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Emerald
Emerald is a venture capital firm investing in enterprise software, AI/ML, and fintech; founded 1999, managed by Patrick Laurens.
Emerald
Emerald was founded in 1999 as the venture arm of a Canadian family office, later spinning out as an independent firm. Patrick Laurens, Jason Green, and Jim Hieb have run the firm since its early days, investing out of a series of early-stage funds. The firm targets seed and Series A rounds in enterprise software, AI/ML, and fintech, with portfolio companies including 2U (IPO 2014), Dapper Labs (NBA Top Shot), and FreshBooks. It also backs digital health, industrial tech, cybersecurity, and climate tech. Emerald invests across North America, with offices in Montreal, Menlo Park, and Seattle, plus a presence in Australia through its Highett office. The firm structures investments as direct equity and co-investments with its LP base. Emerald manages approximately $1B in assets (Altss estimate) across multiple funds, with a team of over 20 professionals. Its LP base includes more than 400 high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional investors. In 2024, the firm closed its latest early-stage fund at $50M (per public record). It also runs an operating company, Emerald Technology Ventures, that provides portfolio support. The firm's structural differentiator is its hybrid model: it operates as a venture capital firm but maintains the deal-sharing and co-investment architecture of a multi-family office. By syndicating its proprietary deal flow to a large, engaged LP network, Emerald gives its investors direct access to early-stage companies that would otherwise require a separate GP relationship.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
1999
AUM
$500M – $2B (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
Canada
City
Montreal
Corporate office
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Additional offices
Menlo Park, California, United States · Seattle, Washington, United States · Highett, Victoria, Australia
Principals
Patrick Laurens
Managing Director
Jason Green
Managing Director
Jim Hieb
General Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Emerald?
Patrick Laurens, Jason Green, and Jim Hieb are the managing partners who lead the investment team. The firm operates with a partnership model, with sector-focused partners driving deal selection.
How does Emerald source proprietary deal flow?
Emerald sources deals through its network of over 400 LPs — many of whom are entrepreneurs and family offices — as well as its own sector specialists. The firm also surfaces opportunities through its operating company, Emerald Technology Ventures.
Is Emerald structured as a family office or a venture firm?
Emerald operates as an independent venture capital firm but retains some multi-family office characteristics. It syndicates deal flow to its large LP base and runs an operating arm, balancing institutional venture discipline with the LP-access model of a multi-family office.
Does Emerald participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Emerald primarily makes direct investments in early-stage companies. It also facilitates co-investments for its LPs alongside its own positions. The firm does not act as a fund-of-funds.
What investment stages does Emerald typically target?
Emerald targets seed and Series A rounds, writing first checks of $500K to $5M. The firm occasionally participates in later rounds for existing portfolio companies.
Which sectors does Emerald explicitly avoid?
Emerald does not invest in biotech or hard sciences, as per its stated sector focus. It also avoids pre-revenue or concept-stage companies without a working prototype.
How is Emerald related to its Australian office?
Emerald's Highett, Australia office reflects the firm's Australian LP base and deal flow. The office sources and manages investments in Oceanic markets, including Australia and New Zealand, as part of Emerald's global strategy.
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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