<aside> ℹ️ Spotlight groups are syndicate, network, and fund leaders interested in recommending two qualified finalists into our Ensemble pipeline. Read on for more info!
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A key tenet of First Row Partners’ main fund is that high-quality deal flow from across the US is possible and beneficial. We are sharing that experience wtih angels who are often regionally-focused.
The Founder information page here has participation details and investment criteria.
This is a 6-week process by an ad hoc group of investors to select a startup investment into an SPV (The Ensemble Event Fund) where each investor commits $10k upfront. We anticipate a check of $150-200K to the company that the group has diligenced using the “swift & thorough” First Row frameworks and processes. Aimed at investors with prior investing experience, we seek to build deeper relationships amongst angels in our community by providing an intellectual connection that builds enduring relationships and expands capacity. The investment will be professionally managed as a First Row portfolio company alongside our core fund investments.
Should your group consider participation? Here’s what we ask:
Launched in 2020, Yoko Okano and Minda Brusse are Founding Partners of this pre-seed specialist firm based in Seattle, investing nationally. We study and invest along two primary themes — 1- Tech merging Media & Commerce 2 - Tech elevating human expression, especially emerging builders, content creators, and storytellers.
Our inquiry-based processes and internally developed frameworks set us apart, and startups find this approach continues to be a key asset of our portfolio support. We believe every great startup begins as an “abstract painting” that calls upon investors to proceed with curiousity with the goal of clarifying the picture. From there, our champion-challenge investment decision process is ‘swift and thorough.’
We garnered the attention of leaders at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business where we now teach graduate level classes in investing and entrepreneurship. Our curriculum often incorporates experiential learning opportunities alongside academics. Intersecting with MBA, Law, PhD and entrepreneurship students lets us meet a new generation of technolgists and business builders. Go Huskies!