Felicis Ventures

Felicis Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups with innovative ideas and the potential for high growth. The firm was founded in 2005 by Aydin Senkut, a former Google executive, and has since become one of the most successful and influential venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.

Felicis Ventures has a diverse portfolio of investments across a range of technology sectors, including software, healthcare, consumer, and enterprise. Some notable companies in the firm's portfolio include Stripe, Credit Karma, 23andMe, Adyen, and Brex, among others.

The firm's investment criteria are focused on identifying startups with exceptional teams, unique and innovative ideas, and the potential for significant growth and impact. Felicis Ventures typically invests in seed and Series A rounds and provides early-stage capital, strategic guidance, and a network of relationships and resources to help entrepreneurs build successful businesses

Felicis Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California, that was founded in 2005 by Aydin Senkut. The firm primarily invests in seed and early-stage technology startups and has a strong track record of successful investments in companies such as Fitbit, Shopify, and Ring.

Aydin Senkut is a former Google executive who managed the company's international growth and partnerships. After leaving Google, he founded Felicis Ventures with the mission of supporting and investing in the next generation of great technology companies.

Felicis Ventures began with a $4 million fund and focused on investing in mobile, e-commerce, and enterprise software startups. Some of the firm's early investments included ClearSlide, which provides sales engagement tools for businesses, and Inkling, which provides digital learning platforms for enterprise companies. In its early years, Felicis Ventures focused on investing in consumer-facing startups, including social networking, mobile, and gaming companies. Some notable early investments by the firm included Tapulous (acquired by Disney), Powerset (acquired by Microsoft), and Aardvark (acquired by Google).

In 2010, Felicis Ventures raised its second fund, a $41 million fund, and continued to focus on seed and early-stage investments in technology startups. The firm has since raised several additional funds, including a $120 million fund in 2014 and a $270 million fund in 2018.

Felicis Ventures has invested in over 300 companies across a range of industries, including healthcare, fintech, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality. The firm has a strong focus on supporting diverse founders and has invested in a number of companies led by women and underrepresented minorities.

In addition to its investments, Felicis Ventures has also been recognized for its unique approach to supporting portfolio companies. The firm provides a range of services and resources to help startups grow and succeed, including access to industry experts and a network of other entrepreneurs and investors.

Felicis Ventures has established itself as one of the most successful and respected venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, and its investments have had a significant impact on the technology industry as a whole.

Felicis Ventures is a firm that primarily invests in seed and early-stage technology startups. The firm has a set of investment criteria that it uses to evaluate potential investments and determine which companies to support.

• Innovative technology: Felicis Ventures looks for startups that are developing innovative technologies that have the potential to disrupt existing markets or create new ones. The firm is particularly interested in startups working in areas such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and healthcare.
• Strong team: The team behind a startup is one of the most important factors in Felicis Ventures' investment decision. The firm looks for founders who are passionate about their work, have a strong track record of success, and are committed to building a long-term, sustainable business.
• Large addressable market: Felicis Ventures looks for startups that are targeting large, growing markets with significant potential for expansion. The firm believes that the most successful startups are those that can scale quickly and capture a significant share of their target market.
• Sustainable competitive advantage: Felicis Ventures looks for startups that have a sustainable competitive advantage, whether through technology, brand recognition, or other factors. The firm believes that startups with a strong competitive advantage are better positioned to succeed in the long run.
• Potential for positive impact: Felicis Ventures is committed to investing in startups that have the potential to make a positive impact on society. The firm is particularly interested in startups working in areas such as healthcare, education, and sustainability.
• Early-stage investment: Felicis Ventures is primarily focused on seed and early-stage investments. The firm believes that this is the stage at which it can have the greatest impact on a startup's success and help shape its future direction.

• Humility: Felicis Ventures values humility as an important trait in entrepreneurs and as a key factor in building strong relationships with founders. The firm believes that the most successful entrepreneurs are willing to listen to feedback, learn from mistakes, and recognize the contributions of others.
• Courage: Felicis Ventures values courage as an essential quality in entrepreneurs and as a driving force behind innovation and progress. The firm seeks out founders who are willing to take risks, challenge conventional wisdom, and pursue bold ideas.
• Inclusion: Felicis Ventures values inclusion as a core principle and seeks to invest in startups led by diverse teams. The firm recognizes that diverse teams are better positioned to understand and serve various markets and that inclusive cultures are essential for building solid and sustainable businesses.
• Empathy: Felicis Ventures values empathy as a critical skill for investors and entrepreneurs alike. The firm seeks to build strong relationships with founders by understanding their needs, concerns, and perspectives, and by providing support and guidance that is tailored to their unique circumstances.
• Transparency: Felicis Ventures values transparency as an important factor in building trust and accountability with founders and other stakeholders. The firm seeks to be open and honest in its communications with founders and to provide clear and timely feedback throughout the investment process.
• Impact: Felicis Ventures values impact as a key metric of success, and seeks to invest in startups that have the potential to make a positive impact on society. The firm believes that by supporting startups that are working to solve important problems and create value for society, it can help create a better future for all.

"To help exceptional entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into transformative products and services that redefine markets, industries and human experiences."

This mission statement reflects the firm's focus on identifying and supporting entrepreneurs who pursuing ambitious, transformative ideas, and who are committed to building long-term, sustainable businesses that can create lasting value for society. By providing early-stage capital, strategic guidance, and a network of relationships and resources, Felicis Ventures aims to help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of building a successful startup and to help them achieve their full potential.

The firm's mission statement also highlights its belief in the power of technology to shape the future and improve people's lives. By investing in startups developing new technologies and products, Felicis Ventures aims to help drive innovation and progress in fields such as healthcare, education, and sustainability, and to support entrepreneurs working to solve some of the world's most pressing problems.

Felicis Ventures has a diverse portfolio of investments across a range of technology sectors, including software, healthcare, consumer, and enterprise. The firm's portfolio includes a mix of early-stage and growth-stage companies and reflects its focus on identifying and investing in innovative startups with the potential to disrupt existing markets and create new ones.

Some notable companies in Felicis Ventures' portfolio include:

• Stripe: A global payments technology company that allows businesses to accept payments online and in mobile apps. Stripe is valued at over $95 billion as of 2022, and has become a dominant player in the online payments space.
• Credit Karma: A personal finance company that offers free credit scores, credit reports, and other financial tools to consumers. Credit Karma was acquired by Intuit for $7.1 billion in 2020, marking one of the largest exits in Felicis Ventures' history.
• 23andMe: A genetic testing and analysis company that offers DNA testing kits to consumers. 23andMe has raised over $790 million in funding to date and has become a leader in the growing field of consumer genomics.
• Adyen: A global payments company that offers a unified platform for accepting online and in-store payments. Adyen is valued at over $120 billion as of 2022 and has become a significant player in the payments industry.
• Brex: A fintech company that offers corporate credit cards and other financial services to startups and small businesses. Brex has raised over $1.5 billion in funding and has become a popular choice among tech startups and other high-growth companies.

Other notable companies in Felicis Ventures' portfolio include Fitbit, Rappi, Flexport, Vidado, and PagerDuty, among many others.