Fifth Down Capital
Venture capitalDover · Seed–Late Stage · 25 people tracked
Investment thesis
Fifth Down aims to back generational companies and compelling fund managers building large, enduring markets. Its platform spans three strategies — direct investing, fund of funds, and secondaries — allowing capital to be allocated at multiple stages of the venture landscape. The firm describes itself as relationship-driven, sourcing primarily through a trusted, curated ecosystem of venture firms and portfolio company founders cultivated over long-term partnerships and ongoing engagement. It emphasizes proactive network engagement — connecting people, surfacing opportunities, and delivering value across its community — to build lasting alignment with founders, fund managers, and limited partners.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 27, 2026.
Team · 25 people
from the firm's website & curated & public directories
Founder mafia
4 people who came through Fifth Down Capital went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 25 of 29 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×12Consumer ×6Hardware ×6Enterprise Software ×5Fintech ×5FoodTech ×5SaaS ×5Advanced Manufacturing ×4
HQs:United States×24
Who they back
founder profiles across 20 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×92 founders×53 founders×44+ founders×2
Where their founders studiedfrom 20 founders with education data
Stanford University ×4Duke University ×3
Where their founders worked beforefrom 20 founders with career history
Ditto ×3Alumni Ventures ×2McKinsey & Company ×2Stanford University ×2Townsquared ×2
1 founders hold a PhD · 2 hold an MBA (of 21 with degree data)
Investments · 29 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 22025 · 12024 · 12018 · 15 dated
Revolutionizing space technology to make life multi-planetary
Hawthorne, US
Elon Musk(Founder, CEO & Chief Engineer)in
Co-investors1/1 Capital137 Ventures4DX VenturesA*Abstract VenturesAccess Technology Ventures+110 more
Mike's Hot Honey produces honey infused with real chili peppers, sold to restaurants, foodservice operators, and retail consumers across the United States.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechBrooklyn, US
Michael Kurtz(Executive Officer, Director)MikeMichael D. Kurtz(Founder)inKent Spellman(Executive Officer, Director)James MacDonald(Executive Officer)Matthew Beaton(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsEvolution VC Partners
Dumpling Daughter is a restaurant and food brand offering Chinese dumplings, buns, and dipping sauces through dine-in, catering for events, and packaged products sold at retailers and online across the United States.
ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechWeston, US
Nadia Spellman(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Nadia Liu Spellman(Founder)
Board seatJames BoydLiam Patrick· per SEC Form D
&pizza is a pizza restaurant chain that handcrafts oblong pizzas with signature dough, farm-to-table sauces, and customizable toppings.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechWashington, US
Co-investorsRSE VenturesSWaN & Legend Venture Partners
Anduril builds autonomous systems and software for defense and military applications, including attack aviation, unmanned aircraft, and underwater vehicles, unified by an autonomy platform.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechHardwareRobotics
Palmer Luckey(Founder)inBrian Schimpf(CEO)inTrae Stephens(Founder)in
Co-investors137 Ventures1Flourish Capital8VCAltra VentureAndreessen HorowitzAnorak Ventures+82 more
Arena Physica builds Atlas, an AI agent platform for hardware engineering that pairs general intelligence with deterministic physics models and integrations to design, simulation, and test tools.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechDefense TechHardware
Pratap Ranade(Founder)in
Co-investorsPeter ThielHAWKTAIL
Cape is a privacy-focused cellular service provider that offers secure mobile connectivity designed to protect subscriber data and privacy.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareArlington, US
John Doyle(CEO)
Co-investorsAndreessen HorowitzDefinitionFDVCKarman Ventures01 AdvisorsA*+7 more
Chapter provides Medicare plan comparison and advisory services to help seniors choose the best health insurance coverage.
HealthtechInsurTechSaaS
Noah Wilsonin
Co-investorsCore Venture CapitalMaverick VenturesStripesXYZ Venture Capital8VCAddition+3 more
Chapter helps American seniors navigate and select Medicare plans by comparing options nationwide and recommending personalized coverage.
Digital HealthFintechHealthtechInsurTech
Noah WilsonToni Aldridge
Co-investorsHealth2047 Capital Partners LLCMaverick VenturesMorrison Seger Venture Capital PartnersNarya CapitalXYZ Venture Capital8VC+4 more
Chapter provides lead intelligence for B2B software companies by scanning the internet in real-time to identify relevant prospects based on immediacy and buying intent, serving developer tool vendors seeking high-quality sales outreach.
