Fundraising Fox

John Mannes

Investor

Partner at Basis Set Ventures

San Francisco, California

Writes $2M – $3M checks Β· typically $3M

About

John, a former TechCrunch AI lead, leverages pattern-recognition from covering hundreds of AI teams and in-house ML engineers and data scientists to help founders prototype and commercialize ML.

LinkedIn β†—X / Twitter β†—
Latest on 𝕏

John Mannes @johnmannes

Never in a million years would I have predicted the solution for rising drug costs and drug shortages would be genetically engineered chicken eggs. πŸ₯š I remember the first time Demetrios Kellari and Sam Levin explained to me how they planned to produce medicines at

Mar 26, 2026 Β· β™₯ 3

John Mannes @johnmannes

Everyone's talking about gas prices, but supply chains are about to get extremely weird again. 🚒 ✈️ 🚚 πŸš— Gas at the pump is up 28% in the last month. That's the number we see. But diesel for trucking, jet fuel for air freight and bunker fuel for container ships is up https://t.co/l6joPPy1UD

Mar 19, 2026 Β· β™₯ 1

John Mannes @johnmannes

We underinvest in coordination. There’s a lot broken in how U.S. research operates. It's slow, the incentives are broken and the whole system is built on outdated signals. It should evolve. But many of the problems we care about β€” industrial capacity, supply chains, even food https://t.co/hfgxdTGFPX

Mar 18, 2026 Β· β™₯ 1

Invests in

AI & Machine LearningConsumerData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsLogistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesRoboticsSaaS

Experience

  1. Basis SetVenture Partnercurrent2026 β€” presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  2. Basis SetPartner2017 β€” 2026San Francisco Bay Area
  3. TechCrunchWriter2015 β€” 2017San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Michigan Venture Capital AssociationSummer Analyst2015Ann Arbor, Michigan
  5. Mid-Atlantic Venture AssociationSummer Analyst2014Washington DC-Baltimore Area
  6. Montgomery County Public SchoolsMember of the Board of Education2012 β€” 2013Rockville Maryland

Education

  1. University of MichiganSome time here, UC Berkeley too for a bit2013 β€” 2016
  2. Northwest High SchoolThesis: Conquering the Visceral: Applying Game Theory To School Board Elections2009 β€” 2013

Skills & more

Leadership32Public Speaking33Strategic Planning10Management5Writing4Policy20Nonprofits18Public Policy17Politics12Research17Fundraising12Community Development7
+12 moreLegislationPolitical CommunicationPolitical CampaignsInternational RelationsPolitical ConsultingLegislative RelationsCommunity OutreachGrantsCommunity OrganizingGraphic ArtsPublic RelationsGrassroots Organizing

From John's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended University of Michigan493

Erik TorenbergGeneral Partner at Andreessen HorowitzKarim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Glen AndersonPartner at Monta Vista CapitalAlexandra FarmerPrincipal at Intel Capital, North AmericaHannah KrootMarketing Lead at Intel CapitalScott ShawChief of Staff at Intel Capital

+ 487 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Basis Set16

Ding ZhouHead of Content Engineering at Snap, Inc. at SignalFireSheila VasheeVenture Partner at Basis Set VenturesChang XuPartner at Basis Set VenturesLan XuezhaoFounder & Partner at Basis Set VenturesRachel WongCTO & Partner at Basis Set VenturesWilson KyiPartner at Basis Set Ventures

+ 10 more

Also worked at TechCrunch37

Danny CrichtonPartner, Research at Lux Capital, publishing the Securities newsletter and RiskgamingKim-Mai CutlerInvestor at Initialized CapitalCyril EbersweilerGeneral Partner at SOSVBrett CalhounGeneral Partner at Redbud VCDaniel KimerlingManaging Partner at DeciensKatie SarroHead of Global Marketing at Flourish Ventures

+ 31 more

Also worked at Michigan Venture Capital Association7

Jim AdoxExecutive Managing Director at Clarevia VenturesJoshua BeebePartner at MK CapitalAdrian FortinoGeneral Partner at Mercury FundKim PasquinoManaging Director at Wakestream VenturesCamila NoordeloosGeneral Partner at Grand VenturesPatti GlazaManaging Director at ID Ventures

+ 1 more

Also worked at Mid-Atlantic Venture Association2

Bob NyePartner at JMI EquityBrija JohnsonProgram Director at UCLA Ventures

Colleagues at Basis Set Ventures

Catherine Stewart
Venture Partner at Basis Set Ventures
Chang Xu
Partner at Basis Set Ventures
Ding Zhou
Technical Advisor at Basis Set Ventures
Dr. Lan Xuezhao
Founder & Partner at Basis Set Ventures
Eduardo Fonseca
Technical Advisor at Basis Set Ventures
Fahad Noor
Staff Engineer at Basis Set Ventures
Ian Wong
Technical Advisor at Basis Set Ventures
Ingrid Chen
Controller & Partner at Basis Set Ventures

Network1

Chang Xu
Partner at Basis Set Ventures

Investors connected to John in public investor directories β€” a warm-intro map.