Authentic Ventures LLC

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Overview

Authentic Ventures is a seed and early-stage venture capital firm based in Oakland, California. It focuses on building an inclusive network of founders, operators, and investors, with a particular emphasis on women and minority-led companies solving challenging problems. The firm invests in pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, typically backing 4-6 companies per year with check sizes ranging from $0 to $1M, and has supported over 25 portfolio companies across sectors like business services, financial services, consumer products, and life sciences.

History

Authentic Ventures Investment Manager, LLC was founded in 2018 by Lindsay Lee. The firm established itself in Oakland, positioning as an intentionally inclusive VC network of over 1,000 operators and experts over-indexing to women and people of color. It has grown its portfolio to 25+ investments from pre-seed through Series B stages.

Notable Products

Investment in portfolio companies - Backs 4-6 early-stage startups annually, primarily led by women and minorities, across USA geographies.
Inclusive founder network - Network of 1,000+ operators and experts providing support to portfolio companies.

Reputation

Authentic Ventures is recognized for its commitment to diversity in venture capital, particularly supporting underrepresented founders. Professionals note its focused investment approach and strong network as strengths. It maintains a niche presence in early-stage funding without widespread mainstream visibility.

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