/Investor DB

Gen Capital

Venture capital

Chicago · Pre-Seed–Series A · 24 people tracked

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Investment thesis

Gen 1 Capital backs early-stage, deep tech founders — described as 'Gen 1' innovators, trailblazers, and visionaries — building original, transformative products that solve complex problems in large markets. The firm invests across AI/ML, robotics, quantum and edge computing, IoT/sensor fusion, autonomous vehicles and mobility, cybersecurity, data science, computational biology and digital health, and software/hardware digital transformation. It emphasizes founder character, culture, and creation, and leverages deep ties to local technology ecosystems, corporate partners, and universities to help incubate and commercialize technologies. Based in the US Midwest, it views the region as primed for disruptive growth in digital manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and Industry 4.0, and partners with national investors to invest locally.

Source: firm website, verified Sep 26, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Series A
HQ
Chicago, Illinois, US
Leads rounds
Follows
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2020
Tracked investments
82
Unicorns
5
IPOs
4
Acquisitions
10

Team · 24 people

from the firm's website & public directories
Julian Cheng· General Partner
J Cheng· Founder & Managing Partnerin𝕏

Solo GP J Cheng walks alongside entrepreneurs as an engineer-founder and educator, applies technical work on satellites, processors, enterprise software and IoT, a human-flourishing lens, 70+ investments and 3 IPOs.

Rumi Morales· Venture Partner

Affiliated with Outlier Ventures; serves as a venture partner.

Adam Code· Investor and Advisor

Affiliated with Promus Holdings.

Andy Code· Investor and Advisor

Founder of Promus Holdings.

Angela Han· Investor and Advisor

Head of Customer Data Science for Adobe Experience Platform.

Ben Jun· Investor and Advisor

Founder of Cryptography Research, SidelineHD and HFV Labs.

Clifton Chang· Investor and Advisor
Daniel Derman· Investor and Advisor

CIO of Northwestern Medicine.

David Code· Investor and Advisor

Affiliated with Promus Holdings.

David Kim· Investor and Advisor

VP of operational due diligence at a Boston-based university endowment.

Dennis Chookaszian· Investor and Advisor
Fernando Vinzons· Investor and Advisor

Chief Investment Officer of the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund.

Harrison Shih· Investor and Advisor

Head of Autonomy at DoorDash.

Iqbal Arshad· Investor and Advisor

Former SVP of hardware at Google and Motorola.

Jack Szostak· Investor

Nobel Prize laureate recognized for the discovery of telomeres and a professor at the University of Chicago; an investor in the firm.

James Rosseau Sr· Investor and Advisor

Former executive at JPMorgan Chase, Allstate and LegalShield.

Jay Chang· Director of Medical Partnerships

Director of Medical Partnerships at BillionToOne.

Maggie Jim· Investor and Advisor

Chief of Staff at Zipline.

Mauricio Suarez· Investor and Advisor

Deputy Head of Technology Development & Industry Engagement at Fermilab.

Robert Lee· Investor and Advisorin

Works at a comptroller family office.

Roberto Tapia· Investorin

Roberto Tapia is a Partner on the investment team at Gen 1 Capital, where he sources, evaluates, and conducts diligence on venture and growth-stage investments and works with management teams during scaling and strategic decisions. He has more than 13 years of experience spanning private equity, corporate and investment banking, data analytics, and startups, with a focus on technology-driven companies. Tapia is trained as a mechanical and aerospace engineer.

Susan Kim· Investor and Advisor

CFO of PsiQuantum, serving Gen 1 Capital as an investor and advisor.

Vivian Chang· Investor and Advisor

Vice President of ecommerce at GNC.

