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Founder's Co-op
Chris DeVore founded Founder's Co-op in 2008, positioning it as a single-family office that operates as a seed-stage venture capital firm.
Founder's Co-op
Chris DeVore founded Founder's Co-op in 2008, positioning it as a single-family office that operates as a seed-stage venture capital firm. The wealth originates from DeVore's prior technology entrepreneurship, including his role as a co-founder of the social-commerce platform Zuppex. The firm focuses exclusively on the Pacific Northwest, primarily Seattle and Portland, and makes early-stage investments. DeVore has publicly stated that Founder's Co-op targets $500,000 to $750,000 initial checks, often leading seed rounds. Portfolio companies disclosed include the messaging platform Reply.ai and the digital-health startup Vensa (per the firm's public announcements and Crunchbase records). Founder's Co-op runs as a lean operation — DeVore is the sole named managing director and likely works with a small number of associates or analysts. The firm does not disclose AUM, deployment figures, or any additional offices. No philanthropic foundation or separate operating-company vehicle is publicly linked to the entity. The firm's structural differentiator is its intentional narrowness: a single-family office that writes seed checks in one geographic region, operates with minimal staff, and sources deals through DeVore's local network rather than institutional fundraising. This model mirrors the 'founder-friendly' venture approach common in Seattle.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Seattle
Corporate office
Seattle, WA, United States
Principals
Chris DeVore
Managing Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Founder's Co-op?
Chris DeVore is the sole named managing director and leads all investment decisions at Founder's Co-op. He founded the firm in 2008 and previously co-founded Zuppex, a social-commerce platform (per public record). No other investing principals are publicly named.
How does Founder's Co-op source proprietary deal flow?
Founder's Co-op sources investments primarily through Chris DeVore's network in the Pacific Northwest technology ecosystem. The firm is based in Seattle and focuses on the region, relying on direct relationships with entrepreneurs rather than institutional intermediaries (per the firm's public communications).
Is Founder's Co-op structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Founder's Co-op is structured as a single-family office that operates identically to a seed-stage venture capital firm. It writes $500K–$750K checks in early rounds, often leading rounds, but the capital comes from a family office structure rather than an institutional fund (per public record).
Does Founder's Co-op participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Founder's Co-op only performs direct investments — specifically seed-stage equity in startups. The firm does not commit to third-party funds, and its investment strategy is entirely direct (per public record).
What investment stages does Founder's Co-op typically target?
Founder's Co-op targets seed-stage investments exclusively, writing initial checks of $500,000 to $750,000. The firm often leads seed rounds in companies based in the Pacific Northwest (per the firm's public statements).
Which sectors does Founder's Co-op explicitly avoid?
Founder's Co-op does not publicly disclose any explicitly avoided sectors. Its disclosed portfolio spans enterprise software, AI/ML, digital health, fintech, and climate tech, suggesting a focus on technology-enabled businesses rather than hard-asset or real-estate deals.
What is Founder's Co-op's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Founder's Co-op has been publicly reported leading seed rounds alongside other Seattle-area angel investors and micro-VCs, including the Seattle-based Pioneer Square Labs. These appear to be syndicated seed rounds rather than formal co-investment vehicles (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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