Why is your fund named One Way Ventures?
A
Because immigration and entrepreneurship are both One Way journeys. Just as there is no looking back when immigrating to a new country, there is no looking back when taking the leap into entrepreneurship.
Ethos
One Way Ventures is on a mission to break down borders, starting by funding exceptional immigrant founders.
FAQ
Background
What makes us different?
A
We invest in companies founded and co-founded by immigrants. Everyone on our investment team is an immigrant, so we understand the challenges of founding and scaling a company through this lense. We offer visa/legal support and references, as well as access to a network of mission-aligned industry experts and executives, many of whom are immigrants themselves.
Why do you invest in immigrant founders?
A
We invest in immigrant-founded startups because we believe immigrant success is not priced into the market.
After 20 years of angel investing and three years as Director of Techstars Boston, One Way co-founder Semyon Dukach noticed a trend: immigrant-led companies repeatedly outperformed the rest of his portfolio. While immigrants only make up 14% of the U.S. population, they start 24% of high-tech startups, and founded or co-founded 55% of America’s billion-dollar startups.
We believe immigration naturally self-selects for the entrepreneurial-minded, and that the experience itself prepares founders for the parallel hardships that accompany entrepreneurship. Because of this, it is our thesis that immigrant founders have a competitive advantage when it comes to building impactful, globally reaching companies.
Investments
Does your firm have a specific sector focus?
A
We like to invest in tech-enabled companies with the potential for global reach and impact. Some of our areas of interest include: logistics, mobility, fintech, artificial intelligence (especially machine vision), future of work, and robotics.
How do you decide what to invest in?
A
We make investment decisions based on the following criteria: (1) founder(s) are exceptional immigrants who have already made the journey (2) founders have a high degree of credibility in the space they’re tackling (3) there is a large enough market opportunity for venture scale returns (4) there is evidence of defensibility and sustainable competitive advantage.
What stage are the companies you invest in?
A
We focus on seed stage companies, but will also participate in pre-seed to series A opportunities.
Do you invest in companies outside the U.S.?
A
Currently, we are focused on companies based in the U.S. or Canada. Eventually, we would like to be able to invest in immigrants across the world.
Do you lead rounds?
A
Yes we do. We also participate in syndicated rounds led by other investors we respect.
What is your typical check size?
A
Between $500K and $1.5M
What should I include when pitching you?
A
Please include the LinkedIn profile links and immigration stories of key founders, the location of the founding team and headquarters of your startup, the stage of your company including monthly revenue, your funding to date including specific investors, and the size of the current round and any existing commitments.
People
What do you look for in a founder or team?
A
We love founders who: (1) have been shaped by their immigration experience (2) demonstrate a high degree of grit and resilience (3) have a track record of excellence in their previous endeavors (4) demonstrate credibility in the problems they’re tackling and (5) have a big vision
Do all of the founders have to be immigrants?
A
No, but at least one key founder must be.