About — FailUp Capital

Our Founding

The FailUp Story

FailUp Capital was founded in 2021 by a team of investors and operators who had spent careers at the intersection of science and commerce. We saw a funding gap: the best deep tech founders were too often left without the patient, technically fluent capital they needed to bridge from lab to product.

We built FailUp Capital to fill that gap. Our name reflects our belief that the most ambitious ventures require an embrace of iterative failure — that true breakthroughs emerge only from the willingness to test bold hypotheses and learn faster than anyone else.

Today, with $85M under management and partnerships with leading institutions including Alumni Ventures (av.vc), FailUp Capital is the seed-stage partner of choice for hard tech and deep tech founders who are building tomorrow's infrastructure.

FailUp Capital founding story — deep tech laboratory

What We Stand For

Mission & Values

Our values are not a wall poster. They are the operating principles that guide every investment decision and founder relationship.

Intellectual Honesty

We evaluate technology on its scientific merits, not market hype. Our diligence is rigorous because our founders deserve a partner who truly understands what they are building.

Founder Alignment

We structure our investments to align incentives for the long haul. We want our founders to win, and we back that belief with capital, network, and genuine operational support.

Long-Term Thinking

Hard tech takes time. We are comfortable with 7 to 10 year horizons because we understand that the most enduring value is created when founders have the runway to get it right.

Scientific Rigor

Every investment thesis is grounded in first-principles analysis of the underlying physics, biology, or chemistry. We invest in what works, not just what sounds impressive.

Our Partners

Backed By Leading Institutions

FailUp Capital is proud to be affiliated with Alumni Ventures, one of the most active venture firms in the United States.

Alumni Ventures (av.vc)
Strategic LP & Network Partner — $85M Seed Round, February 2021

How We Invest

What We Look For

We target seed-stage companies at the frontier of hard tech and deep tech with a clear path from breakthrough science to transformative market application.

Stage

Seed round — we lead or co-lead with strong conviction. We invest when the technology is proven but the company is just being built.

Check Size

Typical seed investment of $2M to $8M, with reserves for follow-on participation as companies scale.

Sectors

Advanced computing, aerospace, energy, materials science, synthetic biology, sensing, and adjacent deep tech verticals.

Geography

Primarily United States with selectively global reach. Deep ties to the Bay Area, Boston, and national lab ecosystems.

Founder Profile

Scientists and engineers who have deep domain expertise and the commercial vision to turn breakthrough research into lasting companies.

Decision Speed

We move with urgency. First meeting to term sheet in under three weeks for companies that meet our thesis criteria.

Built on Conviction