AI & Machine LearningFintechInsurTechSaaSSales TechSeattle, US
Aditya (JP) Jayaprakash(Co-Founder & CEO)Ece Kayan(Cofounder)
Co-investorsTechstars8VCAdditionGeneration Investment ManagementMaverick VenturesNarya Capital+3 more
Daisy is a national brand for smart home and small business technology installation and ongoing service, covering smart shades, lighting, home theater, audio, and security systems.
ConsumerHardwareIoT
Hagan Kappler(Co-Founder & CEO)Dion Persson(Co-Founder & CEO)
Co-investorsAtacama VenturesBungalow CapitalWestern Technology InvestmentBullishEv3 Ventures LlcVOLT CAPITAL
Co-investors2.12 AngelsBlindspot Ventures Management CoDifferential VenturesGood Growth CapitalMotley Fool VenturesNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)+7 more
Fishwife is a direct-to-consumer brand that sells curated tinned fish products and related merchandise.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechCalifornia, US
Edgescale builds AI "systems-in-a-box" that deploy AI to operational environments such as manufacturing, utilities, and critical infrastructure, connecting isolated edge devices with modern software while keeping critical data private.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeep TechHardwareIoT
Brian Mengwasser(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesBasecamp FundCitizenX Crypto VenturesHitachi VenturesSamsung NextService Provider Capital+3 more
Fifth Down is a venture capital firm that invests across the venture landscape through direct investments, a fund of funds strategy, and a secondary strategy, partnering with startups and fund managers.
Sector AgnosticNeedham, US
Andrew M. Spellman(Manager)in
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)inTroy Demmer(Founder/COO)in
BoardGaetano Crupi(Director)inAndrew Davis(Director)inTrae Stephens(Director)in
Co-investorsAlpha PartnersBase Venture Management, Inc.Drive CapitalFormula VCFriends Family CapitalFundersClub+18 more
Hike Medical provides preventative musculoskeletal care focusing on foot health, combining technology with clinical expertise to make treatment more accessible to working Americans.
Digital HealthHardwareHealthtechMedical Devices
Aadi Bhanti(CEO & Co-founder)Steven Chacko(Co-founder)
Co-investorsRiverPark VenturesIndicator Ventures
Kindred Motorworks rebuilds classic cars into daily-drivable vehicles, combining vintage styling with modern reliability and offering gas or electric powertrains.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareMobility & TransportationVallejo, US
Rob Howard(Founder)in
Co-investorsWestern Technology InvestmentCPMGFootPrint Coalition
MaintainX provides an AI-powered computerized maintenance management system and asset management platform designed for deskless frontline workers in industrial and operational settings.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareIoTSaaSSan Francisco, US
Chris Turlica(CEO and Co-Founder)inHugo Dozois-Caouette(CTO and Co-Founder)inStefan Cristian Turlica(Executive Officer, Director)Nick Haase(Founder)in
BoardCharles Reim(Director)Byron Deeter(Director)in
Co-investorsAmity VenturesAugust CapitalBain Capital VenturesBessemer Venture PartnersCategory VenturesCrew Capital+8 more
Northslope builds AI applications for enterprise operations, configuring purpose-built software to specific customer workflows across supply chain, healthcare, retail, financial services, and defense sectors.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSDenver, US
William B Ward(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsFriends Family Capital
Numeric builds a software platform for corporate finance and accounting teams that combines real-time accounting, data transformation, and AI-powered analytics to replace manual spreadsheet-based processes.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechSan Francisco, US
Parker Gilbert(Founder & CEO)inAndrew Bihl(Founder)inAnthony Alvernaz(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlkeon InnovationArtisanal VenturesHawk Hill VenturesIVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Long Journey VenturesMenlo Ventures+7 more
Peregrine is a data intelligence platform that transforms disconnected data into operational context for law enforcement and emergency response organizations.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureGovTechSan Francisco, US
Ben Rudolph(Founder)inNick Noone(CEO)in
Co-investors137 VenturesFriends Family CapitalMenlo VenturesO.G. Venture PartnersScribble VenturesSummit Peak Investments+5 more
Reflexivity is an AI platform for institutional investors that combines licensed financial and market data from providers like S&P Global, LSEG, Cboe, and Nasdaq with explainable AI to produce investment analysis.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaS
Jan Szilagyi(CEO)in
SentiLink provides fraud detection and identity verification products and data solutions for financial institutions and businesses.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityData & InfrastructureFintechSan Francisco, US
Max(Co-founder)Maxwell Blumenfeld(Executive Officer, Director)inNaftali Harris(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsAndreessen HorowitzCraft VenturesFelicis VenturesNew York Life VenturesNycaNyca Partners+2 more
Zero Proof produces non-alcoholic spirits and beverages for consumers seeking alcohol-free drinking options.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFoodTech
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Two Chairs matches individuals with personalized mental health care, including therapy and psychiatry services, using a technology-enabled platform designed to improve access and treatment outcomes.
