# Emphasis Ventures

Emphasis Ventures is a Venture Capital based in Washington, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** Washington, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Washington, United States
- **Founded:** 2018
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.em.vc
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/emvcfintechfund

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Emphasis Ventures (EMVC) is a fintech venture capital firm focused on emerging markets. EMVC propels forward founders and companies building next-generation financial and commerce ecosystems. It is an early partner to exceptional founders shaping the global fintech landscape.

## Sectors

- FinTech
- InsurTech

## People

- Melissa Frakman — CEO and Founding Partner

## Questions

### What does Emphasis Ventures mean by 'strategic seed' investing?

EMVC defines 'strategic seed' as early-stage capital paired with deep operational involvement. The firm's team draws on direct experience in payments, insurance, banking, and distributed ledger technology to help portfolio companies navigate regulatory environments and scale across borders. This model targets founders who need domain-specific partnerships rather than passive capital at formation.

### Is Emphasis Ventures exclusively focused on India?

India serves as the firm's primary origination and incubation geography, which EMVC describes as 'a laboratory and launchpad for global innovation.' However, the portfolio strategy targets companies that can export their models internationally. Portfolio company Bureau, for example, expanded from India into the Philippines and Indonesia, while other holdings have pursued growth in Europe and Latin America.

### Who makes investment decisions at Emphasis Ventures?

CEO and Founding Partner Melissa Frakman leads the firm's investment decisions. The team includes investors, entrepreneurs, and operators with backgrounds spanning the U.S., Indian, and international financial services markets. Specific investment committee structures are not publicly disclosed.

### What stages does Emphasis Ventures target?

EMVC focuses on early-stage companies, primarily at the seed and start-up phases. The firm also participates in follow-on growth rounds for existing portfolio companies, as demonstrated by its continued involvement with M2P Fintech through its $102 million capital raise.

### Does Emphasis Ventures only invest in fintech?

The firm's mandate concentrates on fintech and adjacent commerce ecosystems, including insurtech, credit infrastructure, and banking-as-a-service. While the core thesis is financial technology, EMVC looks at companies building the infrastructure layer for next-generation financial services, which occasionally extends into related verticals like digital identity and risk intelligence.

### How does Emphasis Ventures source its deals?

EMVC relies on proprietary networks built by its general partnership, which has deep operating roots in Indian and U.S. financial services. The firm cites its domain expertise and cross-border relationships as the primary sourcing engine, though it also accepts inbound pitches at pitch@em.vc.

## Related profiles

- [Empeiria Capital Partners](https://altss.com/profile/empeiria-capital-partners)
- [Empire Angels](https://altss.com/profile/empire-angels)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:06:42.396Z

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