Mantis

Mantis writes initial checks at the pre-seed and seed stages, generally funding founders at or before a formal institutional Series A round forms. Check sizes are typically under $1 million based on the firm's participation in early cap tables, positioning it as an early-stage syndicate rather than a lead institutional investor.

No. Mantis does not publicly disclose an AUM figure, does not file as a registered investment advisor reporting regulatory assets, and has not communicated a flagship fund size. Its deployment pattern suggests a principals-backed model operating through special-purpose vehicles rather than a single closed-end fund.

Mantis has held early positions in Robinhood, the consumer fintech and brokerage platform, and Anduril Industries, the defense and autonomous systems company. Both represent the firm's pattern of entering at the architecture stage in companies that later attract significant institutional rounds from top-tier venture firms.

Mantis has not publicly identified its investment committee or managing principals on its website or through press accounts. The firm's Santa Monica-based leadership operates through a lean structure that has not granted interviews or published profiles in the venture trade press.

Mantis sources deal flow primarily through proprietary networks within the Los Angeles and broader California startup ecosystem. The firm's co-investor relationships with firms like Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Upfront Ventures suggest a network-driven sourcing model that relies heavily on founder referrals and syndicate partners.