What they invest in

from 60 of 82 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×22Enterprise Software ×19Hardware ×14SaaS ×13Fintech ×12Data & Infrastructure ×9Deep Tech ×7AgTech ×6

HQs:United States×38New Zealand×3Finland×1United Kingdom×1Israel×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 49 portfolio companies
37%
solo founders
18 of 49 mapped founding teams
49%
repeat founders
of 49 founders with career history
~3 yrs
old at investment
median across 8 dated deals

Founding team size:solo founder×182 founders×133 founders×124+ founders×6

Where their founders studiedfrom 42 founders with education data

Stanford University ×6University of Tennessee, Knoxville ×3Aalto University ×2Harvard University ×2International Space University ×2University of Cambridge ×2University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ×2University of Tennessee ×2

What their founders studiedfrom 41 founders with field-of-study data

Engineering ×12Business & Management ×11Computer Science ×9Economics ×4Physics ×4Finance & Accounting ×3Humanities ×2Mathematics & Statistics ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 49 founders with career history

Google ×5NASA Ames Research Center ×4University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ×3Georgia Institute of Technology ×2Meta ×2US Army ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Y Combinator ×7Techstars ×3

9 founders hold a PhD · 6 hold an MBA (of 46 with degree data)

Investments · 82 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2025 · 12018 · 22017 · 12016 · 12015 · 32014 · 210 dated

Intelintel.comin𝕏NASDAQ: INTC

Intel designs and manufactures semiconductor processors for data center, consumer, and embedded applications, including Xeon server processors, Arc graphics processors, and mobile processors.

AI & Machine LearningHardwareSemiconductorsSanta Clara, US

Robert Noyce(Co-founder)inGordon Moore(Co-founder; CEO 1975–1987)Andrew Grove(Employee no. 3; CEO 1987–1998)April Miller Boise(Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer)inMichelle Johnston Holthaus(Chief Executive Officer of Intel Products)inChristoph Schell(Executive Officer)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAccess Venture PartnersCeltic House Venture PartnersIrregular ExpressionsKluz VenturesNorwest Venture PartnersPlayground Global+12 more

Revolution Medicinesrevmed.cominNASDAQ: RVMD

Revolution Medicines is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing medicines using its proprietary Tri-Complex Platform and RAS(ON) Biology research approach.

BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesRedwood City, US

Margaret Horn(Executive Officer)Mark A. Goldsmith(Executive Officer, Director)inJack Anders(Chief Financial Officer)Stephen M. Kelsey(President, Research and Development)Alan Sandler(Chief Development Officer)inAnthony Mancini(Chief Global Commercialization Officer)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBain Capital Life SciencesForesite CapitalGV (Google Ventures)Illinois VenturesNextech InvestThe Column Group+2 more

Rocket Labrocketlabusa.comin𝕏NASDAQ: RKLB

Rocket Lab develops launch vehicles and space systems for commercial space access and satellite deployment.

Deep TechHardwareSpace TechLong Beach, US

Peter Beck(Founder)in

Co-investorsBessemer Venture PartnersDCVC (Data Collective)Draft Ventures LlcErgo CapitalIn-Q-TelIndustrious Ventures+9 more

1QBit1qbit.comin𝕏

1QBit develops computational tools that enable organizations to reimagine and solve complex, previously intractable problems across industries.

Deep TechEnterprise SoftwareQuantum Computing

Andrew Fursman(Founder)inSarah Cairnsin

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAllianz XGreen Sands EquityInnovative Solutions CanadaSCB 10XFluxus Ventures

Accordanceaccordance.comin𝕏

Develops AI tools for tax and accounting professionals to improve compliance, financial planning, and decision-making capabilities.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechLegalTechSan Francisco, US

David Yue(Founder)inFinsam Samson(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsKhosla VenturesAlumni VenturesBasecamp FundCarya Venture PartnersDcode CapitalGeneral Catalyst+8 more

Amber Agricultureamber.agin

Amber Agriculture makes wireless IoT sensors that flow with grain through the supply chain, monitoring moisture, temperature, and CO2 to help farmers prevent spoilage and better time their sales.

AgTechHardwareIoTChicago, US

Lucas Frye(Co-founder)inJoseph Varikooty(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inJoey Varikooty(Co-founder)

BoardCyril Ebersweiler(Incoming Series Seed Director.)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsHAXIllinois VenturesSOSV1517

Ambitionambition.comin𝕏Jun 2018

Ambition provides a unified revenue execution platform that integrates coaching, data intelligence, and activation tools for sales teams.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSales TechChattanooga, US

Travis Truett(CEO)inJared Houghton(Founder)inBrian Trautschold(COO)inKatie Rhode(Director of People)Dustin Miller(People Acquisition Manager)

BoardClint Smith(Director)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsChattanooga Renaissance FundGV (Google Ventures)Y CombinatorAcequia Capital (AceCap)Initialized CapitalNCN Partners+4 more

AngelListangellist.comin𝕏

AngelList's investor management platform provides tools for venture capital and private equity firms to streamline LP interactions, automate fund operations, and deliver reporting and portfolio updates through a branded digital experience.

Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS

Avlok Kohli(CEO)inAvlok K.inBabak Nivi(Founder)Naval Ravikant(Founder)

Co-investorsAccelerator VenturesAccompliceAgman PartnersAltra VentureAngel Collective Opportunity FundAtacama Ventures+55 more

Artisightartisight.comin

Artisight builds an AI platform that uses computer vision and operational intelligence to improve hospital workflows and clinician efficiency.

AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthEnterprise SoftwareHealthtech

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsNVIDIAEpsilon Health InvestorsGFT VenturesIntermountain Health

Bankinnovationbankinnovation.net

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Behavoxbehavox.comin

Behavox provides an AI-native compliance platform that unifies surveillance, archiving, policy management and compliance operations for large financial institutions, asset managers, and other regulated enterprises.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechLondon, GB

Erkin Adylov(Founder)inKiryl Trembovolski(Chief Operating Officer (Co-founder))inAlexander Glasman(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsHoxton VenturesIndex VenturesPromus VenturesSoftBank Vision FundBlackRockHercules Capital, Inc.+1 more

Bellabeatbellabeat.comin𝕏May 2018

Bellabeat develops AI-powered wearable devices and a health intelligence platform designed to help women track wellness metrics, understand hormonal cycles, and receive personalized health insights.

AI & Machine LearningConsumerFemTechHardwareWellness & FitnessSan Francisco, US

Urska Srsen(Co-founder & CPO)inSandro Mur(Co-founder & CEO)Betsie Larkin(Marketing Director)in

BoardPeter Warnoe(Director)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBramalea PartnersCherubic VenturesFundersClubPromus VenturesTuesday CapitalY Combinator+11 more

Binpressbinpress.com

BinPress is a learning hub based in New York that provides educational content and resources for entrepreneurs on topics including web hosting, website building, online marketing, and artificial intelligence.

AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEdTechMedia & EntertainmentNew York, US

Adam BenayounEran GalperininMark Bynum(Founder)

Co-investors500 GlobalFundersClubScrum Ventures

Cape Analyticscapeanalytics.cominAcquired

Cape Analytics provides CAPE Property Intelligence, using geospatial imagery analytics and computer vision to generate predictive property risk insights.

AI & Machine LearningInsurTechPropTech

Ryan Kottenstette(Founder)Suat Gedikli(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAquiline Technology GrowthBrewer Lane VenturesDCVC (Data Collective)In-Q-TelLux CapitalThompson Hutton, LLC+6 more

Charliekempcharliekemp.com

Personal site of Charlie Kemp, a roboticist and cofounder/CTO of Hello Robot Inc., which builds Stretch, a compact, lightweight, force-sensitive mobile manipulator robot.

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Chromatikchromatik.comin

Chromatik is a digital platform for music practice and instruction, built around interactive sheet music.

EdTech

Matt Sandlerin

Co-investors500 GlobalBaroda VenturesLaunchpad LAMucker CapitalKapor CapitalLearn Capital+2 more

Cobalt Roboticscobaltrobotics.comin𝕏

Cobalt Robotics provides an AI-powered physical security monitoring platform that connects access control systems, video feeds, and edge devices to automate incident investigation and response for enterprise security operations centers.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwarePalo Alto, US

Erik Schluntz(Founder)inTravis Deyle(Founder)inKen Wolff(Chief Executive Officer)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBloomberg BetaCoatue ManagementComet LabsFlucas VenturesGaingelsHemisphere Ventures LLC+4 more

Crosslend Gmbh (The Thing Gmbh)crosslend.comin

CrossLend provides portfolio management and securitisation technology for private debt and digital lending.

