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Bloc
Bloc is a San Francisco-based multi-family office founded in 2018 by Bobby Lee and Yishan Zhu, investing in early-stage software and crypto.
Bloc
Bloc was founded in 2018 by Bobby Lee and Yishan Zhu, two operators with backgrounds in technology and finance. Lee previously held roles at companies including Coinbase and Airbnb, while Zhu's experience spans venture capital and product leadership. The firm was structured to consolidate the investment activity of multiple families, each contributing capital to a pooled vehicle for direct investments. Bloc's strategy covers venture-stage equity, growth equity, and selected crypto token investments. The firm has made public investments in companies including Skiff (a privacy-focused productivity platform) and Syndicate (a blockchain-based investment protocol). Bloc focuses primarily on US-based companies but has also deployed capital into European and Asian opportunities. Asset classes include private equity, digital assets, and select public equities. The firm operates with a lean team of fewer than 15 professionals, based solely in San Francisco. Bloc has not disclosed any philanthropic vehicles or separate operating businesses. In October 2023, the firm co-led a $10M seed round for Skiff alongside other family offices (per Crunchbase, October 2023). Bloc's structural differentiator is its platform model — it functions neither as a traditional single-family office nor as a closed-end fund. Instead, it aggregates deal flow and due diligence for a consortium of families, charging management fees on committed capital. This hybrid structure allows families to access institutional-quality deal sourcing without building their own in-house teams.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
2018
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Bobby Lee
Co-Founder
Yishan Zhu
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Bloc?
Bloc was founded by Bobby Lee and Yishan Zhu, who serve as managing partners. Investment decisions are made by the founding team after a collective diligence process involving the firm's capital partners. Lee and Zhu are the named principals responsible for deal sourcing and portfolio construction (per public record).
How does Bloc source proprietary deal flow?
Bloc sources deals through the founder networks of its capital partners and through direct outreach to early-stage technology companies. The firm's focus on software and crypto gives it access to sectors that are often overlooked by larger family offices. Bloc also participates in syndicated rounds alongside other family offices and venture firms (per public record).
Is Bloc structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Bloc is a multi-family office that manages capital pooled from multiple families. It operates similarly to a small venture firm but with a more concentrated set of limited partners — the families themselves. The firm charges management fees but does not market itself as a traditional venture capital fund.
What investment stages does Bloc typically target?
Bloc targets early-stage venture rounds, from seed to Series B, with check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $5 million per deal. The firm also selectively participates in growth-stage rounds and crypto token sales when the opportunity aligns with its thesis (per public record).
Which sectors does Bloc explicitly avoid?
Bloc does not invest in real estate, energy, or heavy industrial sectors. The firm explicitly focuses on software, data infrastructure, and crypto. It has not made known investments in biotech, healthcare services, or physical commodities.
Does Bloc maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
No public philanthropic vehicles have been identified at Bloc. The firm's capital is deployed exclusively for investment returns and has not disclosed any donor-advised funds or charitable foundations tied to its operations.
What is Bloc's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Bloc frequently co-invests alongside other family offices and venture capital firms. The firm has co-led rounds with entities such as Variant Fund and Protocol Labs. Co-investment is a core part of its deal sourcing strategy (per public record).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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