter Venture PartnersPruVen Capital PartnersAllos VenturesBlack Tech Nation VenturesTribes Ventures
Firms observed investing alongside Drive Capital, from public investor directories.
Similar investors
500 Global (formerly 500 Startups) is a venture capital firm that invests in startups worldwide and runs programs for founders and investors.
August Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in a small number of companies, providing hands-on support to entrepreneurs building their businesses.
B Capital Group is a multi-stage venture capital firm that backs founders across the company-building lifecycle, investing in technology, healthcare, and energy & resilience sectors.
DCVC (Data Collective) is a venture capital firm that backs founders building companies which apply technology to major challenges across areas such as energy, biotech, agriculture, and machine learning.
GGV Capital split into two independent firms on March 29, 2024: Granite Asia (headquartered in Singapore, investing across APAC) and Notable Capital (based in Silicon Valley, investing in the U.S., Israel, Europe, and Latin America).