Betaworks Ventures

Betaworks Ventures is a product-focused, seed-stage venture capital firm based in New York City and San Francisco. Founded in 2008, Betaworks Ventures has invested in numerous innovative companies, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and software as a service (SaaS). Their typical investment range is between $250,000 and $750,000​​. Some of their notable investments include companies like Giphy, the popular GIF-sharing platform; Hugging Face, known for its AI-driven natural language processing tools; and Stability AI, a leader in generative AI technologies. Betaworks Ventures has also been involved in successful exits such as Shine, an app focused on mental health and wellness, and 8th Wall, a company specializing in augmented reality. Betaworks Ventures is known for its thematic investment approach, often immersing itself in emerging technologies and trends to better understand new user behaviors. This allows them to strategically invest in early-stage startups that are poised to shape the future of their respective industries​. The firm was founded by John Borthwick, who continues to lead the team along with partners like Matt Hartman and Peter Rojas. Their collective expertise and deep involvement in the tech ecosystem enable them to provide not just capital, but also valuable mentorship and support to their portfolio companies​​.