Data & InfrastructureFintechSaaS

Oliver Schimek(Founder)inDaniel Schlotter(Founder)Daniel Stelzer(Founder)Marie Louise Seelig(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsEarlybird Venture CapitalMouro CapitalNorthzoneABN AMRO VenturesPromus Ventures

Custom Inkcustomink.comOct 2014acquired by Great Hill Partners

Custom Ink is an online provider of customizable apparel and merchandise for organizations, groups, and businesses, offering design tools and customer service to help teams build culture and brand awareness.

B2B MarketplacesConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFairfax, US

Marc Katz(Executive Officer, Director)Nick Braden(Executive Officer, Director)inKevin Cheetham(Executive Officer)

BoardFredrick Schaufeld(Director)Ted Leonsis(Director)inFrederick Perkins(Director)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAurumBAM VenturesRevolutionSWaN & Legend Venture PartnersTensility Venture PartnersTYLT Ventures

Darkdarklang.comin𝕏Defunct

Darklang is a programming language and development platform designed to build CLIs and cloud applications with minimal complexity.

Cloud ComputingDeveloper Tools

Paul Biggar(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBackstage CapitalNextView Ventures

Deakodeako.comin𝕏Seed

Deako manufactures smart home electrical switches and controls that enable wireless dimming, scheduling, and automation for residential applications.

ConsumerHardwareIoTSeattle, US

Derek Richardson(CEO)inAlexander Strunkin(CPO)Andrew MastGuru Iyer

BoardDoug Renert(Director)inBrian Weeks(Director)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAlumni VenturesLigo Partners LLCPartech VenturesTandem CapitalY CombinatorAgrolimen Ventures+9 more

Digital Assetdigitalasset.comin𝕏May 2025

Digital Asset (DA) is the creator of the Canton Network, a privacy-enabled blockchain for global financial markets that supports tokenization of real-world assets and connects traditional and decentralized finance.

Crypto & Web3Enterprise SoftwareFintechNew York, US

Yuval Rooz(Co-Founder & CEO)inEric Saraniecki(Co-Founder & Head of Network Strategy)Shaul Kfir(Co-Founder)inJuan Lorenzana(Executive Officer)inEdward Lawrence Janulis(Executive Officer)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAlumni VenturesR136 VenturesSmash Capitala16z cryptoBNP ParibasBroadridge+23 more

Digital Currency Groupdcg.coin𝕏

DCG is an investment and operating firm focused on the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, managing over 200 equity investments, 50 fund investments, and 30+ token and digital asset holdings across 25+ countries.

Crypto & Web3Fintech

Barry Silbert(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBain Capital VenturesCapitalGFirstMark CapitalK2 GlobalNew York Life VenturesOff the Chain Capital+5 more

Dispatchdispatch.mein𝕏

Dispatch provides a service orchestration platform that connects businesses with independent service providers and customers to deliver coordinated, high-quality service experiences.

AgTechB2B MarketplacesData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFintechFuture of WorkSaaSNew York City, US

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAssurant VenturesGrandBanks CapitalKima VenturesLaunchCapitalTechstars

Dispatchdispatch.spacein𝕏

Dispatch develops heat shields for spacecraft reentry and cargo return, enabling high-frequency satellite operations at lower cost.

Advanced ManufacturingHardwareSpace TechSan Francisco, US

Payton Case(CEO)inAndrew Mello(CTO)inDanny Nemer(President)inJia Hao Lim(Founder)Sonia Jin(Founder)Stav Braun(Founder)

Co-investorsY CombinatorRebel FundAdverb VenturesAlumni VenturesAndreessen HorowitzAntler+25 more

EarthSenseearthsense.coin𝕏

EarthSense develops AI and robotics solutions for agriculture to address sustainability and productivity challenges.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningRobotics

Chinmay Soman(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsADB VenturesAg Ventures AllianceAgLaunch AcceleratorAurum Venture PartnersBread And Butter Ventures, LlcIllinois Ventures+2 more

Email Copilotemailcopilot.comin𝕏Acquired

Engage is an email deliverability platform that provides real-time inbox placement testing, sender reputation and authentication monitoring, blocklist alerts, and pre-send deliverability checks across major mailbox providers.

