Launchpad Venture Group

Co-Managing Directors Ham Lord and Christopher Mirabile lead the group's investment process, supported by Managing Director Raza Shaikh. A rotating membership committee drawn from the group's accredited-investor base screens deals, with individual members retaining the final opt-in decision on each syndicated investment (per the group's operating structure).

Launchpad is a syndicate, not a blind-pool fund. Each investment is structured through a special-purpose vehicle (SPV), and individual members choose whether to participate on a deal-by-deal basis. This model differs from most New England venture funds by preserving member discretion while aggregating enough capital to lead or co-lead seed rounds.

Seraf is a portfolio-management software platform originally built by Launchpad's founders to manage the group's own deal flow and reporting. It has since been spun into a standalone company serving over 500 angel groups and early-stage funds globally. Launchpad members and management retain an ownership interest, meaning the group effectively operates both an investment vehicle and a technology business.

Launchpad targets Seed and pre-Series A rounds, with initial checks generally ranging from $250,000 to $1 million. The group reserves capital for follow-on investments in later rounds of existing portfolio companies, though follow-on decisions follow the same member opt-in structure as initial investments.

Launchpad is one of the most recognized angel groups in the US, in part because Co-Founder Christopher Mirabile served as Chair of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), the national trade group for angel investors. Ham Lord and Mirabile are frequent speakers on angel best-practices, and the group's Seraf platform has become a widely adopted tool across the ACA membership.

The group focuses on the Boston-Cambridge innovation corridor and greater New England, where both Lord and Mirabile have deep networks from decades of operating and investing in the region. Launchpad also selectively considers opportunities in New York, particularly in sectors where it can add value through its member expertise.

Yes, Launchpad frequently co-invests alongside institutional seed and Series A funds, functioning as a syndicated angel complement to lead venture investors. This co-investment posture allows the group to access rounds that require larger total capitalization while preserving its member-driven decision model.