Unusual Ventures

Founders at the very start of a company are the focus of Unusual Ventures. The firm leads pre-seed to Series A investments in enterprise software and marketplaces, and it says it supports founders from the first idea through to a business that is ready to scale. Its investment team is made up of former operators who work alongside each founder on the practical problems of building a business.

Operators who work alongside founders

The firm says its operators help with recruiting, sales, marketing, hiring and education, and that they stay involved from the first months through to product-market fit. It describes this support as deep rather than occasional, and it says the operators work in the trenches on hiring, selling and messaging with founders instead of only advising from a distance.

A written playbook for early-stage founders

The firm's proprietary playbook explains how to find product-market fit, and it is presented as a guide for founders building technical products for enterprise buyers. A field guide on customer storytelling sets out how to craft a story that wins the first customers, and the firm says the playbook is written by the team that also works with founders every day.

A live academy and hands-on learning

Founders also get access to a live academy taught by experienced practitioners, which covers early-stage practice from idea through to product-market fit. The firm describes its learning program as a practical guide to early success, and it includes tactical content on sales, marketing, hiring and education.

Investing with a long view

Unusual says it leads early rounds and stays involved after the investment closes. It offers a meaningful investment alongside its hands-on learning program for early teams, and it describes the early-stage journey as the stage where its operators do the most work with founders. The firm presents itself as a partner for founders who expect deep support from their investors, not just capital.