Data & InfrastructureMarketing TechSaaSSan Diego, US

Co-investorsKeshif VenturesTechstarsSocial Leverage

Enviewenview.comJul 2017

San Francisco, US

San Gunawardana(Founder)inHelen Boniske(Director)Krassimir Piperkov(Founder)

BoardMatt Bigge(Director)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalAHOY CAPITALBrightCap Investment Advisor ADLemnos VCPromus VenturesStatkraft Ventures

Figure Eight Inc.figure-eight.com

Machine learning software platform that transforms unlabeled data into high-quality AI training data.

Lukas Biewald(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCanvas VenturesCheyenne VenturesK9 VenturesPromus VenturesThe Perkins FundTrinity Ventures+2 more

Filamentfilament.com

An industrial IoT company enabling secure communications and private exchanges between devices through distributed network technology.

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBackstage CapitalPantera CapitalVTF CapitalZenStone Venture CapitalFINTOP CapitalWillow Growth Partners+1 more

First Opinionfirstopinionapp.com

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Fortscalefortscale.com

Idan Tendler(Founder)in

Co-investorsBlumberg CapitalEvolution Equity PartnersValor Capital Group

Gauss Surgicalgausssurgical.com

HealthtechLos Altos, US

Siddarth Satish(Executive Officer, Director)Milton B. McColl(Executive Officer, Director)inRalph L. Arnheim III(Executive Officer)

BoardJay Watkins(Director)inMark Gonzalgo(Director)

Co-investorsCorewell Health VenturesPromus VenturesRex Health VenturesSonder CapitalSUMMATION HEALTH VENTURES

Geektimegeektime.com

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Gigstergigster.comin𝕏Acquired

Gigster connects companies with a global network of software developers and digital talent to build custom products and develop digital capabilities.

AI & Machine LearningB2B MarketplacesDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSAustin, US

Debo Olaosebikan(Founder)inRoger Dickey(Board Director)inChristopher Keene(Chief Executive Officer)inJennifer Pockell Dimas(Chief Marketing Officer)inEllis Ishaya(WW Vice President, Customer Success & Network Operations)inShawn Mohr(Chief Revenue Officer (joined May 2023))in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBloomberg BetaEmmett ShearFelicis VenturesJustin WaldronMarc BenioffNaval Ravikant+15 more

Halterhalterhq.com

Halter develops GPS-based collars and monitoring towers for livestock management on farms.

AgTechHardwareIoTWaikato, NZ

Craig Piggott(CEO & Founder)inMax Olson(Co-founder and first CTO)in

Co-investorsArc AngelsBessemer Venture PartnersBlackbird VenturesBond Capital ManagementDCVC (Data Collective)Icehouse Ventures+5 more

Halterhalter.co.nz

Halter provides a mobile and web platform for cattle and grazing management, combining satellite-enabled GPS collars with real-time pasture monitoring and data analytics.

AgTechHardwareIoTSaaS

Craig Piggott(Founder)

Co-investorsUbiquity VenturesBessemer Venture PartnersBlackbird VenturesBond Capital ManagementDCVC (Data Collective)Founders Fund+3 more

Hello Robothello-robot.com

Hello Robot develops mobile manipulator robots designed to assist and enhance life for people of all ages, including children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareRoboticsAtlanta, US

Dr. Aaron Edsinger(Co-founder)Dr. Charlie Kemp(Co-founder and CTO)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Huckleberryhuckleberry.com

Huckleberry offers online business insurance aimed at small businesses and startups, allowing them to get a quote and purchase coverage in under five minutes.

FintechInsurTech

Aaron Ward(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalAmaranthineJam FundTribe CapitalUncork Capital

Huckleberryhuckleberry.co.nz

Huckleberry is a family-run New Zealand grocery retailer offering groceries, meat, and fresh produce with flat, transparent nationwide pricing and no loyalty cards, subscriptions, or added bag/service fees.

ConsumerE-commerceRetail TechAuckland, NZ

Aaron Ward(Founder)Bryan O'Connell(Founder)Diogo Bohm(Founder)Steve Au(Founder)

Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalPromus VenturesVela Partners

ICEYEiceye.comin𝕏

ICEYE operates a satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system that delivers persistent, real-time monitoring and damage assessment data globally.

