Hyphen Capital

Hyphen Capital is a venture capital fund focused on supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) founders. Based in San Francisco, Hyphen Capital actively invests across various stages, with a significant presence in seed and early-stage funding rounds. The fund emphasizes sectors like fintech, enterprise applications, healthcare, and consumer products. Notable investments include Persona, an identity verification solutions provider valued at $1.5 billion, and Prime Roots, a producer of alternative protein products. Other key investments include Super, an online travel booking platform, and Poised, an AI-enabled communication assistant. Hyphen Capital's investment strategy centers on leveraging its strong network of AAPI entrepreneurs and executives, including prominent figures like Kevin Chou (Kabam), Ellen Chen (Mendocino Farms), and Patrick Lee (Rotten Tomatoes). The fund aims to back founders who are poised to disrupt their industries with innovative solutions and significant growth potential. Hyphen Capital tends to lead investment rounds, with typical check sizes ranging from $100,000 to $4.5 million. They prefer startups to approach them with a clear, scalable business model and a strong founding team. The fund has made 38 investments to date, with 3 successful exits. Led by Dave Lu, a well-respected figure in Silicon Valley, Hyphen Capital provides not just capital but also strategic guidance and access to a vast network of industry leaders, making it an invaluable partner for startups looking to scale rapidly. Hyphen Capital's approach is holistic, emphasizing long-term relationships and community support, reflecting their mission to empower the next generation of AAPI founders to achieve extraordinary success.