Betaworks Ventures

Betaworks Ventures is a New York City-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage technology investments. The firm focuses on network-centric media and tech companies, leveraging a hybrid investor/builder model to both invest in and develop startups. Notable investments include Tumblr, Airbnb, Groupon, and Twitter, as well as internally developed companies like Chartbeat, Bitly, and SocialFlow. In 2016, Betaworks sold its Instapaper product to Pinterest.

The firm's investment strategy centers on identifying and supporting new consumer behaviors and trends powered by frontier technologies. Betaworks Ventures typically invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, with check sizes ranging from $250,000 to $750,000. The firm has a particular interest in sectors such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, SaaS, gaming, and decentralization. Through its Betaworks Camp program, the firm provides pre-seed funding, mentorship, and product development support to early-stage startups building frontier technologies.

Betaworks Ventures has a track record of backing over 150 companies, including Giphy, Anchor, Gimlet Media, Product Hunt, Medium, Kickstarter, and Tumblr. The firm's approach combines investment with active involvement in product development, aiming to foster innovation and support the growth of emerging technologies and platforms.