SOSV is a global venture capital firm that operates early stage startup development programs.
SOSV’s programs are focused on two broad areas. The first is revolutionary technology that promises the betterment of humanity and the planet. The second is cross-border markets, notably in Asia, that are ripe for explosive growth.
The firm’s strategy is to invest in a small number of highly promising startups and use its deeply resourced programs to accelerate product development, acquire customers, and scale. SOSV companies consistently achieve funding led by top tier investors. SOSV joins seed, series A and later rounds while providing founders with ongoing support and community.
The five programs work with 135 new companies each year. As of April 2021, SOSV had more than 1,000 portfolio companies and $970 million in assets under management.
SOSV’s programs include hardware-oriented HAX and life-science driven IndieBio. Both offer deep technical expertise on-site as well as well-equipped lab and fabrication facilities. At Chinaccelerator and MOX, market-entry and product development experts help entrepreneurs win cross-border market opportunities across Asia. SOSV’s latest program, dlab, fosters new players in the blockchain ecosystem.
Among the top companies in SOSV’s portfolio are NotCo, Perfect Day, Upside Foods (fka Memphis Meats), Yeelight, Opentrons, Shopal, Snapask, BitMEX and API3.
On Earth Day—April 22, 2021—SOSV published the Climate Tech 100, a list of the firm’s top climate-focused investments working on solutions to climate change across five sectors: food, manufacturing, transport, energy, and buildings systems.
Founder Experience
SOSV programs review applications from all over the world, and any pre-seed or seed-stage company is welcome to apply. For most programs, SOSV provides $150,000 - $250,000 in exchange for a small amount of equity. Certain biotech startups may receive as much as $500,000 or more from the Genesis Consortium, a partnership between IndieBio and the Mayfield Fund.
Founders usually spend 4 to 6 months in a uniquely formative cohort experience marked by intensive coaching from on-staff experts (including successful founders), regular workshops led by mentors and guests, and access to technical resources, including labs and other facilities needed for research and product development. No less remarkable than the rapid advances founders make in the programs are the deep and lasting friendships they form with fellow founders and staff.
After a program’s completion, the SOSV partners continue working closely with founders to bring on lead investors for follow-on investment. Unlike most startup programs, SOSV continues to invest as a major syndicate participant—up to 20% of new rounds—in subsequent seed, series A and later investments. In a typical year, SOSV aims to invest at least twice as much in follow-on rounds as it does in its initial rounds with companies entering programs. In 2020, SOSV invested $46 million in post-program rounds; in total, SOSV portfolio companies in 2020 raised $1 billion.
In addition to funding, SOSV continues to support the development of founders and their startups long after their programs are complete. SOSV provides expert legal resources, sales and customer development, and mentorship resources across many disciplines. Founders are also encouraged to tap the 2,000+ SOSV founder network.
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