Digital HealthHealthtechMental HealthSan Francisco, US
Co-investorsAmplo VenturesMaveronSummit Peak VenturesAmploBridge Bank
Washington, US
Julie Bush(Founder)Paul Kwan(Founder)Connor Dougherty(Founder)in
Co-investorsAbstract VenturesFriends Family CapitalMVP VenturesNarya Capital
Verkada builds AI-powered physical security solutions that integrate video security, access control, alarms, intercoms, air quality sensors, and visitor management into a single cloud-based platform.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareIoTSan Mateo, US
Filip Kaliszan(Founder & CEO)inHans Robertson(Director)inBenjamin Bercovitz(Executive Officer, Director)inJames Ren(Executive Officer)inTim Wilcox(Executive Officer)in
BoardBill Trenchard(Director)in
Co-investorsAlkeon InnovationCapitalGDepth VenturesFelicis VenturesFirst Round CapitalFounder Collective+11 more
Vulcan Elements manufactures rare earth magnets for critical applications in defense, semiconductors, satellites, data centers, and industrial equipment.
Advanced ManufacturingDefense TechNew MaterialsBenson, US
John Maslin(Executive Officer, Director)inDaniel Aronowitz(Executive Officer, Director)Dan Aronowitz(Director)
BoardDaniel Borok(Director)in
Co-investorsBig Brain HoldingsBlindspot Ventures Management CoDorm RoomDuke Capital PartnersGlynn Capital ManagementJunipero+5 more
Exits · 1
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioSpaceXNASDAQ: SPCX
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesSpaceX · businessinsider.com · Aug 16, 2026
Chapter.run · nwsportsmanmag.com · Aug 12, 2026
Anduril · bloomberg.com · Aug 10, 2026
Peregrine · bbntimes.com · Jul 31, 2026
Chapter · finance.yahoo.com · Jul 26, 2026
Chapter · mauinow.com · Jul 18, 2026
Cape · tipranks.com · Jul 17, 2026
MaintainX · newmarketpitch.com · Jul 13, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Fifth Down Capital made?
- Fifth Down Capital has 27 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited via acquisition or IPO, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Fifth Down Capital invest at?
- Fifth Down Capital invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Late Stage stages.
- What sectors does Fifth Down Capital focus on?
- Fifth Down Capital focuses on Consumer, EdTech, Enterprise Software, Fintech, FoodTech, Gaming, Healthtech, SaaS, Sector Agnostic, Sports Tech.
- Where is Fifth Down Capital located?
- Fifth Down Capital is headquartered in Dover, US.
- Who does Fifth Down Capital co-invest with?
- Fifth Down Capital most often shares deals with Friends Family Capital, XYZ Venture Capital, Summit Peak Ventures, among 104 tracked co-investors.
Images
Co-investors · 10
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that backs technology companies building transformative products.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies.
BCV Labs is the platform and hands-on support arm of Bain Capital Ventures, providing portfolio founders with go-to-market strategy, brand development, hiring assistance, and customer introductions.
Bessemer Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs across enterprise, consumer, and healthcare sectors from early stages through growth.
This page is about Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, a social networking platform. It does not contain information about a venture capital firm or investment fund.
Benchmark is a venture capital firm with offices in San Francisco and Woodside that invests in early-stage startups.
Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund is an early-stage investment vehicle run by founders Todd Goldberg and Rahul Vohra, who write $300k-$500k checks into early-stage startups and help with product/market fit, go-to-market, and future fundraising.
ICONIQ Capital is a global investment firm with offices including New York, San Francisco, and London, managing over $100B in assets. It combines wealth management for its client community with investing in technology companies and supporting collaborative philanthropy.
Mischief is a San Francisco-based venture firm investing $1-5M in early-stage software companies, run by a small partnership of former operators.
Glasswing Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that supports startups through its Building Partners model, providing operational expertise across go-to-market, product, engineering, and finance.
Firms observed investing alongside Fifth Down Capital, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Fifth Down Capital's recorded portfolio.
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