Fundraising Fox

Rafael Corrales

InvestorFounder

Founder at BACKGROUND CAPITAL · Founder at Background

San Francisco, California

Writes $100K – $250K checks · typically $100K

FoundedBackground

About

Rafael Corrales is an investor with a long track record in venture capital, having supported Instacart from its early stages and helped the company recruit key talent and raise capital.

Founder at Background

Intro paths

→

In turn, Rafael can intro founders to Background's investors below.

Background's investors · 1

Level VenturesSunny Isles Beach

Experience

  1. Background CapitalFoundercurrent2018 — present
  2. VercelFounding Investor, Board Member2016 — 2017San Francisco
  3. CRVPartner2013 — 2017San Francisco
  4. InstacartAdvisor2012 — 2015San Francisco
  5. LearnBoostCEO / Co-founder (acquired by Wordpress)2010 — 2013San Francisco

Education

  1. Harvard Business SchoolM.B.A.2008 — 2010
  2. Georgia Institute of TechnologyB.S., International Affairs and Modern Languages2003 — 2006

Skills & more

Start-upsEntrepreneurshipBusiness DevelopmentVenture CapitalMergers & AcquisitionsExecutive ManagementCorporate DevelopmentSEOGlobal Business DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsMarketingOnline Marketing
+12 moreProduct ManagementCompetitive AnalysisSales ManagementBusiness StrategySalesManagement ConsultingTeam BuildingDue DiligenceSaaSStrategyLeadershipAnalysis

Languages Spanish

From Rafael's professional profile.

Deals · 2

AudioShake newSolo GP

via BACKGROUND CAPITAL · filed Aug 2025

ShoppingGivesSolo GP

via BACKGROUND CAPITAL

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters. Some rows are inferred. Not right? Tell us.

Network2

Alana Goyal
Managing Partner at Base Case Capital
Brandon Leonardo
Angel

Investors connected to Rafael in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Rafael Corrales work?
Rafael Corrales is Founder at BACKGROUND CAPITAL and Founder at Background.
What check size does Rafael Corrales write?
Rafael Corrales typically writes checks of $100K – $250K.
What companies did Rafael Corrales found?
Rafael Corrales founded Background.

Founder mafias

Harvard Business School mafia311

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Mike Maples JrMBAFounded Pattern BreakersNoubar AfeyanVisiting LecturerFounded ProFound Therapeutics +12Wade MyersMBAFounded RealManage +5Harry GrunerFounded Hilos +2Ellen RubinMBAFounded ClearSky Data +2Brad GarlinghouseMBAFounded Hightail +2

+ 304 more

Georgia Institute of Technology mafia179

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Aamir PoonawallaMastersFounded Understudy Labs +1Jonathan FriedmanBachelor of Science (B.Sc.)Founded Assembly +1Eric WangMaster of Science - MSFounded Natural +1Royce ArockiasamyBachelor of Science - BSFounded Pleom +1Prama YudhistiraBachelor of Science - BSFounded Parameter +1Ethan ByrdB.S.C.S.Founded Actual +1

+ 172 more

Instacart mafia23

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Aamir PoonawallaSenior Software Development ManagerFounded Understudy Labs +1Jake SeipSenior Product Manager, New VerticalsFounded Aero +1Matthew DeitersDirector of Product, Instacart AppFounded Assembly Made +1Quentin RousseauSenior Reliability EngineerFounded Rootly +1Fahim FerdousSenior EngineerFounded AdQuick +1Lev KokotovSenior Software EngineerFounded PostgresML +1

+ 16 more

Vercel mafia14

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Francois ArbourInvestorFounded Paraito +1Daniel LevineDirectorFounded ChartioPablo StanleyStaff Product DesignerFounded Carbon HealthPranay PrakashSoftware DeveloperFounded WindsorFernando RojoHead of MobileFounded BasementVincent JiangInvestorFounded Aden

+ 7 more

Same school

Also attended Harvard Business School1,969

Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter Capital; architect of Invest America; BG2 co-hostAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner Perkins

+ 1,963 more

Also attended Georgia Institute of Technology329

Brando De CourtenData Engineer at P101 VenturesWouter Van de PutteInvestment Director at Capricorn Venture PartnersWill McGinnisEntrepreneur and data science executive working at the intersection of AI/ML, technology, and business strategyJaya GuptaInvestor at Foundation CapitalJames WangGeneral Partner at Creative VenturesRaymond WangInvestor at Notable Capital

+ 323 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Vercel28

Sangeen ZebInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Dan CahanaPrincipal on the Investment Team at Notable Capital, focused on Cloud Infrastructure & AIGlenn SolomonInvestor at GGV CapitalOren YungerInvestor at GGV CapitalGeoff LewisFounder & Managing Partner at BedrockAaron BrownSecurity Advisor at Modern Technical

+ 22 more

Also worked at CRV56

Ann Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at FloodgateBruce SachsInvestor at CRV (Charles River Ventures)Rick BurnesInvestor at CRV (Charles River Ventures)Erica VanInvestment Director at Intel CapitalSanto PolitiInvestor at Spark CapitalAnnie KadavyVenture Partner at Redpoint Ventures

+ 50 more

Also worked at Instacart42

Alex TranInvestment Team at General CatalystJesse RobbinsFounder and Investor in AI Developer ToolsNeil TolaneyGeneral Partner at TCVLily SarafanInvestor at Streamlined VenturesIhar MahaniokFounder & General Partner at Geek VenturesHrach SimonianAdvisor at Driven

+ 36 more