Defy.vc

Defy.vc is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Woodside, California, founded in 2016 by Neil Sequeira and Trae Vassallo. The firm focuses on seed and Series A investments, aiming to support companies as they mature and scale into industry leaders. With over 50 years of combined venture experience, the team has a strong track record of helping entrepreneurs grow companies from inception through exit.

Defy.vc invests across diverse sectors, including enterprise SaaS, fintech, AI, healthcare, marketplaces, and consumer-oriented businesses. The firm is known for its hands-on approach, working closely with founders during critical phases of development, especially after initial seed funding. In February 2023, Defy.vc closed its third fund at $300 million, following the close of its second fund at $262 million in May 2019.

In November 2023, Defy.vc expanded its team by welcoming Medha Agarwal as a General Partner and Amy Yin as a Venture Partner. These strategic additions aim to bolster the firm's momentum as it actively invests from Fund III, continuing its commitment to backing extraordinary early-stage founders and supporting them in building startups into category-defining industry leaders.