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OUTCAST VENTURES
John Frankel's Outcast Ventures runs one of the most active seed-stage portfolios, with over 900 companies backed from offices in New York and Warsaw.
OUTCAST VENTURES
Outcast Ventures, LLC is an exempt reporting adviser in Burlingame, CA. It is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
1997
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Burlingame
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
John Frankel
Founding Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Outcast Ventures?
Founding Partner John Frankel leads the firm's investment strategy and decision-making. Frankel previously spent 21 years at Goldman Sachs, where he became a partner and held roles across technology investment banking and proprietary trading. He sits on the boards of multiple portfolio companies and remains the central figure in the firm's partnership.
How does Outcast Ventures source deal flow across two continents?
The firm operates from two offices: New York for US deal flow and Warsaw for Central and Eastern Europe. The Warsaw presence provides access to a dense pool of technical talent at lower capital costs, while the New York office taps traditional US venture networks. This transatlantic structure allows the firm to source engineering-heavy startups in both markets and occasionally introduce portfolio companies across regions.
How is Outcast Ventures related to the original ff Venture Capital?
The firm was founded in 1999 as ff Venture Capital. In 2023, it officially adopted the Outcast Ventures name, aligning its brand with broader media and incubation initiatives that had developed over time. The underlying fund structure and partnership remained consistent through the rebrand.
Which portfolio companies have emerged as notable outcomes from Outcast Ventures?
Notable portfolio companies include stock-trading platform Public.com, enterprise AI company ASAPP, drone data and analytics firm PrecisionHawk, and numerous other enterprise and fintech startups. The firm's volume-based approach — over 900 portfolio companies — has produced multiple exits, though the firm does not publicly disclose a detailed track record.
Does Outcast Ventures participate in follow-on rounds or only seed deals?
The firm actively reserves capital for follow-on investments in breakout portfolio companies. While initial checks are seed-stage, the strategy accounts for pro-rata participation in subsequent financing rounds when a company demonstrates strong traction and the fund's ownership position warrants continued support.
What is the firm's known posture on co-investing with other venture firms?
Outcast Ventures routinely co-invests alongside other seed and early-stage venture funds. The firm will lead, co-lead, or follow based on the round dynamics and relationship with the syndicate. Its volume-based model means it participates in a high number of syndicated seed rounds annually.
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