Miami · Pre-Seed–Seed · 2 people tracked
Find your way into Unpopular Ventures
1,036 people in our graph share verified history with the Unpopular Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
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 Sep 15, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 39 of 43 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×15Fintech ×15SaaS ×15Enterprise Software ×11Consumer ×6Hardware ×6B2B Marketplaces ×4Deep Tech ×4
HQs:United States×21Mexico×4Germany×2Brazil×1Algeria×1India×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 14 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×32 founders×73 founders×34+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 25 founders with education data
Stanford University ×5Stanford University Graduate School of Business ×3American University of Beirut ×2Harvard University ×2Massachusetts Institute of Technology ×2The Wharton School ×2Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México ×2University of California, Berkeley ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 25 founders with field-of-study data
Engineering ×9Business & Management ×6Computer Science ×6Economics ×3Mathematics & Statistics ×3Design & Architecture ×2Finance & Accounting ×2Physics ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 25 founders with career history
A.T. Kearney ×2CERN ×2SpaceX ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
3 founders hold a PhD · 9 hold an MBA (of 26 with degree data)
Investments · 43 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 12025 · 22024 · 22023 · 72022 · 42021 · 82019 · 125 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 Salomonin
Co-investors500 GlobalKaszek VenturesOak HC/FTSommet ABStreamlined VenturesY Combinator+1 more
AltScore provides B2B credit infrastructure and digital lending solutions that enable companies to launch and operate credit programs for their customers.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaSMexico City, MX
Andres Perez Romo Leroux(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inMateo Semerene Barreiro(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
Co-investorsBuenTrip VenturesHaymaker VenturesKamay VenturesLorimer VenturesNuMundo VenturesTechstars+2 more
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)inChat Joglekar(Co-founder)in
Co-investorsFluent VenturesObvious VenturesZeno 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
Zach Rosen(Co-Founder, CEO)inMax Katzman(Co-Founder, Head of Engineering)inAlex Le-Tu(Co-founder)in
BoardHenry Kasa(Co-Founder, COO)in
Co-investorsFigure 8 InvestmentsLeft Lane CapitalMenlo VenturesNecessary VenturesFirst Round Capital
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CatalyzeX runs a search platform that helps developers find machine learning techniques and their code implementations.
Co-investorsVibe CapitalAbstraction CapitalAVVBasecamp FundDarling VenturesFocal Ventures+2 more
A platform that helps recruitment and talent acquisition teams create and distribute social media content about their company culture and open positions, with tools for coordinating employee LinkedIn engagement and generating carousel-style posts.
AI & Machine LearningHR TechMarketing TechSaaS
Co-investorsExpert DOJOFuel VenturesHustle Fund
Dropbase is a prompt-based platform for building internal business applications that connect to databases and external services.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSan Francisco, US
Jimmy E. Chan(Founder)in
Co-investorsY CombinatorBragiel BrothersGradient VenturesLiquid Ventures
EquityList provides an equity management platform for companies to handle cap tables, stock options, shareholder relations, and fundraising from seed to IPO.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS
Co-investorsHustle Fund
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)in
Co-investorsCastle Island VenturesContour Venture PartnersDorm RoomHTwentyMONASHEESQED Investors+4 more
Foundation Devices manufactures Passport Prime, a hardware device designed to secure Bitcoin, two-factor authentication codes, security keys, and other sensitive digital assets.
Crypto & Web3CybersecurityHardwareBoston, US
Zachary Herbert(Executive Officer, Director)Kenneth Carpenter(Director)
BoardOleg Mikhalskiy(Director)
Co-investorsInflection.xyzKube VCGreenfieldLightning VenturesPolychain CapitalThird Prime
Golioth provides an IoT platform designed to simplify the development and deployment of connected devices for hardware teams and IoT developers.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeveloper ToolsHardwareIoTSan Francisco, US
Jonathan Beri(Founder and CEO)inDan(Engineering Leader)Brian(Operations Leader)Ariana(Strategic Marketing & Product Marketing Lead)Dylan(Product Management Leader)
BoardJocelyn Goldfein(Director)in
Co-investorsBlackhorn VenturesDifferential VenturesLorimer VenturesZetta Venture Partners
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+14 more
Khyaal is a mobile app that serves seniors in India with a community platform offering events (music, games, yoga, meditation), financial products (digital gold and SIPs), curated products through a marketplace, and organized senior-friendly domestic and international tours.
ConsumerFintechWellness & FitnessIndia, IN
Hemanshu Jain(Executive Officer, Director)inRaj-Ann R. Gill(Director)
BoardGlen Tullman(Director)in
Co-investorsSupermorpheus7wire VenturesEverywhere VenturesINVENTUS CAPITALInventus Capital PartnersTitan Capital
Kyte is a point-of-sale system designed for small businesses to manage sales across multiple channels including physical stores and online platforms.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaSSão Paulo, BR
Guilherme Galesi Hernandez(Founder)in
Co-investorsDN CapitalHoney Island CapitalPark West Asset ManagementSterling Road
Nelo offers a mobile credit app for consumers in Mexico, letting users get approved for credit and pay in biweekly installments.
