Venture Capital, Reimagined by AI
We pioneered AI-driven investing. Our fully autonomous AI analyst reviews every application, giving founders everywhere equal access to capital.
Apply for FundingYour AI Analyst. 7 Years in the Making.
Wendal is our fully autonomous AI that replaces traditional human analysts. It evaluates every pitch with consistent rigor, data-driven insights, and zero bias—giving founders anywhere in the world a fair shot at funding.
We've been founders. We know the grind. We built Wendal to change how venture capital works—and how founders get funded.
Investment Thesis
The original AI venture fund. Data-driven intelligence meets founder empathy.
AI-First Analysis
Wendal, our autonomous AI analyst built over 7 years, reviews every application. No human gatekeepers means equal access for founders everywhere.
Data-Driven Decisions
Every investment decision is backed by proprietary data models. We pioneered AI-driven venture capital and continue to push the boundaries.
Founder Empathy
We are founders ourselves. We have been in your shoes. We built Wendal because we experienced the broken fundraising process firsthand.
Sector Agnostic
We invest where software or technology creates meaningful differentiation. Healthcare to fintech, infrastructure to consumer, we follow great founders.
Why Traditional VC Is Broken
You need a warm intro.
92% of deals at top VCs come from their existing network. If you're not already in the room, you're already behind.
You need a great pitch.
Most funding decisions are made in the first 10 minutes of a meeting. It's a beauty contest, not an analysis.
You need months of patience.
The average VC process takes 4-6 months. Most founders get ghosted before they get an answer.
We built Wendal to fix all three.
A fair shot. A fast answer. No pitch required.
Chat With Wendal
Your application IS the conversation. Spend 20 minutes with Wendal, our AI analyst. No pitch deck, no warm intro, no resume. Just answer honestly. Wendal is measuring resiliency, grit, leadership, temperament, and more with zero bias.
Decision in 3 Business Days
92% of founders receive a clear yes or no within 3 business days. If it's a no, you'll know why. We don't ghost.
Meet the Team (8% of Applicants)
If Wendal flags your application, you'll get a call with one of our partners. This is a conversation, not a pitch, we've already done our homework on you.
Investment Decision Within 2 Weeks
If we want to move forward after the team call, we move fast. Final diligence is handled by Wendal: automated, thorough, and quick. From first conversation to term sheet in roughly 2 weeks. We write $250K–$500K checks at pre-seed and seed into software-driven businesses valued at $15M or below.
Chat With Wendal
Your application IS the conversation. Spend 20 minutes with Wendal, our AI analyst. No pitch deck, no warm intro, no resume. Just answer honestly. Wendal is measuring resiliency, grit, leadership, temperament, and more with zero bias.
Decision in 3 Business Days
92% of founders receive a clear yes or no within 3 business days. If it's a no, you'll know why. We don't ghost.
Meet the Team (8% of Applicants)
If Wendal flags your application, you'll get a call with one of our partners. This is a conversation, not a pitch, we've already done our homework on you.
Investment Decision Within 2 Weeks
If we want to move forward after the team call, we move fast. Final diligence is handled by Wendal: automated, thorough, and quick. From first conversation to term sheet in roughly 2 weeks. We write $250K–$500K checks at pre-seed and seed into software-driven businesses valued at $15M or below.
faster than the average VC process
Of founders who speak to our team, conversion is roughly 200x higher than traditional VC
The algorithm doesn't care who you know.
46% of our portfolio CEOs are women or minorities, roughly 3x the venture industry average. Not because we have a mandate. Because we built the bias out of the process before it could sneak in.
Source: NBER research shows ~15–17% of VC-backed startups are run by women or minority CEOs. Connetic portfolio data as of 2025.
Women & minority CEOs in our portfolio
Avg. VC-backed startups with women or minority CEOs (NBER)
Portfolio
Backing founders building technology-enabled companies across industries.
Cary Health
Empowering pharmaceutical companies and health systems to optimize workflows
Healthcare
Bizzy Coffee
Organic, ready-to-drink cold brew coffee
Consumer
First Ignite
AI-powered business development for universities and research institutions
EdTech
Abre
Modern K-12 data platform
EdTech
Letterhead
Agentic newsletter platform
Media
Acorns
Micro-investing app making financial wellness accessible for everyone
FintechTeam
Founders building the future of venture capital.
We've been in your shoes. We know the grind, the rejection, and the broken system. That's why we built something different.
Brad Zapp
Managing Partner
Serial entrepreneur with multiple exits and founder of RIA. Leads strategy and fundraising.
Chris Hjelm
Partner
Serial founder, data scientist, and quantitative trader. Deep expertise in enterprise technology and financial technology.
Hannah Creech
Lead Developer
Architect behind Wendal. Building the AI infrastructure that powers our analysis.
Skip the gatekeepers. Apply directly.
We invest at pre-seed and seed stages in founders building technology-enabled companies.
Wendal reviews every application with the same rigor—whether you're in Silicon Valley or anywhere else in the world. No warm intros needed. No network required.
Every founder deserves a fair shot. Wendal makes that possible.