Founders Co-op

Overview

Founders' Co-op is a seed-stage venture capital firm based in Seattle, focusing on early-stage technology companies primarily in the Pacific Northwest.¹²⁵ It supports founding teams outside Silicon Valley through investments, networks, and programs like Techstars Seattle.¹² The firm has backed over 125 companies since 2008, with a portfolio including Remitly, Auth0, and Ally.io, and is investing from its fifth core fund.²

History

Founders' Co-op was established in 2008 by co-founders Andy Sack and Chris DeVore, both experienced entrepreneurs.²⁵ Key milestones include creating Techstars Seattle and Alexa Accelerator programs, and building a portfolio of over 125 investments with notable exits.² The firm continues active investing, with recent deals in companies like Goodbill, KeySavvy, and Groundlight AI as of July 2024.²

Notable Products

• Seed-stage investments - Primary focus on early-stage tech companies in Pacific Northwest, with historical checks averaging $488k and max $26M.
• Techstars Seattle - Co-founded accelerator program supporting regional startups.
• Alexa Accelerator - Program boosting investment reach in the startup ecosystem.
• Fifth core fund - Current investment vehicle backing innovative B2B SaaS, cloud, and payments companies.

Reputation

Founders' Co-op is recognized as a leading seed investor in the Pacific Northwest, valued by founders for operator experience and networks aiding scaling.¹²⁵ Professionals note its strong portfolio and role in accelerators as strengths in the regional ecosystem.² No major criticisms identified in available sources.