Founder Collective

Founder Collective is a seed and early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2009 with roots in Cambridge, Massachusetts and offices in New York. The firm is built by entrepreneurs who have founded and exited technology companies, and it aims to back founders by providing practical capital and guidance to navigate the risks of venture funding. It concentrates on early investments in technology companies, with an emphasis on software and information technology, and it makes bets across the United States and beyond, though its roots are on the East Coast. The team partners with portfolio companies to help them scale, often supporting startups that seek modest initial financings. Through its network and hands-on approach, Founder Collective seeks to partner with ambitious teams to grow durable, technology-driven businesses.

Joe DeFilippi

CFO

David Frankel

Managing Partner

Amanda Herson

Principal and Investor

Zach Klein

Founder and Partner

Eric Paley

Managing Partner

Past deals in Pets

Smalls

Series B in 2023
Smalls is a direct-to-consumer cat food company that produces human-grade, fresh meals for cats delivered to customers. Its products are prepared with fresh meat and a small amount of green vegetables, gently cooked to lock in nutrients and moisture, and offered in customized kits tailored to a cat's nutritional needs. Founded in 2017 by Matt Michaelson and Calvin Hughes and based in New York, Smalls focuses on convenient, high-quality meals designed for cats.

Front of the Pack

Series A in 2021
Front of the Pack produces and sells pet supplements focused on enhancing dogs' overall health. Their platform offers products to improve dental health, alleviate joint pain, and promote coat health.

Front of the Pack

Seed Round in 2020
Front of the Pack produces and sells pet supplements focused on enhancing dogs' overall health. Their platform offers products to improve dental health, alleviate joint pain, and promote coat health.

Smalls

Series A in 2020
Smalls is a direct-to-consumer cat food company that produces human-grade, fresh meals for cats delivered to customers. Its products are prepared with fresh meat and a small amount of green vegetables, gently cooked to lock in nutrients and moisture, and offered in customized kits tailored to a cat's nutritional needs. Founded in 2017 by Matt Michaelson and Calvin Hughes and based in New York, Smalls focuses on convenient, high-quality meals designed for cats.

Smalls

Seed Round in 2019
Smalls is a direct-to-consumer cat food company that produces human-grade, fresh meals for cats delivered to customers. Its products are prepared with fresh meat and a small amount of green vegetables, gently cooked to lock in nutrients and moisture, and offered in customized kits tailored to a cat's nutritional needs. Founded in 2017 by Matt Michaelson and Calvin Hughes and based in New York, Smalls focuses on convenient, high-quality meals designed for cats.

Embark

Seed Round in 2017
Embark offers dog DNA testing that ends preventable diseases in dogs. It was founded by top experts in genomics, computational biology, and software design to sell an industry-leading dog DNA test. They use a clinical-grade CLIA-certified SNP chip to provide the most accurate and comprehensive results (200,000+ genetic markers) available on the market. Their data contributes to proprietary genetics research that will help dog owners optimize nutrition, exercise, allergies, and prevent a variety of heritable conditions. Their technological advantage, intellectual capital, and research-focus enable them to push canine health toward our shared vision of preventative veterinary care.
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