Miami · Pre-Seed–Seed · 2 people tracked
Investment thesis
Unpopular Ventures invests in companies that are overlooked or unconventional at the start, operating on the belief that following the crowd yields only average outcomes. The firm seeks extraordinary returns by backing startups and pursuing an investing approach that is unpopular in the beginning, positioning itself as a contrarian investor willing to look where others are not.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 25, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 22 of 24 portfolio companiesFintech ×9AI & Machine Learning ×8Enterprise Software ×8SaaS ×7B2B Marketplaces ×4Consumer ×3Deep Tech ×3Hardware ×3
HQs:United States×14Germany×1Algeria×1Mexico×1Nigeria×1Norway×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 14 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×32 founders×73 founders×24+ founders×2
Where their founders studiedfrom 21 founders with education data
Stanford University ×5Stanford University Graduate School of Business ×3American University of Beirut ×2Harvard University ×2Massachusetts Institute of Technology ×2University of California, Berkeley ×2University of Virginia ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 22 founders with career history
CERN ×2SpaceX ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
3 founders hold a PhD · 7 hold an MBA (of 22 with degree data)
Investments · 24 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 12025 · 12024 · 12023 · 32021 · 28 dated
Conduit provides AI agents for hospitality brands that handle guest communication across email, WhatsApp, OTAs, social channels, and phone calls, and automate internal operations across a company's existing tools.
AI & Machine LearningSaaSTravel & Hospitality
Co-investorsTranspose Platform ManagementY CombinatorHack VCPi LabsAltos VenturesBankless Ventures+8 more
99minutos is an integrated logistics operator serving companies across Latin America, offering services from last-mile delivery to full supply chain management including warehousing, customs clearance, and international logistics.
Enterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainMexico City, MX
Alexis Patjane(Founder)inJose Salomon
Co-investors500 GlobalKaszek VenturesOak HC/FTSommet ABStreamlined VenturesY Combinator
Baton provides business valuation tools and services for small business owners, combining an online calculator that uses market data and comparable sales with expert-reviewed valuations.
B2B MarketplacesFintechSaaS
Dylan Gans(Co-founder)Chat Joglekar(Co-founder)in
Co-investorsFluent VenturesObvious Ventures
Blissway provides roadside toll collection and vehicle tracking systems using wireless autonomous devices (WAL-Es) and cloud analytics, replacing traditional gantry and transponder infrastructure for highway management agencies.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingGovTechHardwareIoTMobility & TransportationSaaSDenver, US
Francisco Torrealba(Founder)inFelipe Kettlun(Founder)in
Co-investorsJames Beshara FundManiv MobilityOpen Opportunity FundThe MBA FundVentureSouqY Combinator
Brellium builds compliance software for American healthcare providers, enabling clinicians to manage documentation and regulatory requirements so they can focus on patient care.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechNew York, US
Zachary Rosen(Executive Officer, Director)Alexander Le-Tu(Executive Officer, Director)Zach Rosen(Founder)inMax Katzman(Founder)in
BoardHenry Kasa(Director)in
Co-investorsFigure 8 InvestmentsLeft Lane CapitalMenlo VenturesNecessary VenturesFirst Round Capital
Felix is a remittance service that enables users to send money from the United States to Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Dominican Republic) via WhatsApp, with funds delivered to bank accounts, mobile wallets, or cash pickup locations.
B2B MarketplacesFintechSan Francisco, US
Bernardo Garcia(Founder)
Co-investorsCastle Island VenturesContour Venture PartnersDorm RoomMONASHEESQED InvestorsSwitch Ventures+4 more
Hadrius provides AI-powered compliance automation software for financial services firms, helping compliance teams automate oversight, reduce false positives, and meet SEC and FINRA requirements with enterprise-grade security.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSNew York City, US
Thomas Stewart(Founder)inAllen Calderwood(Founder)inSom Mohapatra(Founder)in
Co-investorsY CombinatorCRV (Charles River Ventures)Dorm RoomLynett Capital Partners
Hapi offers Latin American consumers a mobile platform to buy stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies without account minimums or trading fees, accessible in minutes.
FintechSan Francisco, US
Dusko Kelez(Founder)inBilly Caballero(Founder)inPiero Sifuentes(Founder)in
Co-investorsImmeasurableY CombinatorUTEC Ventures
Jeeves provides flexible payment and expense management solutions for businesses, including prepaid cards, payment processing, and cross-border transaction services across multiple jurisdictions.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSMiami, US
Dileep Thazhmon(Founder)in
BoardAngela Strange(Director)inSherwin Gandhi(Director)
Co-investors17SigmaAltaIR CapitalAndreessen HorowitzClocktower VenturesCRV (Charles River Ventures)FoundersX+13 more
Novig operates a sports prediction market where users can trade on sporting outcomes without paying commissions.
