Ulu Ventures

Ulu Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2008 and based in Palo Alto, California. Specializing in seed-stage and early-stage investments, the firm focuses on technology-enabled services, particularly in sectors such as educational technology, legal informatics, and various internet industries. Ulu Ventures targets investments in internet-enabled consumer and business services, digital media, mobile applications, and financial technology, among others. The firm often collaborates with other investors to make cumulative investments ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. It aims to invest primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and seeks opportunities with viable exit strategies in subsequent funding stages. Ulu Ventures is notable for being the first Latina-led venture fund in Silicon Valley and is committed to reducing investment risk through a structured decision-making process.

Kathy Chen

Partner

Kevin Hoffberg

Venture Partner

Clint Korver

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Stephen Malinak

Venture Partner

Maria Salamanca

Partner

Nancy Torres

Partner

Miriam Rivera

Co-Founder, CEO and Managing Director

Past deals in Investment Banking

FounderNest

Seed Round in 2022
FounderNest Inc. is an AI-driven platform established in 2017, with headquarters in Walnut, California, and additional presence in Madrid. The company aims to enhance connections between entrepreneurs and investors through a neutral, efficient, and transparent approach. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence, FounderNest's technology identifies the specific needs of businesses and facilitates timely connections with appropriate partners, investment opportunities, and acquisition targets. This platform is designed to support informed decision-making and strategic optimization, enabling users to maintain a competitive edge. FounderNest has garnered trust from prominent founders and investors globally, leveraging its proprietary technology to streamline the investment process. The company is co-founded by graduates from Stanford, Wharton, and Columbia and has received backing from notable Silicon Valley investors.

Finalis

Seed Round in 2022
Finalis, Inc. operates a broker-dealer and deal technology platform tailored for investment bankers, placement agents, and fintech companies. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Tiburon, California, the company offers a compliance and supervisory platform that facilitates a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private placements, and alternative investments across the United States. Finalis provides legal templates to assist in these transactions and has developed a white-labeled regulatory affiliation and compliance back-office solution to help private securities brokerages operate within legal frameworks. Additionally, the platform includes the Finalis Hub, which offers a streamlined deal management solution and a Mandate Marketplace, allowing brokers to connect, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities.

Syndicate

Venture Round in 2022
Syndicate is a decentralized asset management platform and social network designed to democratize investing. It facilitates the creation of investing syndicates, allowing users to raise and invest capital quickly and efficiently. The platform supports the formation of decentralized autonomous organizations, empowering communities to engage in collaborative investment opportunities. By streamlining the investment process, Syndicate aims to transform traditional value creation methods and enhance accessibility for a broader audience.

Cheres

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Cheres is a provider of a digital platform where users can see what their friends are investing in. Its platform can integrate with users' current accounts on investing platforms. The company is headquartered in New York.

Backer

Venture Round in 2021
Backer is a prominent fintech company specializing in 529 college savings plans, aimed at simplifying the process of saving for education. The company offers an investment platform that enables families to create college savings plans efficiently. Its user-friendly interface allows family and friends to contribute easily, promoting a collaborative approach to education savings. Backer's innovative mobile app enhances the experience further, facilitating tax-free investment opportunities for parents and families. The company has established crucial technology partnerships with various 529 programs, which contribute to its high enrollment conversion rates and distinguish it in the market.

RealBlocks

Series A in 2020
RealBlocks is a financial technology platform designed to facilitate the distribution of alternative investment funds through financial advisors and institutions. The platform provides essential tools for investment managers to create and manage custom alternative funds globally. Key features include built-in secondary trading, a modular white-label onboarding experience, and an API dashboard that streamlines operations. By focusing on cost reduction, improved efficiency, and enhanced investor experience, RealBlocks enables managers to raise capital across international markets. It connects managers with institutional and intermediary channels, broadening access to investor capital while integrating various service providers. Additionally, the platform supports the transition to tokenized product structures, which enhances liquidity and enables fractional ownership.

Backer

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Backer is a prominent fintech company specializing in 529 college savings plans, aimed at simplifying the process of saving for education. The company offers an investment platform that enables families to create college savings plans efficiently. Its user-friendly interface allows family and friends to contribute easily, promoting a collaborative approach to education savings. Backer's innovative mobile app enhances the experience further, facilitating tax-free investment opportunities for parents and families. The company has established crucial technology partnerships with various 529 programs, which contribute to its high enrollment conversion rates and distinguish it in the market.

Ellevest

Series A in 2019
Ellevest, Inc. is an investment management firm founded in 2014 and based in New York City, focusing primarily on providing financial services to women. The firm manages customized client portfolios across various asset classes globally, employing fundamental analysis and a top-down approach in its investment strategy. Ellevest has developed a digital investment platform that offers a personalized experience, utilizing proprietary algorithms tailored to women's financial needs, including salary peaks and goal-specific portfolios. This platform aims to empower female investors by helping them take control of their investments and achieve their financial goals through a user-friendly interface and thoughtful portfolio construction.

RealBlocks

Seed Round in 2019
RealBlocks is a financial technology platform designed to facilitate the distribution of alternative investment funds through financial advisors and institutions. The platform provides essential tools for investment managers to create and manage custom alternative funds globally. Key features include built-in secondary trading, a modular white-label onboarding experience, and an API dashboard that streamlines operations. By focusing on cost reduction, improved efficiency, and enhanced investor experience, RealBlocks enables managers to raise capital across international markets. It connects managers with institutional and intermediary channels, broadening access to investor capital while integrating various service providers. Additionally, the platform supports the transition to tokenized product structures, which enhances liquidity and enables fractional ownership.

Ellevest

Series A in 2017
Ellevest, Inc. is an investment management firm founded in 2014 and based in New York City, focusing primarily on providing financial services to women. The firm manages customized client portfolios across various asset classes globally, employing fundamental analysis and a top-down approach in its investment strategy. Ellevest has developed a digital investment platform that offers a personalized experience, utilizing proprietary algorithms tailored to women's financial needs, including salary peaks and goal-specific portfolios. This platform aims to empower female investors by helping them take control of their investments and achieve their financial goals through a user-friendly interface and thoughtful portfolio construction.

Ellevest

Series B in 2016
Ellevest, Inc. is an investment management firm founded in 2014 and based in New York City, focusing primarily on providing financial services to women. The firm manages customized client portfolios across various asset classes globally, employing fundamental analysis and a top-down approach in its investment strategy. Ellevest has developed a digital investment platform that offers a personalized experience, utilizing proprietary algorithms tailored to women's financial needs, including salary peaks and goal-specific portfolios. This platform aims to empower female investors by helping them take control of their investments and achieve their financial goals through a user-friendly interface and thoughtful portfolio construction.

Trefis

Angel Round in 2008
Trefis is a stock analysis service that breaks down a stock price by the contribution of a company's major products and businesses. The model allows users to change underlying assumptions by simply dragging lines on charts forecasting the future price of the products, their future expected market share, etc. Every time you change an assumption, the price target changes accordingly.
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