ConsumerFintechMexico City, MX
Kyle Miller(Founder)inStephen Hebson(Founder)in
Co-investorsEastward Capital PartnersHomebrewTop Corner CapitalGaingelsMoving CapitalRogue Capital+2 more
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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
Nowadays is an AI-powered platform for corporate event planning that handles tasks from venue sourcing to budget management.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSSan Francisco, US
Anna Sun(CEO)inAmy Yan(COO)inAnthony Puterman(Cofounder)Justin Tidwell(Cofounder)in
Co-investorsThe E14 FundY CombinatorCornucopian Capital ManagementGaingelsSelva VenturesStray Dog Capital+1 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)in
Co-investors3cubed VenturesTechstarsAmino CapitalGlobal Founders CapitalJG Digital Equity VenturesTMV
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Portfolio Pilot provides AI-powered financial advisory tools for individual investors to manage portfolios, optimize tax strategies, and plan for retirement and estate matters.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaS
Alexander Harmsen(CEO)in
Co-investorsAtland VenturesMorado Ventures
Readyly provides agentic AI for local governments and public-facing organizations, automating resident inquiries and complex tasks like permit requests, utility service changes, and inspection scheduling across text, chat, phone, email, and social channels.
AI & Machine LearningGovTechSaaS
Vijay Jagoori(Founder)in
Co-investorsCapital A PartnersAiSprouts VCContext VenturesHustle FundPage One Ventures
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)in
Co-investorsCross Culture VenturesMaC Venture CapitalVentures PlatformY CombinatorRebel Fund
Skyfri develops an industrial-grade edge computing device for solar power plants that processes data locally on-site without cloud dependency.
CleantechEnergyHardwareIoTOslo, NO
Co-investorsAcurio VenturesSpeedinvest
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(CEO and Co-Founder)inTressia Hobeika(Founder)inEdoardo Serra(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlleyCorpEqual Opportunity VenturesForesite CapitalOak HC/FTSemperVirens Venture CapitalY Combinator+2 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
Thryve provides a platform that enables partners to improve patient engagement, preventive care, and clinical research through real-world health insights and insurance innovation.
Data & InfrastructureDigital HealthHealthtechBerlin, DE
Friedrich Lämmel(CEO)inJohn Trimpop(CTO)Paul Burggraf(COO)in
Co-investorsCARMA FUNDKickstart InnovationAbstract VenturesDarling VenturesJoyance PartnersShanda Group+2 more
THRYVE Automation designs and builds custom turnkey automation systems—including robotics, machine vision, material handling, inspection, and packaging—for manufacturers in energy, life sciences, HVAC/filtration, automotive, and consumer products.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareRoboticsRichmond, US
Co-investorsMcNally CapitalAbstract VenturesDarling VenturesJoyance PartnersShanda GroupTMV+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+18 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
Unpopular Ventures (UV) is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups across sectors globally.
Sector Agnostic
Peter Livingston(Founder)in
Co-investorsPeakAfore CapitalAmino CapitalCIVGeneral AdvanceGoAhead Ventures+4 more
Vaultree develops data-in-use encryption technology that keeps sensitive data encrypted while it remains searchable, shareable, and usable across cloud and third-party systems.
CybersecurityData & InfrastructureDeep TechEnterprise Software
Co-investorsMolten VenturesS VenturesTen ElevenEnterprise IrelandLytical Ventures
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 CapitalY Combinator
WiseLayer builds AI agents that automate specific complex tasks for finance and accounting teams, such as accruals and payroll accounting.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaS
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+13 more
ZenFi offers a free mobile app for Mexican consumers to improve their credit profile, manage their credit cards, and check their tax information.
ConsumerFintech
Co-investorsMagma PartnersCometaConny & Co.Redwood Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
QuantbiomeSMBXZepto
Exits · 2
2 acquisitions · showing 1Wise Layeracq. by BlackLine
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesPortfolioPilot · lacuna.tiptreesystems.com · Sep 11, 2026
Unpopular Ventures · fintechfutures.com · Aug 28, 2026
Terra · disruptafrica.com · Aug 18, 2026
Baton · wafb.com · Jul 29, 2026
Hadrius · fintechfutures.com · Jul 17, 2026
Brellium · insights.euclid.vc · Jul 15, 2026
Stepful · alleycorp.substack.com · Jul 15, 2026
Volantis · techcrunch.com · Jul 8, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Unpopular Ventures made?
- Unpopular Ventures has 43 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 4 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 78 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
Hustle Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests quickly in startups, offering capital along with educational programs and mentorship. It also runs an angel investing community that lets members invest alongside the fund.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everywhere Ventures is an early-stage venture firm, backed by a community of founders and operators as LPs, that writes early checks (including pre-seed) into startups across many sectors and geographies.
Streamlined Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that partners with founders and invests at the seed stage to help build large-scale companies.
Quiet Capital is an early-stage venture firm run by builders who back founders from day zero.
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.
Zetta Venture Partners provides early-stage capital and hands-on support to founders building AI-native applications, infrastructure, and developer tools.
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.
▶56 more co-investors
Page One VenturesSommet ABBlackhorn VenturesSterling RoadFuel VenturesDifferential Ventures17SigmaImpact America FundSequoia CapitalNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Unknown VenturesKleiner PerkinsKrakenB Capital GroupNorwest Venture PartnersGreat Oaks Venture CapitalBalderton CapitalGoat CapitalFundersClubPioneerFifth WallPrecursor VenturesUlu VenturesElectric CapitalBAM VenturesPareto HoldingsWinklevoss CapitalOutlander VCDreamers VCDragonflyAccelerator VenturesJackson Square VenturesOyster VenturesContrary9Yards CapitalAmplo VenturesAthletico VenturesIncisive VenturesBow CapitalGeek VenturesMVP VenturesElefundMana VenturesSeayaRepublic Capital (ex Republic Labs)One Planet GroupalboFactionSandwith Ventures, LLCTunitas VenturesKain CapitalMyAsiaVCBetter Ventures Central LlcLas 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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