ConsumerFintechGamingMarketplacesNew York City, US
Jacob Fortinsky(Founder)inKelechi Ukah(Founder)in
Co-investorsForerunner VenturesMakers FundMulticoin CapitalPalm Drive CapitalPantera CapitalY Combinator+2 more
Plentina offers a mobile app that provides Filipino consumers with instant credit to buy goods and services, usable at merchants including 7-Eleven and Smart.
ConsumerFintechBelmont, PH
Earl Valencia(Director)Kevin Gabayan(Director)
Co-investors3cubed VenturesTechstarsAmino Capital
Revv is a software platform that helps automotive repair shops manage Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) calibrations, from identifying OEM requirements during estimates through documentation and insurance reimbursement.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaSNew York City, US
Adi Bathla(Founder)inRashmi Sinha(Founder)
Co-investors1984 Ventures Management, LlcAdapt VenturesAglae VenturesLeft Lane Capital
Shekel Mobility is a B2B marketplace and management system that provides auto dealerships with financial services (including credit facilities), operational automation, and cross-border transaction capabilities across emerging markets.
B2B MarketplacesFintechMobility & TransportationLagos, NG
Benjamen Oladokun(Founder)inValentine Mayaki(Founder)inSanmi Olukanmi(Founder)inSeun Okunfolami(Chief Product Officer)
Co-investorsCross Culture VenturesMaC Venture CapitalVentures PlatformY CombinatorRebel Fund
Skyfri builds V04, an edge-computing device that monitors, controls, protects, and optimizes solar and battery assets in real time, processing data locally on-premise without cloud dependency.
CleantechEnergyHardwareOslo, NO
Co-investorsAcurio VenturesSpeedinvest
San Francisco, US
Benjamin Lozano(Executive Officer, Director)Jackie Chan(Director)
BoardDovi Frances(Director)
Co-investorsImpact America FundBetter VenturesGroup 11
Stepful provides affordable, online healthcare education programs with live instruction and personalized coaching to train students for healthcare careers.
EdTechHealthtechNew York City, US
Carl Madi(Founder)inTressia Hobeika(Founder)inEdoardo Serra(Founder)
Co-investorsAlleyCorpEqual Opportunity VenturesOak HC/FTSemperVirens Venture CapitalY CombinatorECMC Group+1 more
Terra One develops AI models and an automated trading platform to operate large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS, 15–1000 MW) and trade energy on European power exchanges.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechEnergy
Thomas Antonioli(Founder)in
Co-investorsPT1468 Capital8VCBelief CapitalLux CapitalSilent Ventures+1 more
Turion Space builds space infrastructure spanning maneuverable spacecraft, mission planning software, and orbital logistics such as refueling and servicing, with capabilities for space domain awareness and rendezvous proximity operations.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechDefense TechSpace TechLos Angeles, US
Ryan Westerdahl(CEO & Co-Founder)inTyler James Pierce(Founder)inPatryk Wiatr(Founder)inRyan W(Founder)in
Co-investorsAngel Collective Opportunity FundAsymmetry VenturesAurelia FoundryBeyond Earth VenturesCenter15 CapitalDG Daiwa Ventures+17 more
Undermind provides AI-powered research discovery tools that help R&D teams find relevant scientific papers and research quickly.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Joshua Ramette(Founder)inTom Hartke(Founder)in
Co-investorsPositron VenturesY Combinator
Veria AI is an autonomous pentesting platform that identifies and exploits security vulnerabilities across code repositories, then generates fix recommendations.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Cayden Liao(Founder)inJayden Sarveshkumar(Founder)inStephen Xu(Founder)in
Co-investorsY CombinatorAntigravity CapitalSeaplane VenturesAmino CapitalBBQ CapitalEight Capital+5 more
Develops optical interconnect technology using light-based communication for computing systems.
Deep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Co-investorsIceNineVibe Capital
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS
Therese Tucker(Founder & Co-CEO)
Co-investorsCanaan PartnersK5 GlobalThe Fintech FundUnusual Ventures
Yassir operates a super app platform with multiple services across African markets.
B2B MarketplacesConsumerLogistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesMobility & TransportationAlgeria, DZ
Noureddine Tayebi(Founder)inel mahdi Yettou(Founder)in
Co-investorsWndrCoAlumni VenturesBasecamp FundDN CapitalFlucas VenturesGreycroft+6 more
Co-investors2am VC
Exits · 1
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioWiseLayeracq. by BlackLine
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesTerra · techpoint.africa · Aug 18, 2026
Hadrius · fintechfutures.com · Jul 17, 2026
Brellium · insights.euclid.vc · Jul 15, 2026
Stepful · alleycorp.substack.com · Jul 15, 2026
Shekel Mobility · nation.africa · Jul 6, 2026
Novig · cnbc.com · Jun 16, 2026
Jeeves · theregister.com · May 4, 2026
Turion Space · spacewatch.global · Apr 17, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Unpopular Ventures made?
- Unpopular Ventures has 16 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Unpopular Ventures invest at?
- Unpopular Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Unpopular Ventures's typical check size?
- Unpopular Ventures typically writes checks of $100K – $500K.
- What sectors does Unpopular Ventures focus on?
- Unpopular Ventures focuses on Crypto & Web3.
- Where is Unpopular Ventures located?
- Unpopular Ventures is headquartered in Miami, US.
- Does Unpopular Ventures lead rounds?
- Unpopular Ventures typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does Unpopular Ventures co-invest with?
- Unpopular Ventures most often shares deals with Y Combinator, The MBA Fund, CRV (Charles River Ventures), among 77 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the team"Why do we invest only in unpopular ventures?" Peter Livingston
Burak Buyukdemir · Peter Livingston
Investing in 'Unpopular' Startups w/ Peter Livingston, GP, Unpopular Ventures | VC10X Podcast
VC10X with Prashant Choubey · Peter Livingston
Gustavo Souza looks to Peter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures
Guillaume Villon de Benveniste · Peter Livingston
Peter Livingston, Unpopular Ventures - Investing In Startups Through AngelList Syndicates
The Meb Faber Show · Peter Livingston
The Secrets of Venture Capital With Peter Livingston of Unpopular Ventures
Fixing Incentives Podcast · Peter Livingston
Images
Co-investors · 68
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a venture capital firm founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, known for pioneering the platform model with a large team of operators supporting founders across stages.
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.
Alumni Ventures (AV) is a venture capital firm that co-invests alongside lead VCs in startups, backing founders with capital and access to a large investor and operator community.
Streamlined Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that partners with founders and invests at the seed stage to help build large-scale companies.
8VC is a venture capital firm investing across logistics, life sciences, healthcare, IT infrastructure, and government/defense, guided by its Smart Enterprise thesis focused on data integration and platform network effects.
DN Capital is a global early-stage venture firm founded in 2000, investing in Seed, Series A and select Series B companies across Europe and North America.
Mantis Capital is a venture capital firm investing in technology startups across fintech, crypto, SaaS, developer tools, and consumer sectors.
1984 Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that backs founders, publishing content on fundraising, company building, and AI. Its portfolio includes companies such as PostHog and Proxie.
Sommet AB is a private equity and early-stage technology investor established in 2014 by Christer Andersson. The firm invests across multiple sectors and provides strategic guidance, mentorship, and capital to startups and businesses, with a focus on fostering innovation and creating positive impact.
17Sigma is an early-stage venture capital firm backing pre-seed and seed founders across Latin America to support the region's digitalization and tech ecosystem.
Impact America Fund invests in technology companies led by and serving overlooked communities and people of color, aiming to increase agency and participation in the American economy.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies.
▶56 more co-investors
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)Unknown VenturesKleiner PerkinsEverywhere VenturesKrakenB Capital GroupNorwest Venture PartnersGreat Oaks Venture CapitalBalderton CapitalQuiet CapitalGoat CapitalFundersClubPioneerFifth WallPrecursor VenturesUlu VenturesElectric CapitalBAM VenturesHustle FundPareto HoldingsWinklevoss CapitalOutlander VCDreamers VCZetta Venture PartnersDragonflyAccelerator VenturesJackson Square VenturesOyster VenturesContrary9Yards CapitalAmplo VenturesAthletico VenturesIncisive VenturesBow CapitalGeek VenturesMVP VenturesElefundPage One VenturesMana VenturesBlackhorn VenturesSeayaRepublic Capital (ex Republic Labs)One Planet GroupalboSterling RoadFactionFuel VenturesSandwith Ventures, LLCTunitas VenturesKain CapitalMyAsiaVCBetter Ventures Central LlcDifferential VenturesLas Olas Venture CapitalOutliers VCGateCap Ventures
Firms observed investing alongside Unpopular Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Unpopular Ventures's recorded portfolio.
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