Aristos Ventures

Aristos Ventures is a Dallas, Texas-based micro venture capital firm founded in 2011 by Managing Partner Felipe Mendoza, with $14 million in assets under management. The firm is explicitly modeled after the classic venture capital approach of the 1980-1993 era — when average investment sizes were $2 million and fund sizes were $35 million — arguing that this capital-efficient, high-conviction model produced the best returns and the most enduring technology companies. Aristos targets highly capital-efficient tech companies across Texas, with a specific focus on Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The firm leads rounds and deploys $200K to $1 million per investment at seed and Series A stages, targeting exits in the $5 to $20 million range. With 17 investments to date, Aristos has backed CloudCoreo (acquired by VMware), Netsocket (acquired by iPhotonix), Theatro, Nesh, Traxo, JamKazam, Nimbix, and InvoiceCare, among others. The team operates with an extended network of Venture Partners comprising seasoned entrepreneurs and investors embedded in the Texas tech ecosystem. Aristos Ventures' thesis cuts against the grain of the large-fund era: by keeping fund size modest and targeting smaller exits, the firm argues it can generate strong returns that larger funds cannot pursue. Mendoza's focus on the Texas market reflects both geographic conviction and a belief that the state's growing technology density creates sustainable deal flow for a disciplined, small-check investor with deep regional relationships.