Climate TechDeep TechDefense TechSpace TechFinland, FI

Rafal Modrzewski(Founder)inPekka Laurila(Founder)in

Co-investorsDnx VenturesDraper AssociatesFOUNDER.orgGeneral CatalystIn-Q-TelInception Fund+13 more

iguazioiguazio.comin𝕏

Iguazio builds a platform for deploying machine learning and generative AI models into production business applications, helping data science and engineering teams move models from development to real-world use.

AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsEnterprise Software

Eran Duchan(Founder)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBosch VenturesINcapital VenturesKensington Capital Partners LimitedMagma Venture PartnersNVIDIAPlaza Ventures+4 more

Inventablesinventables.com𝕏

Inventables manufactures and sells desktop CNC machines, parts, and accessories for makers, creative professionals, and small manufacturers.

Advanced ManufacturingCreator EconomyHardwareChicago, US

BoardZach Kaplan(Executive Officer, Director)inPhil Black(Director)inSue Khim(Director)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCorazon CapitalDundee Venture CapitalGreycroftIllinois VenturesTrue VenturesCue Ball+2 more

Junejuneoven.comin𝕏

June makes a countertop smart oven that combines functions like convection, air frying, grilling, and slow cooking, using an internal HD camera and a "Food ID" recognition system to identify food and auto-select cooking programs.

AI & Machine LearningConsumerHardware

Matt Van Horn(Founder)Nikhil Bhogal(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAurumLerer HippeauRainfall VenturesRSE VenturesWestern Technology InvestmentFoundry+1 more

Kenshokensho.comin𝕏Jul 2015acquired by S&P Global

Kensho is an AI innovation division within S&P Global that develops generative and agentic AI systems for financial intelligence and enterprise platforms.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFintechCambridge, US

Daniel Nadler(Founder)inPeter Kruskall(Founder)Bhavesh Dayalji(CEO & S&P Global Chief AI Officer)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBreyer CapitalComcast VenturesF-Prime CapitalGV (Google Ventures)In-Q-TelGeneral Catalyst+3 more

Lightformlightform.comin𝕏

Lightform develops design tools for projected augmented reality, combining computer vision and hardware to enable interactive visual experiences.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechDeveloper ToolsHardware

Co-investorsComet LabsDolby Family VenturesPresence CapitalTuesday CapitalAnorak VenturesLevensohn Venture Partners+2 more

Mapboxmapbox.comin𝕏Apr 2015

Mapbox operates a developer cloud platform that provides maps, navigation, search, and geospatial data services built from continuously updated location data drawn from telemetry, aerial imagery, computer vision, and user contributions.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsMobility & TransportationSaaSWashington, US

Eric Gunderson(Executive Officer, Director)Bonnie Bogle(Founder)Eric Gundersen(Founder)

BoardRandy Glein(Director)Ryan McIntyre(Director)Marc Prioleau(Director)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsDBL PartnersEnergize CapitalFelicis VenturesFoundryGFR FundPremji Invest+8 more

Marblemarble.io

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Marketomarketo.comacquired by Adobe

Marketo builds marketing automation software for lead management, email campaigns and account-based marketing.

AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyEnterprise Software

Phil Fernandez(Founder)David Morandi(Founder)Jon Miller(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBattery VenturesCrosslink CapitalEntrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA)fronttrail Equity Partners GmbHGlilot Capital PartnersGolub Growth+15 more

Orbital Insightorbitalinsight.comAcquired

Palo Alto geospatial analytics company applying AI and computer vision to satellite, aerial and mobile location data; acquired by Privateer in 2024.

James Crawford(Founder)inKevin O'Brien(CEO)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAnsa CapitalBloomberg BetaBrighter CapitalCommunity Access FundGaingelsGeodesic Capital+15 more

Petronicspetronics.io

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAtlantic Bridge VenturesSOSV

Poppypoppy.comin

Poppy optimizes ventilation in large commercial buildings by using aerosol tracer testing to measure actual outdoor air rates and adjusting existing damper setpoints to cut HVAC energy waste, with customers paying only from verified utility savings.

CleantechEnergyPropTechSilicon Valley, US

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsf7 VenturesPanache VenturesTop Corner Capital

Powerlytics Financial Servicespowerlytics.com

Powerlytics provides investable asset data derived from U.S. tax returns, enabling wealth managers and financial services firms to identify client capacity to invest at granular geographic levels.

Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFintech

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsBrewer Lane VenturesBroad Street AngelsCurql Collective, LLCTribeca Early Stage Partners

Privitarprivitar.com

London

Nick Pointon(Executive Officer)Cary Davis(Director)Gerard Buggy(Founder)Jason McFall(Executive Officer)Jason du Preez(Founder)Seth Pierrepoint(Director)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investors24 HaymarketAccelPartech VenturesABN AMRO VenturesIlluminate Financial

Representrepresent.com

Daniel Rosenbergin

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCredo VenturesFundersClubScrum Ventures

Return Pathreturnpath.com𝕏Nov 2016

Return Path (now part of Validity) offers email deliverability tools that provide real-time inbox placement testing, sender reputation and authentication monitoring, blocklist alerts, and pre-send deliverability checks.

Data & InfrastructureMarketing TechSaaSNew York, US

Matthew Y. Blumberg(Executive Officer, Director)George Bilbrey(Founder)Anita Absey(Chief Revenue Officer)JOHN T. SINCLAIR(Chief Financial Officer)Lisa T. Mogensen(Executive Officer)Jack Sinclair(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAnthem Venture Management, LlcFoundrySapphire VenturesUnion Square Ventures (USV)Vista Equity PartnersWestern Technology Investment+2 more

Rhombus Systemsrhombussystems.com

Rhombus offers a cloud-managed physical security platform that combines enterprise-grade hardware with software for monitoring, AI-powered video search, and automated workflows.

Cloud ComputingCybersecurityIoT

Co-investorsOlima Ventures

Ripple Labsripple.comin𝕏

Ripple builds blockchain-based financial infrastructure to enable cross-border value transfer and payment solutions for enterprises, governments, and financial institutions.

Crypto & Web3Enterprise SoftwareFintechSan Francisco, US

Ryan Fugger(Founder)Christian Larsen(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)David Schwartz(Founder)inBradley Garlinghouse(Executive Officer)Arthur Britto(Founder)Brad Garlinghous(Founder)

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investors500 GlobalAbstract VenturesAurum Venture PartnersAvant Global LLCCamp One VenturesCastle Island Ventures+22 more

Silver Tail Systemsrsa.comin𝕏

RSA provides an AI-powered unified identity platform for organizations to manage authentication, access control, identity governance, and lifecycle management.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareSaaSBurlington, US

Rohit Ghaiin

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsAndreessen HorowitzCiti VenturesIn-Q-Tel

Skyryse Aviation Technologyskyryse.comin𝕏

Skyryse develops SkyOS, a flight-control operating system that simplifies aircraft operation through automated maneuvers, emergency management, and optionally piloted or autonomous flight.

Deep TechDefense TechMobility & TransportationEl Segundo, US

Mark Groden(Founder)inStephen Koo(Executive Officer, Director)inBlake Bilstad(Executive Officer)in

BoardLior Susan(Director)inWill Summerlin(Director)Ethan Batraski(Director)in

PartnerJ Cheng· solo GP

Co-investorsCantos VenturesCity LightDas & Co.Embedded VenturesFlucas VenturesFOG Ventures+25 more

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

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Exits · 14

4 IPOs · 10 acquisitions · showing 6

IntelNASDAQ: INTCRevolution MedicinesNASDAQ: RVMDRocket LabNASDAQ: RKLBCustom Inkacq. by Great Hill PartnersKenshoacq. by S&P GlobalMarketoacq. by Adobe

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Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Gen Capital made?
Gen Capital has 82 tracked investments, 14 of which have exited, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Gen Capital invest at?
Gen Capital invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
What sectors does Gen Capital focus on?
Gen Capital focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AgTech, AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Climate Tech, Crypto & Web3, Cybersecurity, Deep Tech, Digital Health, EdTech, Future of Work, Hardware, Healthtech, IoT, Mobility & Transportation, Quantum Computing, Robotics, Space Tech.
Where is Gen Capital located?
Gen Capital is headquartered in Chicago, US.
Does Gen Capital lead rounds?
Gen Capital typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Who does Gen Capital co-invest with?
Gen Capital most often shares deals with Promus Ventures, Y Combinator, Gaingels, among 316 tracked co-investors.

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