Five35 Ventures

Hema Vallabh is the named General Partner and the sole investment lead listed on the firm’s public materials. The governance structure beyond Vallabh is not publicly detailed, but the website presents her as the principal decision-maker.

The firm focuses on pre-seed and seed stages. It requires portfolio companies to have graduated from a recognized accelerator, secured at least one proof-of-concept with an enterprise or institutional client, and be post-revenue with demonstrable traction among African clients.

The firm states investment sizes range from $250,000 up to $1 million, which can include follow-on rounds. It uses SAFE notes, convertible notes, and equity instruments depending on the company’s stage and growth path (per firm website).

The mandate covers businesses that are 'female-focused,' which includes female founders and executives, majority-female teams, or business models serving African women consumers. An all-male founding team could qualify if the product demonstrably serves female consumers, but the filter requires women at the center of leadership or the end-user base.

Sourcing is partially gated by a requirement that companies graduate from a recognized accelerator or incubator program in Africa or globally. The firm also operates the '35'er Club', a community of investors, partners, and ecosystem players that likely serves as an additional origination funnel.

The firm is pan-African in scope, investing in startups that can scale solutions across multiple African markets. Its registered office is in Mauritius, and portfolio companies include operations in West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa.

The firm connects portfolio companies to a 'community of investors and partners across Africa and globally' and positions itself as opening doors to new markets. While explicit co-investment policies are not published, the language implies active syndication with external capital providers.